Celtics' Biggest Needs at 2023 NBA Trade Deadline
The Boston Celtics should get greedy between now and the NBA trade deadline.
Well, that or the front office can spend the next month in hibernation and leave the wheeling-and-dealing up to their peers across the Association.
They wobbled at times during the month of December, but that's about as much vulnerability as we've seen from the defending Eastern Conference champs. They continue serving as the 2022-23 campaign's pace car with the league's best winning percentage and net efficiency rating.
They still have some roster needs, though, it's just a matter of deciding whether any are dire enough to warrant any trade activity. If the Shamrocks go searching for assistance, the following three areas should hold their focus.
Shooter with Size
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Leading up to the 2021 trade deadline, then-Celtics president Danny Ainge identified "shooting with size" as the team's top need.
Two years later, that void still kind of exists.
Now, it's not as dire as it was at the time. Between Grant Williams' expanded role and Al Horford's perimeter proficiency, the Celtics have some spacing at the 4 and 5 spots.
Even still, between Danilo Gallinari's torn ACL and Sam Hauser's cold spell (31.3 percent since the start of December), there's an opening for a big wing with a reliable three-ball.
Wing Depth
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Boston might have the league's top wing tandem in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
They could still find themselves in the wing market, though, to beef up what's behind their stars.
If Hauser can't snap out of this funk, then he simply doesn't have much to offer. Grant Williams can play the 3, but he causes the most matchup problems for opponents at the 4 and 5 spots. Justin Jackson is on the roster, but he'll be kept behind emergency glass unless injuries force him into action or his contract is needed to make the money work in a trade.
The Celtics might think their guards are versatile enough to cover any voids, as both Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon can play the 3 spot in a pinch, but a more natural wing would be ideal.
Third Big Man
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The Celtics have a pair of dominant bigs on the roster.
Why, then, would they bother searching for a center? Because one of those bigs, Robert Williams III, has suited up 10 times after September knee surgery (and had an extensive injury history before that), and the other, Al Horford, will turn 37 during the Finals.
Boston has a few internal options to handle that role. Luke Kornet has exceeded expectations this season. Grant Williams gives the Celtics a different look as a small-ball big. Blake Griffin still dips into his offensive bag every now and then.
That's not enough, though. Not with Robert Williams III's medical maladies and Horford's fight against time. Almost any kind of reliable center would do, but a stretch big who won't get skewered defensively or an athletic 5 who could mimic some of Robert Williams III's above-the-rim play would be preferred.
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