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We’re just days away from the unofficial start to NBA Trade Season. On December 15, recently signed players around the league will become eligible for trades, opening the door for all 30 franchises to get busy.
Over the past few weeks, speculation about the potential deals that the Boston Celtics may make has shifted. Heading into the season, many felt like they’d mostly stand pat, unless there was an opportunity to dive below the luxury tax without losing any important pieces. Now, it’s starting to feel more likely that the front office swings a deal to improve the roster in the short term, considering how well they’ve been playing.
Celtics trading for a center makes too much sense
The most popular of all of the names thrown into mock Celtics trades has been Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac. Zubac is an All-Defensive-level big man who is on a team-friendly contract. What’s not to love?
Apparently, the Clippers would ask the same thing. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, L.A. has no interest in trading Zubac. The Celtics, however, do have interest in bringing in a big man.
“Well, Zubac is absolutely not available and absolutely not a stretch big,” Windhorst explained during a Q&A on Threads. “But yes, this is an area where Boston needs to replenish after losing [Kristaps] Porzingis and [Al] Horford, and they will be looking for opportunities.”
Brooklyn might be the best place for the Celtics to go center shopping
The size of those opportunities could certainly vary. There are realistic avenues for Boston to target a starting caliber center, like Brooklyn Nets big man Nic Claxton, or more of a rotation piece like his backup, Day’Ron Sharpe. The latter was a player whom the Cs coveted over the summer, according to a recent report from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
Sharpe’s $6.3 million salary is easier to absorb than Claxton’s, though the path to Claxton would be quite simple. Boston would simply have to give up Anfernee Simons in the trade in order to make the money work, then whatever other assets Brooklyn is looking for to sweeten the deal.
This season, Claxton is averaging 13.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game through 23 appearances for the Nets. His efficiency is lower than you’d expect for a center who takes most of his shots in the paint, but it’s not hard to imagine it creeping back up if he were on a deeper team like the Celtics.
If they were to go after Sharpe, they could probably land him for something like: Chris Boucher, another filler salary, and a second-round pick or two. He’d probably compete with Neemias Queta for starting minutes if he wound up in Boston, but adding Sharpe would signal the Celtics’ looking to add depth in the frontcourt.
Sharpe is currently averaging 7.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game in about half the playing time of Claxton.
These aren’t the only two possible candidates, either, but as of now, there hasn’t been tons of Celtics trade buzz about any player not named Zubac.