The Celtics remain hopeful of acquiring either Jimmy Butler or Paul George before the trade deadline but it’s more likely they’ll hold onto their main assets, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald reports.
One sticking point is that GM Danny Ainge is reluctant to part with the first-round pick the Net owe them this summer via a swap of positions, Bulpett continues. An agent with connections to the potential deal between the Bulls and Boston informed Bulpett that Ainge’s unwillingness to deal the pick scuttled preliminary discussions. The Pacers would likely want that same pick as part of any deal involving George, Bulpett speculates.
Unless a blockbuster deal is worked out that would give them a serious chance of supplanting the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics have no real incentive to move their most prized assets, the thinking goes in the Boston front office. According to another league executive, teams have offered solid veterans to Boston but Ainge only wants to a “real star” for those assets, Bulpett writes in a separate column.
Other nuggets involving the Celtics possible moves:
- Andrew Bogut, whom the Mavs agreed to trade to the Sixers today, could be re-routed to the Celtics, David Aldridge of NBA.com tweets. However, ESPN’s Chris Haynes tweets that Philadelphia is expected to engage in buyout talks with the veteran center.
- Ainge wants to remain a player in this summer’s free agent market unless he can obtain a franchise cornerstone today or via the draft, according to Bulpett. If the Celtics end up holding onto the Nets pick, Washington freshman Markelle Fultz could be the player they’re coveting.
- A lesser trade involving a forward such as the Grizzlies’ JaMychal Green or Suns’ P.J. Tucker remains a possibility, Bulpett adds.
I still wish they could make a move for Drummond.
You can have him, Detroit needs to move him.
LOL!! Call Danny, would you?? :0)
Gimme his # I’ll see if my convincing skills are still decent
Just makes SO much sense to me. 23 yo, under contract, 14.6/13.8, lets them move Horford to forward. If they give up 2018 Nets pick and Smart/Bradley or something similar, I guess I don’t see why they wouldn’t jump. Maybe it would be a lot more and, in that case, I probably wouldn’t. But I would really like to see them pull the trigger.
Green? The Celtics like collecting power forwards who don’t rebound.
Ugh.. ainge is an idiot to give up the nets 2017 pick.. unless it’s too 2 protected or something, don’t make the move..
I rather see 2018 nets pick and another first then 2017 first
Of course you’d rather see that, because it’s nowhere near as valuable. You aren’t getting a star player to Boston without that ’17 Nets pick.
And goodluck making a deal for a star with the 2017 Nets pick being top 2 protected. Making it protected drops its value. Its still their most valuable asset at that point, but only marginally more valuable than Jaylen Brown.
Sort of like pelicans sending a top 3 protected pick to the kings for cousins? Smh
I wouldn’t send the top pick and top assets for either guy when the biggest deficiency on the team is rebounding and defense at the rim.. they were better off getting Noel.. Dallas just stole Noel from the stinxers for 2 second round picks..
The Kings are also run by morons. Could you honestly say that was anywhere close to equal value for the Kings?
If bogut gets bought out, he can’t sign with GS right? You can’t sign for a full year with the team that traded you, right?
Just trade the pick! The C’s can get a star now, the pick only has a 25% of being number 1 and outside of Lebron no draft pick is ever a sure thing. Butler and George are the real deal.