Tag: trades

The experts agree: the Boston Celtics need wing depth at the trade deadline

Big man depth may still be a concern, but if there’s an area Boston is thin, it’s wing depth playable in the postseason.

What do the Boston Celtics need at the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline? For much of the early part of the league’s 2023-24 season, the conventional wisdom was that it would be a trade for a big man to help shore up the Celtics’ frontcourt rotation.

But the team’s frontcourt players have done much to suggest that while that might remain a priority, it is a lesser one. At least in comparison to playoff-ready wing depth, of which Boston may not have any after their All-NBA wings in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Sam Hauser might fit that bill, but has not been especially effective in the past when given run in the postseason.

For that reason, Celtics team president Brad Steven’s recent suggestion that the team will be looking to add a big wing to the team’s rotation did not come as a massive surprise. Nor does the fact that many NBA analysts agree.

Do the Spurs need to trade for a point guard at the NBA trade deadline?

Or is skill development of the players on the roster now a bigger priority?

For some fans of the San Antonio Spurs looking at a ball club clearly more focused on developing Victor Wembanyama and his young teammates, the question of what the Spurs need at the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline may not seem to be an important one.

But speculation abounds nonetheless, and for The Athletic’s Kelly Iko, San Antonio ought to add a new face to its backcourt. “If it took an injury to Malaki Branham to finally get Tre Jones named as a starter, I’m not sure how else to say the Spurs need a point guard,” writes the Athletic reporter.

Extolling the potential of Wemby, Keldon Johnson, and Devin Vassell, Iko notes that “Jeremy Sochan isn’t a lead ballhandler, but he’s lengthy, a solid defender and versatile.”

“They’re missing an organizer,” he suggests. There’s a non-zero chance that is no accident given the team’s plans to hone skills a winning focus would make fraught.

But Iko is correct to note that it “shouldn’t take 35 games into the season to realize (an organizer is lacking) … there’s no way San Antonio should be this bad.”

Unless it’s the future one is more focused on, though we would like to see what Wembanyama and Co. look like with a serious NBA point guard. Is it too soon, or will we see Dejounte Murray back in a Spurs uniform, or someone similar? Only time can tell.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Celtics seen as likely buyers ahead of the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline

“The Celtics have a great top six in the rotation but need another guy for their postseason run,” writes The Athletic.

The Boston Celtics are seen as a team likely to look to the trade market to improve the team according to recent analysis by The Athletic’s Zach Harper. Per The Athletic analyst, the “Celtics don’t have much in terms of young assets or even moveable role players to improve their depth or add another significant piece.”

“However, Brad Stevens does have almost full control of the Celtics’ first-round picks over the next eight years, so Boston can definitely try to add a role player with a first or two,” adds Harper. “The Celtics have a great top six in the rotation but need another guy for their postseason run.”

This is likely informed speculation given Stevens recently alluded to as much in an impromptu session with the media about the Celtics’ potential plans at the league’s 2024 trade deadline. It makes all the sense in the world given what we’ve seen from the bench.

While much better than in past seasons, there is still little in the way of proven playoff experience currently coming off it apart from Al Horford. The veteran big man may not always even be coming off the bench by the time the postseason rolls around.

Add in a thin frontcourt and thinner wing rotation, and it’s a solid bet there will be at least one new face on Boston’s roster before the end of the regular season, if not at the deadline.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

The Boston Celtics latest (lack of) moves might signal a trade is coming

The decision not to waive Kornet, Mykhailiuk, or Banton means they won’t be cut to make room for a signing, but it might also be a prelude to them being moved in a trade.

The Boston Celtics are likely zeroing in on what the team’s front office is going to do at the NBA’s 2023-24 trade deadline, and recent decisions made by the ball club could signal satisfaction with the depth already on the roster. It could also hint that the Celtics plan to make a move to further bolster the team ahead of the Feb. 8 limit.

The franchise’s decision not to waive Luke Kornet, Svi Mykhailiuk, or Dalano Banton means they won’t be cut to make room for a signing, but it might also be a prelude to them being moved in a trade. With Boston having the green light to take on salary and a $6.2 million traded player exception to absorb salary, the Celtics are very likely to make a deal, and the lack of cuts hint one may well be on the way.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics! / Talkin’ Cs” podcasts weighed in on the lack of cuts before the league-wide guarantee date on Jan. 10 and what it means for Boston’s trade deadline.

Check it out above!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Should the Boston Celtics try to trade for Jonathan Kuminga?

The 6-foot-8 combo forward fits the bill of a “large forward” that Celtics team president Brad Stevens hinted Boston might be after.

Should the Boston Celtics try to trade for Golden State Warriors big man Jonathan Kuminga? The 6-foot-8 combo forward fits the bill of a “large forward” that Celtics team president Brad Stevens hinted Boston might be after, and if they do believe that their internal options aren’t quite up to the task, then such a pursuit could make sense for the Celtics.

While he has been struggling with the Dubs this season both from beyond the arc and in terms of having a role with the team he is comfortable with, the Congolese swingman shot 35.3% from deep in his first two seasons in the NBA, and could perhaps see that efficiency rise in new surroundings.

A solid rebounder who can move the ball a bit and even fill in at the 5 in smaller lineups, Kuminga is earning just over $6 million this season and $7.6 next, allowing him to slide into the $6.2 million Grant Williams traded player exception with ease.

