After standing pat, what can the Celtics do for buyout options?

The Boston Celtics may have held steady at the 2020 NBA trade deadline, but they could still add talent from buyout candidates — who might realistically be available?

Having stood pat at the 2020 NBA trade deadline, the Boston Celtics still have a few tools at their disposal when it comes to making midseason roster moves.

They can still add unsigned players to an open roster spot, and they can sign players bought out from other NBA teams so long as the process is completed before the end of the day on March 1st.

At least, if they want to use that player in the postseason.

The Celtics currently have no open roster spots, but could conceivably waive a player if the right option comes along.

With an abundance of young talent on the roster and more destined to arrive this summer in the form of up to three first-round draft picks, it may make sense to bite the bullet now and sign a player to a short-term deal.

The most likely candidates will be among the lowest-paid players on the roster who are also among the least productive, narrowing the options to a small handful of players.

Chief of which is French big man Vincent Poirier, who has struggled to adapt to the NBA game in his debut season in the league at 26. earning $2.5 million.

That’s a bit more than most end-of-bench cuts tend to make, so it’d likely take an impressive prospect to make cutting Vinny Sexpants worth the squeeze, leaving reserve wing Javonte Green as the only other likely option for a potential cut.

Green’s actually been a productive-if-inconsistent player — though at 26 as well, isn’t likely to add much to his game. He’s on the books for just under $900,000, though, so while useful it may make sense to cut the Virginian if the right option appears.

The only other realistic — and we’re stretching that term here — option would be rookie guard Carsen Edwards or veteran floor general Brad Wanamaker, the former still worth hanging onto to see what develops and the latter a valuable depth player.

This brings us to the available options, and for now, the pickings are slim.

But as we inch closer to that buyout deadline on the first day of March, several options will likely shake free of their current situation, and at least a few might be worth opening up a roster spot to see.

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Tristan Thompson could perhaps be the most intriguing option, but it’s a longshot that his current team will grant him a buyout. And players — such as Thompson — represented by Klutch Sports have yet to even accept one.

Forward Marvin Williams of the Charlotte Hornets would be another excellent candidate if bought out, able to shoot 37.6 % from beyond the arc and to cover bigger forwards and frontcourt players defensively when needed.

The Hornets could also seek to part ways with center Bismack Biyombo according to HoopsHype’s Bryan Kalbrosky, and while not an especially sexy option, could provide much-needed frontcourt depth above what Boston is seeing from Poirier.

Now-Detroit Piston John Henson should be kept tabs on, as he’s a decent shotblocker and rebounder now likely behind Christian Wood, Sekou Doumbouya and perhaps even Thon Maker.

Evan Turner is an interesting option who already knows the system head coach Brad Stevens uses. He’s put up awful numbers as an Atlanta Hawk, but was also relegated to a deep rotation role while the team tried to develop its young players (and improve its draft odds).

In keeping with ex-Celtics, there’s a chance Dallas Maverick Courtney Lee is bought out from his current situation, currently playing just under 11 minutes a game for his current team. A career 38.8 % 3-point shooter could always help a bit.

A more recent former Celtic could be waived as a result of his inclusion of a deal sending yet another ex-Celt to the Los Angeles Clippers, with the deal landing Marcus Morris on that west coast contender pulling IT out of the Washington Wizards roster.

There’s a world where his production and the narrative his return creates could be worth a cut, but it’d come at the expense of simply elevating two-way flor general Tremont Waters to the NBA level to see what they have ahead of all those picks coming this summer.

Even after missing out on all the trade deadline drama, Boston may elect to stand pat again on the buyout market, particularly if one of the better options noted above or some other impact player is not a very clear and obvious upgrade.

Whatever course the front office chooses, the players can at least breathe a collective sigh of relief in knowing — save perhaps a player or two — their roster status going into the summer.

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