Boston Celtics' Trade-Value Rankings Heading into 2016-17 NBA Trade Deadline
The Boston Celtics are not only one of the hottest teams in the NBA, but they are also in a terrific position to make an upgrade at the 2017 trade deadline.
With ample young pieces and future draft picks at the disposal of general manager Danny Ainge, every seller will be sure to give Boston a call and try to get the Celtics to part with some valuable assets.
The question Ainge and his staff will have to answer is this: How meaningful will any kind of short-term upgrade be for the current season, especially with the Cleveland Cavaliers looming as heavy favorites in the Eastern Conference?
The Celtics remain on the lookout for a star piece to add to their lineup, but it's not clear whether any of those names will be available for them this month. If not, Ainge may be hesitant to mess with a core that has the second-best record in the NBA (20-6) over the past eight weeks—especially since the long-term building options remain plentiful and attractive.
There are still holes to fill and logjams at a couple of spots, however. Not all players have value or are valuable, but here's a look at a few tiers of the roster and which players could be realistically available in the coming weeks.
Untouchables
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Isaiah Thomas, PG
Isaiah Thomas is in the midst of one of the best offensive seasons in franchise history. His 29.9 points per game is second overall behind Russell Westbrook, and he's on pace to score more fourth-quarter points than any player through the last 20 years.
He's not the NBA's best point guard, but his value as a scorer to the Celtics dwarfs whatever the team could fetch for him in return (in all likelihood). Combine that with one of the league's best-value contracts at $6.6 million for 2016-17, and it's fair to assume Thomas won't be going anywhere this season.
Al Horford, PF/C
The ink has barely dried on the four-year, $113 million contract that Al Horford signed last summer, and the 6'10'' forward hasn't had his best season, but his playmaking (career-high 5.3 assists per game) has helped transform Boston into a top-10 offense.
There are few big men who can replicate Horford's skill set, making most hypothetical trades for the 30-year-old a step backward for the franchise. The four-time All-Star is also the highest-profile free-agent signing in Celtics history, so moving him this year would send a bad message to any prospective targets in the coming summers.
Jae Crowder, SF
Jae Crowder has developed into one of the NBA's best two-way wings this season.
He's shooting a career-best 42.2 percent from three-point range, which helps create space for Thomas on a nightly basis. He has the strength and versatility to guard opponents at both forward spots, and his contract ($28 million total through the 2019-20 season) qualifies as one of the best bargains in the league.
At age 26, Crowder is just entering his prime, and you can count on his staying in a Celtics uniform during those years.
Highly Unlikely
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Jaylen Brown, SG/SF
2016's No. 3 overall pick entered his rookie season with a lot of question marks, but Jaylen Brown earned a spot in head coach Brad Stevens' rotation right out of training camp.
"We're in a unique situation because we had a high draft pick, and we've got a good team," Stevens said of Brown last week. "As I've said before, he's done a really good job because he's proven he can add value to winning. And that's how you get on the court."
The 20-year-old is just scratching the surface of his potential, and the Celtics are 7-0 since inserting him into the starting lineup in place of an injured Avery Bradley. Ainge is building his roster with an eye toward contending for the long term, and trading Brown now would be removing a promising piece of that puzzle.
Avery Bradley, SG
Bradley is in the midst of a career year in nearly every statistical category (17.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.4 APG, 47.5% FG, 40.9% 3PT), and it's hard to envision Ainge moving on from that kind of production. The 6'2" shooting guard also leads the team in rebounds per game, making him an essential presence on the glass for a squad that ranks 30th in defensive rebounds.
Like Thomas, Bradley is set for a big pay raise when his contract expires following the 2017-18 season, and he's an attractive trade piece in the interim while earning an average of $8 million annually. However, his defensive prowess and an Achilles injury that has sidelined him for seven consecutive games make him an unlikely candidate to be moved in the coming weeks.
Marcus Smart, PG/SG
Coach Stevens has always emphasized winning players, and that's an area Marcus Smart has excelled in this season. His net rating of plus-5.3 is the second-highest mark out of all the team's rotation players.
"I know what he does to help you win," Stevens said. "Like, he cannot score a point, he can miss eight shots, not make any, and he can still have a positive impact on winning."
The 22-year-old is a defensive menace, and his playmaking (career-high 4.7 assists per game) has improved immensely this season.
Little to No Trade Value
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James Young, SG/SF
James Young, 21, beat out R.J. Hunter for the team's final roster spot this preseason, but the front office did not give him a vote of confidence when they passed on picking up his fourth-year rookie option for 2017-18 in October. Since then, he's played in just 14 games, averaging a mere 1.7 points. If he's not traded by the deadline, he's a strong candidate to be cut for a free-agent signing.
