Kemba Walker has proved to be an excellent replacement for the departed Irving, while the young duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have continued to develop into pivotal pieces for the Celtics. Nevertheless, Boston is still short on quality when compared to the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers and with changes possible ahead of the trade deadline, here we will look at all latest Celtics trade rumors you need to know.
#1 Danilo Gallinari is being ‘monitored’ ahead of the trade deadline
The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Danilo Gallinari’s expiring contract as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Paul George to the LA Clippers last summer.
While the Thunder are well on course to reach the playoffs, the front office remains focused on rebuilding - and it is believed that Gallinari is among the players that they are open to offloading.
As one of the best shooters in the league, Gallinari has been linked with a number of teams, and Bleacher Report is reporting that the Celtics are among the teams monitoring the 31-year-old:
Gallinari has appeared 34 times for OKC so far this season, averaging 18.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He is also connecting with 40.2 percent of his 3-point attempts.
#2 Key players are unlikely to be included in trade talks
The Celtics’ apparent desire to sign an All-Star caliber big has been much discussed since the team missed out on a deal for Anthony Davis last summer, and recent rumors have suggested that Boston would be willing to trade a player such as Gordon Hayward of Marcus Smart in order to secure an elite center.
Nevertheless, Tim Bontemps of ESPN is reporting that the Celtics won’t entertain trading any of their best players this season:
While it appears that much of the roster will stay together until the end of the season, next summer could be a different story as Hayward will be entering the final year of his contract, while Tatum’s long-term future is still in doubt.
#3 A new center is unlikely to join ahead of the deadline
While Daniel Theis has performed better than expected this season, many analysts have argued that the Celtics need to upgrade their options at center ahead of the trade deadline.
Myles Turner is among the names that have been linked with a trade to Boston, although Chad Finn of Boston.com believes that the Celtics’ hopes of adding a big may rely on the buyout market:
Tristan Thompson’s deal will expire this summer, and he has been a key player for a struggling Cavs team this season, averaging 12.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.0 block per contest.
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