What options do the Celtics have before the 2025 NBA trade deadline? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics have started their NBA title defense very well with a record of 21-6 in 27 games.
Jayson Tatum is a legitimate MVP candidate. Jaylen Brown is playing fantastic after win Finals MVP in June. Payton Pritchard is possibly the Leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year. in the midst of the best season of the 26-year-old point guard’s career. Boston, as a team, is on its way to break several league records in a single season for 3 point shooting.
There are a lot of things I like about how the Celtics are playing right now, but there is always room for improvement both on the court and in terms of building the roster.
The trade deadline is set for February 6, so there is still more than a month for teams to reach agreements before the playoffs. However, the Celtics are on the second apron, which is part of the collective bargaining agreement that places restrictions on big-spending teams.
Our Celtics expert Chris Forsberg recently broke down. What does the second apron mean for the C’s? As the deadline for changes approaches:
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The Celtics cannot add contracts in a trade, meaning they cannot combine contracts to acquire a more valuable player. If the Celtics were to move, say, Jaden Springer’s $4 million contract, they can’t combine it with Queta’s $2 million deal to pursue a $6 million player.
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The Celtics cannot sign any player who has previously made more than the mid-level exception this season.
On the latest episode of NBC Sports Boston Celtics Talk PodcastForsberg was joined by ESPN NBA front office expert Bobby Marks.
Celtics Talk: Exploring the Celtics’ roster options with ESPN’s Bobby Marks | Listen and subscribe | Watch on YouTube
What might the Celtics want to look for if they make a move on the trade or waiver market? Marks believes it would make sense to have depth on the wing and/or another player in the frontcourt.
“Listen, everyone wants depth on the wings, that’s always the most important thing,” Marks said. “Hey, can we get a big wing off our bench? I think every playoff team is looking for him, and can we get a little more depth in the frontcourt, kind of like between a small forward and a wing?” -pivot, something like that? That would be a priority.
“I think the interesting thing about the platform rules, and not many people know this, is that you can trade for minimum players and still exceed the platform. That’s kind of a loophole where you can explore the market and you can look , I don’t know, a team that’s out of this, whether it’s Utah or Detroit or Brooklyn, and maybe there’s someone there that, maybe instead of sending your pick with Jaden Springer, maybe you go out and use that choose to acquire that. someone give you some help there. I think it will be interesting. see what happens.
“PJ Tucker is interesting. That’s something the Celtics would have to do their homework on, not from a trade standpoint, just from a waiver standpoint, because I think his salary is below that threshold there. But he hasn’t played all year. How do you fit it in? Are you happy that Jae Crowder, who was out of the league for a while, is now in Sacramento. The name sounds great, but what will the production be? be content as to what your paper”.
One name to keep an eye on as the trade deadline approaches is Lonnie Walker IV, whom the Celtics signed to a Test contract 10 during the summer but did not remain on their Opening Night roster. Walker currently plays in Lithuania.
“You’ll probably hear a lot about Lonnie Walker IV over the next five or six weeks here because he has a contract release in Europe,” Marks explained. “I talked to his agent when I was driving to Orlando and he said, ‘He’s playing amazing.’ For Europe, he’s on a great streak when it comes to playing there, so that’s a name.
“He was in (Celtics) camp. (They) know him. He knows the system. He can come in and without the expectations he has to play. But he’s a good insurance policy for a guy you can shoot.” in a playoff game because he’s been there before.
The Celtics acquired Xavier Tillman Sr. and Jaden Springer at last year’s trade deadline. And with their own first-round pick and three second-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, the C’s could make a move or two before February 6.
Also in this episode:
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Bobby Marks on the Celtics’ season so far
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The biggest threat in the East?
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Has Brad Stevens made all the right moves?