If the Boston Celtics decide to make a move before Thursday's NBA trade deadline, there's a good chance they'll be ranked at the bottom of NBA Richter's evaluation. After all, the Celtics have already made a flurry of trades, acquiring Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in the offseason.
But there's good reason for Stevens to be a little more daring, even if the easiest addition is to be frugal with a $6.2 million Grant Williams NBA Store gift card.
especially…
- Stevens rarely sneaks into roster changes. This guy let go of Kemba Walker in his first few days as general manager, acquired Derrick White at the first trade deadline, and then this summer traded away Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III, an amazing deal. This is the guy who made up the exchange.
- When Stevens has worked on the perimeter, such as when he acquired Mike Muscala in exchange for Justin Jackson and two second-round picks last February, he has done little to change Boston's direction. It wasn't helping. Muscala helped Boston survive the second half of the season, but he played just 21 minutes in six postseason games, most of which came after games.
- Even tougher roster-building obstacles lie ahead this summer, with the NBA's collective bargaining agreement removing some of Boston's favorite paths to solidifying a championship-caliber roster. Williams' $6.2 million traded player exception will expire if not used by this week's deadline, leaving the Celtics with no luxury of a mid-level exception. Even trade will also be more restricted under the new agreement. This could be the last chance to add an established player before Jaylen Brown's big contract extension kicks in like a turbo booster.
But here are the main reasons why Stevens should think especially hard about potential droplets in the final 24 hours before the deadline.
You are not guaranteed to be in this position.
With the 2023-24 season 60% complete, the Boston Celtics are the best team in basketball. And with a healthy margin. Sure, they don't always play like that – welcome back last Thursday, Lakers fans – but the talent and potential here is undeniable.
Sometimes you need to go all in, especially when you feel Banner 18 is right in front of you.
Considering the salary commitments on the current roster, you could argue that the Celtics are already pushing a huge chip pile to the center of the table. This article is easy to write if you're not the one who has to write the huge tax checks your team is reviewing over the next five years (thanks, Wyc Grousbeck!)
Stevens should have confidence in this roster. If he can hold his own, this team could get back to the championship stage.
However, questions remain about the “what if” from 2022. What would have happened if Robert Williams hadn't been hampered by his knee pain? What if the Celtics had another talented winger who could take some of the stress off Brown and Jayson Tatum? What would have happened if Boston hadn't had such a difficult road with two seven-game series against the Bucks and Heat before running out of gas against the Golden State Warriors?
The Celtics' top six, if healthy and motivated, is better than any team they compete against. Sam Hauser's consistent 3-point shooting and Peyton Pritchard's incredible net rating give us confidence that they can be rotation players No. 7 and 8, but both are in the playoff picture, especially on defense. We need to prove that we can hold up better at the end.
So let's say the opportunity presents itself to splurge on multiple first-round picks to acquire a player like Chicago's Alex Caruso. Is Stevens doing it?
That's not a possibility, likely due to Chicago's asking price and the competition for an All-Defensive player like Caruso. Perhaps the price is too high to make a big move. But the Celtics need to think about it a bit.
Certainly, there are chemical risks with any move, and the Celtics will need to retain at least some draft assets in order to add low-cost talent to this very expensive roster going forward. .
Sometimes small adjustments are perfectly fine. Back in 2008, the league-beating Celtics were forced to punt at the trade deadline, then signed P.J. Brown and Sam Cassel to acquire veteran depth. Yeah, I feel like this was the last time the buyout addition helped the title quest.
It should be noted that if acquired after the trade deadline, Boston cannot sign a player who currently earns more than the non-taxpayer mid-level ($12.4 million). Apron teams will be exempted from these players. Therefore, even the potential additions from acquisitions are likely to come from bargains.
The Celtics have the flexibility to package multiple first-round picks into a deal. Sending a few players out of the rotation and off the bench would alleviate the hassle of signing bigger contracts, but the need to add more contracts would put hurdles on potential transfers.
Should Stevens be worried about trading for a player likely to be the No. 30 pick in the 2024 draft? The only concern might be getting the receiving team to value him as much as other picks. Sure, it's riskier to trade something like a 2027 pick, but you're also not doing everything you can to win a title when it feels this close. .
Winning one now will make all future roster decisions a lot easier. Oh, sure, we voraciously write stories about multiple Larry O'Briens' quests, but no one sweats those picks, even if it's just one.
So call the Bulls about Caruso. Call the Wizards about Deni Avdija (yes, there's a poison pill, but that sweet descending structure is ideal for future rosters). Fortune favors the bold.
Then again, it might be too greedy to think the Celtics need another Move. Stevens finished his job this summer. He positions this team as a favorite to win.
It would be understandable if the Celtics settled for something smaller, but they need to think big, at least in preparation for Thursday's deadline.
