Celtics Rumors: BOS Searching for Frontcourt Depth Ahead of 2024 NBA Trade Deadline

The Boston Celtics "continue to search for additional frontcourt depth" ahead of the NBA trade deadline, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

It doesn't appear anything big is in store, though, with Stein adding the team is "willing only to part with players on the most nominal contracts in any potential upcoming moves."

The Celtics own the NBA's best record (37-11) and they're five games up on the Milwaukee Bucks for first place in the Eastern Conference.

They took a bit of a risk in acquiring Kristaps Porziņģis at the expense of Marcus Smart, who had become the heart and soul of the squad. Porziņģis is delivering exactly what they wanted as he's averaging 19.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks while shooting 35.8 percent from the perimeter.

Speaking to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Celtics star Jayson Tatum compared the team to the Los Angeles Lakers after Shaquille O'Neal left. The Lakers didn't thrive again until they had another elite big man, Pau Gasol, to pair with Kobe Bryant.

"Kobe really needed Pau for those last two championships that they won together," Tatum said. "Whatever path that I'm on and we're on, KP really feels like the missing piece."

In the backcourt, Jrue Holiday is shooting better from long range than he ever has while providing the perimeter defense Boston lost by trading Smart.

Thanks in part to what Porziņģis and Holiday have brought to the table, nobody is looking stronger in the title race than the Celtics, who have the highest net rating (plus-9.5) in the league, per NBA.com.

Adding some size behind Porziņģis or beefing up the power forward options to go with Tatum and Al Horford makes sense if Boston can pull it off. But president of basketball operations Brad Stevens approached the deadline with the luxury of knowing significant reinforcements aren't required.