The Boston Celtics are either on the verge of a major trade deal or they are simply investing into the talent they already have. After not having the free agency run they were hoping for, the Celtics re-signed in-house talent while bringing in other players on team-friendly contracts. That has either set the team up for a major trade down the road or success from unknown contributors. With the regular season getting closer, the Celtics are still making adjustments.
According to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, the Celtics are beginning contract negotiations with both Tyler Zeller and Jared Sullinger with the idea of inking them before the Oct. 31 deadline. According to team president Danny Ainge, the Celtics would like to keep both players around for years to come. Both players must decide whether it is better to take the security of a contract deal now or bet on themselves and see if they can earn more money after the upcoming season when the salary caps increase.
The biggest piece of this puzzle is how it factors into trade talks. According to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, Ainge is considering a "big and more powerful move" in terms of trades for the Celtics. Bulpett writes that while Ainge wants to retain flexibility for the Celtics, he could be looking to make a big trade prior to the year beginning. Of course the first name that pops up is DeMarcus Cousins who has been a target of the Celtics for some time now. The team has been chasing the center and remains hopeful that the Sacramento Kings will shop him. Markieff Morris has also been mentioned as a candidate along with a sign-and-trade for Tristan Thompson.
If the Celtics were to make a serious trade, they would need to include Sullinger or Zeller into the package. The team has no other option. Boston has been eyeing a Sullinger trade for some time now as the power forward remains an injury concern. Getting both players signed to new contracts would hurt trade interest as right now their contracts are more desirable to attain. Boston must decide if they are really invested in the futures of these two players or if flexibility and trade potential is the better bet.
