The Boston Celtics have already traded Rajon Rondo this season and at the trade deadline names like Jeff Green, Jared Sullinger, Evan Turner, Brandan Wright, Jameer Nelson, Brandon Bass and Gerald Wallace all could be targets for contending teams, including the LA Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards and Atlanta Hawks as the trading deadline gets closer.
The Celtics traded Rondo to the Mavericks for a package of players and picks and the next name likely to go is Green. According to Pro Basketball Talk, numerous teams have contacted the Celtics about Green, as he has the chance to be a free agent this summer and could get moved ahead of the deadline. Green is playing some of the best ball of his career and that could make him a target for teams looking to add offense at the deadline in February.
The Celtics also could look at trading one of their bigs, as they now have Brandan Wright after the Mavs trade and that could lead to him or Brandon Bass getting moved. According to ESPN.com writer Chris Forsberg, Bass is growing "impatient" with his role in the rotation and he feels "squeezed" on the roster at his position for the Celtics. The Cavaliers are considered an option for a trade with the Celtics, as they are still looking for a big man to help replace Anderson Varejao.
The Cavs traded for Iman Shumpert and JR Smith, but that did not solve the problem with Varejao, who is out for the season. The Cavaliers were looking for defensive help even before that happened and now they could look at making a move with Boston. Bass could be an option, as he is playing less than 20 minutes per game with the Celtics and has been playing even less since the Mavericks trade. The Celtics may also look at trades with Turner, Nelson or Green after giving Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley more responsibility, as those are the players the team is building around.
Green is playing at a high level at just the right time, as he has the chance to enter free agency after the season and Pro Basketball Talk reports that he is likely to do so. Green is playing some of the best ball of his career and he is averaging a career-best 17.9 points per game and is shooting over 40 percent from the floor. Green could be a major trade target for contending teams and along with players like Turner and Sullinger, he could net a pick or a young player in deals for Danny Ainge.
The Rondo trade to the Mavericks wasn't perfect, but it gave the Celtics flexibility moving forward and also added more draft picks to the stable. Ainge can look at making trades with those picks as he builds around Smart, Bradley and Kelly Olynyk for head coach Brad Stevens. Turner signed in the offseason and could get moved, while Nelson came over in the trade and also could be a target for teams heading into the playoffs. Wright and Bass are options for the Cavaliers, as they are hoping to add someone ahead of the deadline to help Kevin Love and LeBron on defense, as the Cavs have been one of the worst in defensive efficiency this year, per ESPN stats.
