Getty Don't expect the Boston Celtics to make a lot of noise this week at the trade deadline approaches.
The NBA trade deadline is nearing, but Boston Celtics fans shouldn’t expect any type of significant splash. The Celtics own the best record in the NBA at 38-12 and hold a five-game lead over the second-place Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.
While there are plenty of rumors involving the Celtics, Boston will likely lay low at the deadline. In fact, Sean Grande, the Celtics’ radio play-by-play announcer, recently said if Boston does anything, it might just play defense while the other teams make a push to get better.
Don’t Expect the Boston Celtics to Get Too Involved at the Deadline
During the latest episode of the “View From the Rafters” podcast, Grande, along with hosts Abby Chin and Mark D’Amico, talked about Boston’s situation as it pertains to the trade deadline.
Although the Celtics have suffered some ugly losses a lately (Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers), they are still comfortably ahead in the race for the No. 1 seed in the conference. They boast the best starting five in the NBA, so if they make any moves on Thursday, they’ll be minor at most.
Grande made a point that some of the bigger names — Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby — have already been moved, and neither went to a team that’s likely to contend for the conference title. Grande said the Celtics will likely play lookout and keep an eye out on contenders like the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cavs to make sure they don’t significantly improve.
Just because Siakam and Anunoby were traded earlier, it doesn’t mean a contender like the Bucks won’t have eyes on them this week.
That happened before the season when the Bucks sent Holiday out West to the Portland Trail Blazers, only to see Boston swoop in and secure his services with a trade days later.
“What I’m talking about with Siakam and Anunoby not going to (legitimate contenders) is the same feeling Bucks fans had, ‘Oh man, I hated to give up Jrue Holiday, but we got Damian Lillard. We made the big move.’ I’m sorry, Jrue’s going where now? (Holiday to Boston) was the worst-case scenario for Bucks fans.
“In a year of unprecedented offense in the NBA, as a Celtics fan, you’re more concerned about playing defense at the trade deadline, making sure the other teams you’re competing with can’t make significant moves or don’t make significant moves.”
Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla ‘Comfortable’ With Current Roster
While the Celtics will certainly do what they can do to improve at the deadline, head coach Joe Mazzulla seems like he’ll be just fine if they stand pat. He said he speaks with team president Brad Stevens on a daily basis, but he doesn’t push for anything.
“We talk every day but really just kind of listening,” Mazzulla said to reporters on Tuesday. “The most important thing for me is never being a coach that always feels like we have to have something.
“Very comfortable with our roster. Very confident with one through 17. Everybody on our roster has done something to impact winning and that’s the most important thing.”