As the Boston Celtics struggle with injury and a bit of a slowdown in accumulating wins, speculation on how the team might pivot this season on the trade market has been forthcoming.
Several splashy-but-implausible suggestions involving players like Kevin Love and Steven Adams have been making the rounds recently, but if ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is correct, Boston won’t be picking up the phone to see what the price might be.
Today on Sportscenter, the well-connected writer revealed that the Celtics have little interest in making a move that would require dealing one of their best players just to — at least on paper — better match up with some of the East’s brawnier bigs.
“[The Celtics] could certainly use a veteran center at that position … but Boston’s not willing to give up any of their core wing players,” explained Woj, “and right now the Celtics, with [a] kind of a three-headed monster, they have [a] center … better than really anything that’s available to them in the marketplace.”
Who might this mystery center be, exactly, who is already on the roster?
Woj just reaffirmed on @SportsCenter: "Boston is not willing to give up any of their core wing players"
He also described Robert Williams as a "revelation" this season: "Williams has a chance to have great staying power at that center position."
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) December 19, 2019
Before you get too excited, he won’t be suiting up for the better part of a month, even in the best-case scenario.
The Woj bomblet refers to none other than Timelord, who will be convalescing a left hip edema into the new year.
“Robert Williams has been a revelation in his second season; [he was] their first-round pick last year,” continued Wojnarowski. “Williams is a player that Boston — not just for the short term but the long term — has a chance to have great staying power at that center position.”
It may be that the Celtics make no move at all by the February trade deadline, believing their roster has enough upside once healthy to be worth hanging onto.
Boston Celtics big men ignoring trade chatter after recent losses https://t.co/GjRyCQ6pul
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 16, 2019
Based on what Wojnarowski is relating, it seems the front office is less concerned than some of the fanbase with the frontcourt situation even in spite of the spate of injuries.
There’s still plenty of time for the team’s record — or an unexpected steal of a deal — to upend the intel the ESPN guru shared today, but from the sounds of things it’s going to be small moves for the Celtics this season.
If any at all.