Celtics' Complete 2023 NBA Trade Deadline Preview, Predictions
The Boston Celtics have been the best team of the 2022-23 NBA season.
No matter your metric of choice, it likely views the Shamrocks that way. They are the Association's only team with a winning percentage north of .700 and the league's lone club with a net rating above plus-5 (plus-5.7, per NBA.com).
They don't have to do anything at the upcoming trade deadline.
But maybe they want to.
They learned the hard way last season how minuscule the margin for error is when competing for a world title. Despite grabbing 1-0 and 2-1 leads in the 2022 Finals, they wound up losing the series in six games to the Golden State Warriors.
Could that defeat spurn them into action this trade season? This comprehensive deadline preview will tackle that question and more.
Trade Assets
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Because Boston is in championship-chase mode, there aren't many on-court expendables.
Only two fit the bill, and neither is necessary available.
If there is a healthy player up for grabs, it's probably Payton Pritchard. His shooting has cooled this season, but when his number has been called, he's generally been a reliable source of spacing, ball-control and energy.
It's just that Boston is so jam-packed in the backcourt that the 25-year-old isn't a nightly regular and is seeing a career-low 12.5 minutes of floor time.
The other player is Grant Williams, who likely fills too big of a role for this team to let him go. He is, however, ticketed for restricted free agency after this season.
If the Celtics have zero plans of re-signing the 24-year-old, then it could make sense to shop him around for someone who fits their team for this season and beyond.
Otherwise, Boston owns all of its first-round picks other than this year's (owed to the Indiana Pacers with top-12 protection) and 2028 (a top-one protected swap with the San Antonio Spurs).
The Celtics have six second-round picks to trade, and if they need some salary to make the money work, Danilo Gallinari—currently working his way back from an ACL tear—is likely the odd man out.
Team Needs
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Needs are a relative term for the NBA's top team. Wants might be a better way to frame it.
Still, Boston might have a few wants on the wish list.
Chief among them is interior depth. Things get pretty shaky beyond Robert Williams III, who's been limited by injuries to just 17 games this season, and Al Horford, who turns 37 years old this summer. The Celtics are "expected to scan the league for another big man," per The Athletic's Jay King.
If Boston searches for anything else at the deadline, it's likely a wing shooter. With Gallinari sidelined indefinitely and Sam Hauser suffering through a frigid stretch (29.5 three-point percentage since the start of December), the Celtics could be in the market for a spacing specialist.
Deadline Predictions
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The Celtics will swing a deal for a center by the deadline.
It just won't be the one most often linked to them.
Despite having "significant trade interest" in Jakob Poeltl, per The Athletic's Shams Charania, it's hard to see Boston covering the cost to get him.
The 27-year-old is an excellent interior anchor, sure, but he'd be the third big man for the Celtics and needs a new deal this summer. The juice just won't be worth the squeeze.
Look for Boston to pursue a more cost-effective option such as Mason Plumlee, a 32-year-old on the rebuilding Charlotte Hornets. Pritchard, a second-rounder and salary-filler might be enough to get that deal done.
