Celtics Rumors: Top Trade Buzz on Jimmy Butler, Gordon Hayward and More

With the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft at their disposal, the Boston Celtics have been among the top teams to watch on the trade market as of late. The C's are just a player or two away from contending in the Eastern Conference, and that selection could be used to get them one step closer.

The Celtics have a good, young core, and while using the third pick would undoubtedly add another promising piece to the puzzle, dealing it for an established veteran could fast-track the team toward becoming a threat to the reigning NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers.

Ahead of Thursday night's draft, here is a rundown of the top names Boston is rumored to be targeting via trade.

Jimmy Butler

The Chicago Bulls showed a willingness to pull off a blockbuster deal Wednesday by sending former NBA MVP Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks, according to ESPN.com, and the Celtics are hopeful the Bulls are open to another.

Per ESPN's Marc Stein, Bulls forward Jimmy Butler is among the players Boston has attempted to acquire with the No. 3 overall pick as the centerpiece of a trade.

To this point, however, the Bulls have reportedly not been open to shipping Butler to one of their Eastern Conference rivals.

Butler is coming off his second consecutive All-Star season, averaging 20.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game and being named to the All-Defensive Second Team for the third consecutive year.

The former Marquette standout has struggled with injuries in recent years, though, missing a total of 47 games over the past three seasons combined. He also didn't seem to adjust particularly well to Fred Hoiberg taking over as head coach in the 2015-16 season.

Butler is a rising star and trading him could set the Bulls back significantly, but if they believe the team they have can't contend as it's currently constructed, working toward a rebuild may be their best option.

Adding Butler to a team that already boasts Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and tons of depth would be a scary proposition for the rest of the Eastern Conference, but prying away a player who is working toward becoming a perennial All-Star may take a lot more than just the No. 3 pick.

Gordon Hayward

Another rising wingman the Celtics reportedly have their eye on, according to Stein, is Gordon Hayward of the Utah Jazz.

The Butler alum has improved with each passing NBA season, including a 2015-16 campaign that saw him put up a career-high 19.7 points per game to go along with 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals per contest as well.

While Hayward is currently Utah's go-to guy, Brian Geltzeiler of Hoops Critic reported that the two sides have been working on a trade.

Per Jody Genessy of the Deseret News, however, Hayward is happy with the Jazz and is not actively seeking a move out of Utah:

Stein backed up Genessy's report by saying that the Jazz have thus far told teams, including the Celtics, that Hayward is not available for a trade.

Hayward would be a natural fit in Boston since his head coach at Butler, Brad Stevens, is currently at the helm of the C's.

Stevens and Hayward combined to lead the Bulldogs to an appearance in the national championship in 2010, and the thought of recapturing that magic is something that could understandably entice the Celtics.

Hayward has just one year remaining on his contract before a player option kicks in, so while trading the No. 3 pick for him would come with some risk, the fact that he is trending toward becoming an All-Star and is comfortable with Stevens suggests it would be a worthwhile move if Utah was willing to change its stance.

Jabari Parker and Khris Middleton

In addition to Butler and Hayward, the Celtics are reportedly targeting a pair of Milwaukee Bucks forwards in Jabari Parker and Khris Middleton, according to Stein.

The Bucks have reportedly labeled both players untouchable, though, despite Boston continuing to dangle the No. 3 pick.

Milwaukee's reported stance is understandable since Parker and Middleton are very much on the rise following the 2015-16 season.

After missing all but 25 games as a rookie, Parker returned with a bang last season, averaging 14.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. At just 21 years old, the former Duke star figures to continue improving in the coming years.

As for the 24-year-old Middleton, the 2015-16 campaign was his best, as he averaged a career-high 18.2 points and 4.2 assists per game to go along with 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest.

Either player would fill a need for the Celtics, especially Middleton, since they could use some additional offense from the wing to complement the strong backcourt of Thomas and Bradley.

Landing a player like Parker, Middleton, Butler of Hayward would represent a dream scenario for the Celtics, but if those players continue to be protected, they may have no choice other than to roll the dice by using the third pick and hoping that the player they select quickly develops into an impact performer.

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