Demetrius Jackson, PG
The Celtics front office viewed Demetrius Jackson as a long-term investment after picking him in the middle of 2016's second round. The point guard has been outplayed by non-roster teammates such as Abdel Nader while suiting up for the Maine Red Claws in the NBA D-League. He's done little to improve his stock around the league since draft night, which puts him at the bottom of the Celtics' guard depth chart.
Jordan Mickey, PF
Jordan Mickey signed one of the biggest contracts for a second-round pick in league history in 2015, but he has failed to reach the potential he showed during his first NBA Summer League. The 6'8'' forward has a team-worst plus/minus, and his defensive strength (shot blocking) has failed to translate (three blocks in 14 games).
Fillers and Throw-Ins
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Gerald Green, SF
Gerald Green is playing on a veteran minimum deal at age 31, and it's hard to argue he's worth more than that at this stage of his career. He's dealt with a couple of ugly slumps that have kept his overall shooting percentages down (32 percent from three-point range).
While he can still create his own shot, Green's defensive issues (the Celtics are allowing 109 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor) make him a liability many nights and a lackluster trade candidate.
Jonas Jerebko, PF
Jonas Jerebko has been a role player for his entire NBA career, and he's found a nice niche within Stevens' pace-and-space offense with his ability to stretch the floor at the 4. His $5 million contract is set to expire this summer, and he's hitting just 35.9 percent of his three-point attempts on the year—his lowest mark since the 2012-13 season.
The 29-year-old could help a team, but he's not going to fetch meaningful value for Ainge in any deal.
Amir Johnson, PF/C
Amir Johnson has been a starter for the majority of his two seasons in Boston, but his minutes (19.9 per game) indicate Stevens treats him more like a reserve. His rebounding at age 29 has shown a sharp decline, as he is grabbing only 8.2 rebounds per 36 minutes—the worst mark of his career since becoming a regular rotation player.
He's still a valuable defensive anchor in the paint and pick-and-roll, but he's also overpaid at $12 million per season. With his best days behind him, Johnson's not likely to be the target of any trades, since he'll be hitting free agency this summer.
Tyler Zeller, C
The Celtics brought back Tyler Zeller for depth purposes last summer. However, his main value right now is as a salary-matching trade chip. He earns $8 million during the 2016-17 season, and his $8 million salary for next season is non-guaranteed until July, giving Ainge the ability to ship out his contract in any trade without taking away from the team's core talent.
The 27-year-old is still a serviceable center (12.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per 36 minutes), but his inability to spread the floor has kept him on the bench behind Jerebko and Kelly Olynyk most nights.
Kelly Olynyk, PF/C
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Kelly Olynyk experienced a challenging start to the regular season as he attempted to regain his rhythm following major offseason surgery on his shoulder.
The 7'0'' center found his groove in January, though, shooting 58.4 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from three-point range.
Those types of numbers make the 25-year-old an intriguing target for teams searching for bigs who can shoot. The Celtics likely have interest in keeping Olynyk long term, but their desire to pursue big names with max salary-cap space this summer could throw a wrench in those plans.
Olynyk is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season, but the big raise he'll be looking for from his current $3.1 million salary could limit Boston's ability to keep him and pursue other targets.
If the Celtics decide they don't want to risk losing him for nothing in free agency, they could test his value on the open market in the coming weeks. He's a key member of the team's bench unit, but the Celtics have enough depth in the frontcourt (Jerebko, Zeller) to withstand his departure in the right deal.
Terry Rozier, SG
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The Celtics have had a logjam in the backcourt ever since they took Terry Rozier at No. 16 overall during the 2015 NBA draft.
After spending much of his rookie season playing for the Maine Red Claws in the D-League, Rozier has stuck with the big club in 2016-17, primarily serving as the second guard off the bench behind Smart. The 22-year-old's shot has remained an issue (38.5% FG) as he's increased his minutes, but he's also been an asset to Coach Stevens in other facets of the game.
Rozier's 5.1 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes are the best total for any guard on the team despite his 6'2" frame. He's also turning the ball over on just 8.5 percent of his possessions—the best mark among Celtics guards.
The second-year player's role may be on the decline in upcoming weeks once Bradley returns from an Achilles injury, especially since Brown has thrived while playing at the 2 in his absence. There won't be enough minutes to go around for Brown, Smart and Rozier off the bench if that trend continues, making the Louisville product an expendable piece for Boston via trade.
Rozier is still on his rookie deal through the 2018-19 season, making him an attractive salary piece for a young team willing to gamble on an athletic guard.
All statistics and contract information courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com unless otherwise noted and are current as of Feb 8. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
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