NBA Trade Rumors: Why Boston Celtics Won't Blow Up Big 3

There have been rumors circulating regarding the potential for a big trade involving the Boston Celtics. According to CSNNE.com, the chances are slim that a move is going to happen.

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Danny Ainge, who is traveling back to Boston today, told CSNNE.com on Monday night that he thinks his team won't change much, if at all, between now and Thursday's 3 p.m. (EST) trade deadline. "It's not because of a lack of trying or having conversations with other teams," Ainge, the C's president of basketball operations, told CSNNE.com. "We just haven't come across a deal that we feel good about, that will make us a better team."

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There are two reasons the Boston Celtics aren't finding the right move. First, they can't. Second, they really don't want to. 

They can't because the assets they have to offer are just not enough at this point in comparison to their contracts. Kevin Garnett's salary makes him hard, if not impossible to trade. Garnett is making $21 million this year, the final year of his contract. 

There's little reason for a team to give up talent to obtain that contract, even if it's an expiring one. 

Ray Allen is making $10 million, but his contract expires after this season too. Again, why would a team give up their talent for a 25-game rental?

Even Paul Pierce, the youngest of the Big Three and the one with years still left on his contract, isn't getting a lot of bites. An ESPN Insider report from Chris Broussard states, "The Celtics offered Paul Pierce to Portland -- I'm not sure what they asked for in return -- but the Blazers were not interested because of the two years and $32 million remaining on Pierce's contract."

So part of the problem is that they can't deal the Big Three, but then there's also the component that they don't really want to. The expiring contracts do have value in that the Celtics are poised to be a major player in the offseason. 

They still have productive years left on Paul Pierce's contract. 

They still have Rajon Rondo. 

They are still playing some great basketball right now. 

It would take a lot to entice Ainge to give up one of the Big Three with all that at stake, more than anyone is willing to offer.