The Boston Celtics are preparing to be one of the most active teams when the NBA offseason officially begins. General manager Danny Ainge is hoping this is the year the franchise nabs big-named players to replace the holes still felt by the departures of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo. With a stack of draft picks, tradeable assets and plenty of salary cap space, the Celtics offseason could start with a jump up the draft board before aiming to get high-profiled names back on the roster.
According to A.Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com, the Celtics like the idea of trading up in the NBA Draft to acquire a big name like Willie Cauley Stein or Karl-Anthony Towns to help on defense. The Celtics hold the No. 16 pick in this year's draft. In order to trade up that high into the lottery range, Boston will likely have to give up another first-round pick. Per NBA rules a team cannot trade consecutive first-round picks which might put the Celtics in position to simply stay put.
If a draft trade is denied, the Celtics can simply make their moves in free agency. The Boston Herald reports that LaMarcus Aldridge is at the top of the team's wishlist and they are targeting his teammate Wesley Matthews to entire the forward to sign. Aldridge is expected to not return to the Portland Trail Blazers, but with attention coming from the Lakers and his hometown Dallas Mavericks, the Celtics will have to pull out all the stops to acquire him.
Kevin Love is still very much an option for Boston right now. At this moment, Love's free agency plans are unknown. He has the chance to head elsewhere or sign a long-term or short-term contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Every team in the league that can potentially afford Love will chase him including the Celtics who attempted a trade deal before the Cavaliers won out.
DeAndre Jordan and Greg Monroe are also options for Boston should they fail to get an elite defender in the NBA Draft. Monroe is good as gone from the Detroit Pistons as he has an expiring contract to his name. Jordan's future is a bit unclear at the moment. The Los Angeles Clippers want to keep him around, but a max contract is the only way to make that happen. The Boston Celtics will have their chance to swoop in and try to get the defender with a solid deal along with the ability to be the star of the team.