The Boston Celtics always seem to be in the thick of trade rumors despite already being one of the more loaded teams in the NBA. That will likely continue to be the case as Brad Stevens continues to navigate the Celtics through a rather tumultuous final stretch in the 2023 offseason.
Though sportsbooks have the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown-led Celtics as the favorite to lift the Larry O'Brien trophy in June 2024, Boston still enters training camp with a ton of uncertainty. Newly acquired star Kristaps Porzingis is still dealing with a plantar fasciitis injury that kept the Latvian big man out of the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Meanwhile, Malcolm Brogdon also continues to deal with an elbow injury that he suffered during the 2023 NBA Playoffs. It remains to be seen whether Brogdon can be ready for camp because of the ailment.
On top of that, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year isn't particularly on good terms with the organization. There were rumblings that Brogdon wasn't pleased about the Celtics' failed attempt to trade him to the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this offseason. But recently, new reports popped up that the 29-year-old wasn't happy with the way Boston dealt with his injury during the playoffs.
Regardless of what Brogdon's reasons are, it's clear there is discontent on his part towards the team. While the Celtics are adamant that they don't intend to trade Brogdon, especially with the regular season just around the corner, it's still worth wondering what Brad Stevens is willing to pull off to improve their roster. With that said, here are two potential Celtics trade candidates ahead of the 2023-24 NBA training camp.
1. Malcolm Brogdon
To no one's surprise, Malcolm Brogdon is the Boston Celtics' top trade candidate entering training camp. As mentioned, Boston already tried to trade him during the initial Kristaps Porzingis trade, but the Clippers ended up backing out due to concerns with his health. The Celtics wound up keeping Brogdon and instead traded away fan favorite Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies to bring in Porzingis.
Even though Boston said they want to keep Brogdon into the season, trade discussions could still restart, especially with the number of other trade candidates popping up around the league. Buddy Hield is a potential target the Celtics could acquire and Brogdon is a realistic player to send back to the Indiana Pacers. The Celtics could also choose to go after Damian Lillard and Brogdon will likely be included in any package for the Portland Trail Blazers superstar.
Regardless, if the Celtics don't want to enter with this baggage into the season, they should remain open to trading Brogdon before camp.
2. Robert Williams
Another potential trade candidate for the Celtics is Robert Williams. Boston's acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis makes Williams a little expendable, granted that the Latvian remains healthy the entire year. Nonetheless, Porzingis' presence will bump Time Lord to the bench.
Add the fact that Williams has also gone through his fair share of injuries over the last couple of years. Williams has only exceeded the 60-game mark once in his five year career. He played just 35 games last season and was limited to just nearly 24 minutes a night.
Perhaps Brad Stevens could look to move him for a more durable player, while adding more versatility to Boston's roster. The Celtics will likely continue to trot out two big man lineups with a three-big man rotation of Williams, Porzingis, and Al Horford. Trading Williams for perhaps a big wing can still allow Boston to play with size and go small.
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