Getty Ime Udoka, Boston Celtics
With the Boston Celtics languishing 10th in the Eastern Conference standings, there’s no wonder they’re being linked with potential trades heading towards the deadline.
“We’re talking daily about any news that comes up. But at the same time, his (Brad Stevens) phone is ringing off the hook, and vice versa. You’re not going to talk about everything that teams talk about. Some things aren’t realistic.
But anything that’s starting to possibly have an impact, we’ll talk about it and run through some things, where we’re at overall, and what we would like to improve on. But he took ten phone calls after our game last night, those things, we don’t always talk about, nothing realistic,” Ime Udoka told the media following a team practice on January 18.
In his first year as President of Basketball Operations, Stevens has continually spoken of his willingness to improve the current roster – if the deal makes sense. However, with a team comprised of young talent yet to make their mark, budding stars deemed untouchable, and veterans trying to rebuild their careers, it’s tough to envision a deal that works out well for everyone involved.
As such, trades are going to be hard to come by. Sure, the Celtics can sweeten the pot by adding an expiring contract or throwing in a future draft pick or two, but any return will likely be minimal without sending out some of their more reliable talents.
Udoka Believes Connections Are Key
While both Stevens and Udoka are in the first year of a new job, neither are NBA newcomers and, as such, have connections around the league, along with a wealth of knowledge surrounding the NBA’s player base. Of course, no one can know everything about all 450 players in the league, nor can they follow every prospect that projects to take the step up come draft night.
So, connections are an essential part of successfully navigating the NBA ecosystem. Udoka believes both he and Stevens are well placed to thrive in their new roles because they are well connected and respected by their peers within the league.
“I’ve been around a lot of organizations, as a player or a coach. Have a lot of relationships as far as that, and knowledge of personnel in general. Whether we were working with guys pre-draft years ago, I’ve always touched somebody, had hands-on somebody, or had knowledge of them. That’s a benefit for sure on my end, but Brad has that covered as well. He’s been around long enough to form those relationships, it’s in a different capacity now, but I think we all know what we need and know the lay of the land of the league and personnel now,” Udoka said.
I chatted with Brad Stevens about the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown partnership, the Celtics’ need for shooting, Ime Udoka’s coaching and much more.
My story:
Being well connected and liked is a good thing, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to get preferential treatment when discussing potential trade packages. However, it does allow the Celtics leadership team to do their due diligence on any possible addition before pulling the trigger on a deal.
Celtics Continue to Be Linked With Anyone & Everyone
The trade rumors started early this year. First, it was a potential trade for the Philadelphia 76ers disgruntled guard Ben Simmons. Then there was some noise surrounding Buddy Hield. And recently, Jalen Smith has been drawing attention with Celtics circles – or so the rumors would have you believe.
“I’ve also heard former lottery pick Aaron Nesmith and guard Dennis Schroder are also available in Boston. They’ve made several calls doing due diligence, including to Phoenix regarding Jalen Smith’s availability” @MikeAScotto
#Celtics eyeing Jalen Smith? t.co/15HnIV0JFg
For a team that’s failed to live up to expectations, it was inevitable that the Celtics found themselves front and center in trade rumors for what feels like the 10th straight season. But that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?
Sure, nobody could deny the Celtics need some upgrades, most notably off the bench. Still, as Udoka alluded to during his post-practice press conference, not all of the names floated around are realistic prospects. Of course, nobody outside of the front office’s meeting room is privy to what the team deems a “realistic trade target,” but one would hope they are either a reliable shooter or playmaker.
There are still another three weeks left until the trade deadline rolls around, and that means the Celtics are going to be linked with even more players at an increasing rate. All we can hope for is that some of those rumors become a reality, and Boston can get their season back on track.
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Ime Udoka Has Revealing Admission on Celtics Trade Talks