Getty Mike Muscala, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics added Mike Muscala to their roster at the February 9 trade deadline to strengthen their big man rotation and provide insurance for the oft-injured Robert Williams.
However, according to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, the Celtics could regret not aiming higher and trading for a genuine starting-level center.
MIKE MUSCALA THROWS IT DOWN 😈
(and gets his first technical ever…?😳)
“He’ll be helpful to have for this stretch run. He can handle a handful of minutes every night, and he shouldn’t look over his skis if needed for a spot start…Adding Muscala was a low-cost way of adding depth, but given Williams’ ongoing struggles with staying upright, the Celtics might wish they pushed harder for a center and found someone they’d be comfortable starting in a playoff series,” Buckley wrote
Muscala’s addition came shortly after the news that Jakob Poeltl, a long-rumored target for the Celtics, had been traded to the Toronto Raptors, rejoining the team that originally drafted him in 2016.
Celtics Failed Trade Package Revealed
Toronto may have won the bidding war for Poeltl, but the Celtics certainly threw their hat in the ring during discussions with the San Antonio Spurs. Shortly after the trade deadline had passed, MassLive’s Brian Robb revealed the details behind Boston’s failed trade offer for the impressive big man.
New: Spurs declined Celtics trade offer for Jakob Poeltl before dealing big man to Raptors league sources tell MassLive. Details on Boston’s offer and what may come next for Celtics on deadline day
“League sources tell MassLive that Boston offered Payton Pritchard, Danilo Gallinari, and multiple future second-round picks for the big man ahead of Thursday’s deal. Ultimately, the Spurs elected to go with the Raptors’ offer which included a top-6 protected first-round pick for 2024, two future second-round picks, and center Khem Birch,” Robb reported.
Grant Williams Seen As a Potential Flight Risk
One good thing that came from the Celtics’ inability to acquire Poeltl is that it gave them less to deal with during the summer, allowing Boston to focus their energy on retaining Grant Williams, who is set to enter restricted free agency at the end of the current season.
However, Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes believes that Williams should be considered a flight risk, especially if another team around the league can provide the salary he’s looking for along with a starting spot in their rotation.
Direct hit Grant Williams 🎯
Tune in to #DETvsBOS now: t.co/uSr28gFzzp
“Any team with cap space and a paint-bound center would do well to throw a multiyear deal at Williams, who could space the floor and even slot in as a small-ball 5 against the right matchups,” Hughes wrote. “A “right place, right time” defender who can handle himself in space against guards and hold his ground inside, Williams could command an annual salary in the $20 million range. He’s valuable to Boston and could solidify his place in the team’s future with a strong postseason, but demand for his services will be high around the league.”
Williams has become an integral member of the Celtics rotation this season, and losing him during the summer would be a hammer blow to Boston’s bench unit as well as their long-term plans to replace Horford. Luckily, Muscala’s addition makes things easier for Brad Stevens, as it allows him to simply focus on convincing Williams to stay, and that might be better than adding another big man who could have fled during the summer anyway.