Trade Targets for Celtics to Pursue at 2023 Deadline
The Boston Celtics have the NBA's best record, as they have for much of the 2022-23 season.
As you might expect, they don't have many (or any?) glaring needs on the roster.
It's quite possible, then, this team simply opts to sit out the upcoming trade season and snoozes right through the Feb. 9 deadline.
Knowing how difficult it is to capture the crown, though, Boston's brass might get greedy and decide this group doesn't quite have enough and needs some type of roster reinforcement. If the Celtics take that stance, the following three targets could be worth pursuing.
Mo Bamba, Orlando Magic
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The Celtics have played 49 games so far this season. They've had Robert Williams III available in 16 of them.
That alone might be reason to probe the trade market for a reliable reserve up front. Once you throw in the fact that fellow starter Al Horford is 36 years old and has sat out 11 contests of his own, then the interior looms as an obvious focal point for the front office to address.
The Celtics are, in fact, "in the market for a big," Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported.
Mo Bamba, the No. 6 pick in 2018, could provide interior insurance now and perhaps grow into a bigger role going forward. The 24-year-old has been squeezed for floor time in Orlando, but he's still an intriguing source of length, shot-blocking and floor-spacing.
Doug McDermott, San Antonio Spurs
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While the Celtics boast elite shooting marks across the board, a designated three-point specialist could still carve out a helpful role in this rotation.
Boston thought it had covered that void already. Twice, actually. Between Danilo Gallinari and Sam Hauser, the Celtics thought they had their three-point marksmen on board. However, Gallinari tore his ACL before the season started, and Hauser has gone frigid since the start of December (34.9 percent shooting overall, 28.6 percent from range).
If the Celtics haven't at least discussed a deal for Doug McDermott by now, they're doing this wrong.
The veteran sharpshooter owns a career splash rate of 41 percent. He's a savvy enough mover off the ball that he could find his footing alongside Boston's stars and a good enough inside-the-arc scorer to maintain value even when opponents run him off the three-point line.
Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves
3 of 3
The Minnesota Timberwolves owe an absurd amount of cash to Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns over the coming seasons. It's hard to imagine they'll find enough change in the couch cushions to cover the cost of Naz Reid's upcoming free agency.
Trade vultures are already circling the Gopher State with an eye on Reid, per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. The Celtics should join that circle.
Reid seems tailor-made for this role, since he can make an impact off the bench or hold his own with the first five when needed for a spot start. His career per-36-minutes averages are nothing short of drool-worthy: 20 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.8 threes, per Basketball-Reference.
An active rebounder, skilled scorer from inside and out and high-energy player, he brings enough positives to snag a spot in Boston's postseason rotation.
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