The Boston Celtics are one of the bottom teams in the east this season and that could mean trade deals at the deadline, as names like Tayshaun Prince, Brandon Bass, Evan Turner, Gerald Wallace and Marcus Thornton could be potential targets for contending teams in February.
The Celtics may look at moving Prince or work a buyout with him and this comes after the trade of Jeff Green to the Memphis Grizzlies. According to ESPN.com, the Celtics are still looking at what to do with Prince, as Brad Stevens has praised his leadership and experience and he could end up sticking around if a deal doesn't materialize. Teams like the Clippers, Blazers, Miami Heat and Nuggets could be interested in a deal according to Pro Basketball Talk.
Prince is in the final year of his contract and that could help get some interest for the Celtics since it's an expiring deal. Prince is making $7.7 million this season and one team to watch is the Blazers, as they could lose LaMarcus Aldridge for up to two months if he decides to have thumb surgery. The team is already dealing with injury issues with Robin Lopez and if they lose Aldridge, they could look at making a move for a big man at the deadline.
The Celtics may stand pat for the most part, as they have made one major move with Rajon Rondo, trading him to the Dallas Mavericks. The team felt comfortable with the package they got back for Rondo and they moved him knowing that Marcus Smart potentially could take over as the starter. The team has young talent with Smart, James Young, Tyler Zeller, Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk and that is the core Brad Stevens is building around. Smart is averaging 6.4 points, 3 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 28 games this season.
Turner could be an option to move, as the team signed him to a cheap deal as a free agent. Some have compared his situation to Jordan Crawford, as the Celtics signed him the previous season and traded him to the Warriors and now they could look at shopping Turner. The Celtics have some players on expiring deals and Turner is on a $3 million deal this season, while Bass is getting paid nearly $7 million and Wallace is making over $10 million.
The Celtics come into the week at 15-27 on the season and they are third in the Atlantic division ahead of the Sixers and the Knicks. Those two teams are also headed to the lottery, but the Celtics are a bit farther ahead in the rebuilding process. The team comes in ranked ninth in the league in scoring this season and 25th in defense, allowing over 103 points per game. The Celtics have lost four of the last six games and they have a decent schedule coming up, meaning they could be more willing to trade at the deadline depending on what their record is.