However, that Kuminga will be extension eligible after this season hints he might not be happy with a varying role as he has had with Golden State, perhaps requiring moving on from some of Boston’s bigger wing players to be sure Kuminga has the minutes he needs to succeed.

But with Boston likely to take a cautious approach with any additions to maintain team chemistry as Stevens noted would be the case, we think a player making waves on his current ball club less likely to be a high priority for the Celtics.

Add in that the former No. 7 pick is not likely to be let go for cheap, and the ask may also be enough to scare the Celtics away. We’d bite if the cost wasn’t high, but it’s unlikely the Celtics would be the highest bidder for Kuminga’s services based on what we know about the situation as a whole.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Should the Boston Celtics trade for Kelly Olynyk?

Olynyk’s expiring contract and seemingly expressed interest in returning to Boston have stirred discussions about a possible reunion

The Boston Celtics are facing decisions as the trade deadline approaches, with speculation surrounding potential moves to strengthen their roster having recently been clarified by Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. 

One name that has surfaced in trade talks is Utah Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk, a former Celtic enjoying a career-efficient season in Salt Lake City. Despite the Celtics’ current confidence in their center rotation, Olynyk’s expiring contract and seemingly expressed interest in returning to Boston have stirred discussions about a possible reunion with the Celtics. What would it take for Boston to get such a deal done, and would it make sense for all parties to pull the trigger on a trade to bring the Olynyk Klynyk back home?

In their latest “Garden Report” podcast, CLNS Media’s Bobby Manning and Josue Pavon delve into the possibility of the Celtics trading for the Gonzaga alum.

Check it out above!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

San Antonio Spurs trade guide for the NBA’s 2024 deadline

What do they need to do to surround Victor Wembanyama with the right players for where the French wunderkind is in this stage of his career?

Trade season for the NBA’s 2023-24 season has arrived in earnest, and with it, comprehensive analysis for every team in the league, including the rebuilding San Antonio Spurs. What do they need to do to surround Victor Wembanyama with the right players for where the French wunderkind is in this stage of his career?

The folks over at the “Utility Sports” podcast put together a very good trade deadline primer for the Spurs, highlighting what the team has to work with in terms of draft assets and contracts, an assessment of the players on the roster now, and a look into what the team could best use to speed up Wemby’s growth as an NBA prospect.

The wrinkles added to the Spurs’ trade prospects created by the adoption of a new collective bargaining agreement are not so critical with San Antonio as they are with other ball clubs further along in their cycle of (hopeful) contention,

But it does change the landscape for the Spurs ahead of the Feb. 8 deadline. To hear all you need to know about San Antonio’s trade season, check out the clip embedded above.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Delon Wright, Alec Burks join Kelly Olynyk as proposed Celtics trade targets

And along with the former Celtics center, both Burks and Wright would be far more likely to join the team as buyout options.

The NBA’s 2023-24 trade season is here in full force, and with it come myriad trade proposals for every team in the league, even the ball club that currently owns the best record in the Association so far this season, the Boston Celtics.

Some proposals tend to focus on the obvious issues a team has — in the case of the Celtics, some need for rotation wings and big men — but miss the mark on what a ball club like the Celtics can realistically accomplish given their current roster construction and status as a second apron team in the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement. As Boston team president Brad Stevens noted, the club’s $6.2 million traded player exception is likely the biggest tool the team has to make moves ahead of the deadline, making trades for players making more than that unlikely at best.

Such a situation makes trading for Detroit Pistons wing Alec Burks, or Washington Wizards point guard Delon Wright as fraught of a target as former Celtics center Kelly Olynyk.

Brad Stevens hints at Boston Celtics’ trade plans ahead of the NBA’s 2024 deadline

Stevens acknowledged the challenges the team faces in making trades due to limited assets compared to previous years.

Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens recently addressed the media, shedding light on the ball club’s potential trade plans as the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline approaches. With the trade deadline set to arrive on February 8th, there has been much speculation about whether the Celtics, currently the best team in the NBA in terms of record, will make any significant moves to bolster their roster.

Stevens acknowledged the challenges the team faces in making trades due to limited assets compared to previous years. He emphasized that the Trade Player Exception (TPE) is their primary method for improvement but highlighted the difficulty in finding impactful players within the $6.2 million budget, hinting at the difficulty of navigating the restrictions the league’s new collective bargaining agreement places on second apron teams like Boston.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “How About Them Celtics!” podcast weighed in on Stevens’ words and what they might mean for Boston’s trade plans.

Check it out above!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

What are the Boston Celtics’ trade priorities ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline?

Brad Stevens let it slip that the Celtics have the green light to add to the team via the means they have available to them.

What are the Boston Celtics’ trade priorities ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline? Previously, informed speculation has had names like Chicago Bulls big man Andre Drummond or San Antonio Spurs forward Cedi Osman, with sourced trade rumors tying the Celtics to Memphis Grizzlies wing John Konchar. 

More recently, Boston President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens let it slip that the Celtics have the green light to add to the team via the means they have available to them under the new collective bargaining agreement restrictions imposed by being a second apron team. That limits the pool of any potential targets, but thankfully the Celtics are not exactly a team with any glaring weaknesses, just a lack of reliable bench depth Stevens thinks might even be addressed from within.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast recently sat down to talk it over; check it out above!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]