Insider Reveals Celtics’ Approach to NBA Trade Deadline

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The NBA Trade deadline is less than a month away, and the Boston Celtics will do their due diligence. The Celtics have limited options because they don’t have big expendable salaries outside their top six players. For that reason, Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes explained why they may not make a deal before the deadline.

“Teams like Boston, they’re always looking, trying to find ways to improve their ballclub,” Haynes said on January 19. “I haven’t heard anything as of right now… I think Boston has a roster that they feel very comfortable with, but they’re going to be a team for sure that’s going to look at the buyout market and see who unloads there and see if there’s any good fits.”

Haynes added what kind of trade the Celtics would make if they made one.

“A team like Boston, if they do make a trade by the deadline, it’ll be probably a trade that would help them around the edges. I don’t see any robust moves being made by the Celtics.”

The Celtics made a trade like that in 2023 when they acquired Mike Muscala from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Muscala usually played either due to injuries or if the game was all but over.

Celtics ‘Committed’ to Luke Kornet: Insider

The Action Network’s Matt Moore reported that the Celtics are looking for help via trade but have limited options.

“Boston is typically a super-active team; their front office does its due diligence and tries to be involved constantly in upgrades. The Celtics are obviously cap-strapped and limited in who and what they can move. They do have their pick until 2028, so they have that to work with,” Moore wrote in a January 20 story.

Moore added that the Celtics will look for more depth but believe in backup center Luke Kornet.

“The Celtics are expected to be interested in wing and center depth to try and round out the roster but are said to be committed to Luke Kornet.”

The Celtics have featured Kornet in their rotation this season. Even if they acquire more frontcourt depth, that may not impact Kornet’s role in the rotation.

Celtics Have Until Trade Deadline to Use Trade Exception

The Celtics created a $6.2 million trade exception when they signed and traded Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks. Usually, teams have trade exceptions for a year before they expire. However, that won’t be the case, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Marks revealed a rule in the CBA that will prevent the Celtics from using it this upcoming offseason.

“That trade exception will go away once we get past the deadline,” Marks said while previewing the Celtics’ trade guide. “Once the deadline passes and we get into the offseason, teams that are over the apron, that trade exception no longer becomes available to that team.”

The Celtics currently have one available roster spot. They can acquire a player that makes up to $100,000 more than the $6.2 million exception, which doesn’t give them many options. Because the Celtics are reportedly comfortable the way they are, it’s not likely they’ll do anything drastic.