If you were skeptical of that report from a Houston radio host over the weekend that the Celtics were one of the "favorites" to acquire Rockets star James Harden, that's understandable, and probably a good instinct.
But while it's still probably a stretch to call the Celtics a "favorite," some of the top reporters in the game aren't exactly shooting down the idea of Boston at least showing interest.
On The Greg Hill Show Tuesday, Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix said such a trade -- which would be centered around Jaylen Brown -- is "of course" a possibility, and explained why the Celtics would be an appealing trade partner for Houston.
Now Marc Stein of the New York Times reports that the Celtics are one of several teams that have had "exploratory talks" with the Rockets about Harden.
In addition to the Celtics, Sixers and Nets -- the latter two of which have been known to have interest for a while -- Stein also lists the Raptors and Nuggets as possible suitors.
It's worth noting that both Stein and Mannix consider the Sixers the favorite to land Harden if they're willing to part with Ben Simmons, as he would best any player any of those other teams, including the Celtics, would offer.
While Mannix said this process could drag on until the March trade deadline, Stein predicts a quicker resolution, writing that he thinks a deal could be done before the end of January as "tension within the Rockets is mounting each day Harden goes untraded."