With Al Horford and Robert Williams signed beyond this season and capable of handling the vast majority of the team’s frontcourt minutes if they are healthy entering the playoffs, the Celtics don’t necessarily have an urgent need in the frontcourt. Still, they are expected to scan the league for another big man as the trade deadline approaches, according to league sources who were granted anonymity so they could speak freely. Though Luke Kornet has been solid this season, the Celtics are expected to evaluate options to shore up the depth behind Horford and Williams while giving Joe Mazzulla additional lineup flexibility. – via Jay King @ The Athletic
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported again Monday that the Celtics have shown interest in Spurs center Jakob Poeltl. Jared Weiss recently broke down that possibility. Here are several other power forwards and centers who could be available at the deadline for one reason or another. Keep in mind: By combining the contracts of Danilo Gallinari and Justin Jackson with future picks, the Celtics could absorb almost $10.5 million in returning salary. They could add Blake Griffin to that same package of players to take back almost $12.8 million. Any target making more than that would require the Celtics to part ways with at least one player a little tougher to move on from. – via Jay King @ The Athletic
Would an Olynyk reunion interest the Celtics? Unlike some of the other players on this list, he’s not on an expiring contract, but only $3 million of his deal is guaranteed for the 2023-24 season. Based on my calculations, a package of Gallinari, Griffin and Jackson would fall just shy of reaching the NBA trade limit for matching Olynyk’s salary, so the Celtics would need to add further money to the offer. That could be a deal breaker for Boston, which would then need to include Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser or Kornet in the swap. – via Jay King @ The Athletic
Pritchard + junk for KO? In a second.
Still a lot of chatter around all of this. I think the problem is that there is too much "junk" needed to make an Olynyk trade work. And the "junk" has to include Gallinari, who to me, could be of decent value to the team next season. If we do a 1 for 3 trade with Utah, they have to cut players to have free roster spots. And it still creates vacancies for us on our deep bench that we would need to fill.
I am all for trading Pritchard and a second for Vanderbilt though.
Less "junk" is needed in a trade for Poeltl, but I am less excited about him the more time goes on, even if it is just Pritchard and Gallinari and maybe conversion of the pick swap or whatever. If it could be Gallinari + Jackson + 1st, sure, sign me up, but likely, SAN wants more. (I am assuming Gallinari could be swapped for a first round pick down the road).