The Boston Celtics have been playing nothing but .500 basketball for about the past season-and-a-half and it's become unacceptable with the amount of talent that is on the roster. There's clearly something that isn't clicking with the guys in the locker room. Not making any moves last offseason due to not having much CAP space is certainly part of the issue.

A team that has Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown should never be as bad as the Celtics have been for the past season and a half and that's something that they're definitely going to need to focus on if they want to get back to being the Celtics that everybody loves and knows.

There are clearly areas that they can make adjustments to and going to get a big man who is a legit star and can be paired next to Jayson Tatum and Brown should be the number one priority. There's even a chance that they might decide to get rid of one of either Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown although that isn't necessarily what they need to do to get back a player of the return that they need. In the NBA, you need a second star to win an NBA title and that's exactly what Boston has with Tatum and Brown. They are in the perfect spot to win an NBA title but just don't have the surrounding pieces next to those two guys to get the job finished.

In order for the Celtics to get to where they want to be and need to be in the future, they're going to have to make some trades during this NBA Trade Deadline. Let's take a look at three players that the Celtics should think about trading at the trade deadline to get their team to be as good as possible to form around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Celtics NBA Trade Deadline

3. Enes Freedom

Enes Freedom isn't necessarily a bad player and he certainly is a help to the Celtics team because they desperately need help at the center position. The reality is he isn't necessarily that guy that needs to be next to Tatum and Brown so there's really no reason to keep him because there are many other better options out there that they can trade for at the deadline. Getting a guy like Mo Bamba or somebody to that caliber is definitely something that should be at the top of the Celtics radar because Freedom is not the answer at the moment.

If they can somehow bring in a competent center that can help this team win a title, Freedom isn't a bad option to have off the bench. When the Celtics are fully healthy they have Al Horford and Robert Williams who control the center position. They could put one of them at the power forward position and run a big line up if they can get a legit center.

2. Marcus Smart

He can not be traded until mid-January but that is before the NBA Trade Deadline. It would be questionable for them to trade Marcus Smart because he's essentially everything that is needed in an NBA player. Not only does he defend at the highest of levels, but he does hit the outside shot and that is something that every NBA team needs. Factor in that the Celtics are already one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA and it would be questionable why they would decide to get rid of Smart. Teams are going to be looking for on-ball defenders because they are so valuable in the NBA. Perhaps the Celtics could trade smart to somebody like the Atlanta Hawks for a guy like Cam Reddish because Atlanta desperately needs an on-ball defender.

He could get back a decent return and if Boston doesn't feel like he's the guy who should be next to Tatum and Brown, then there is no reason for him to still be there. He has been a Celtic for the past few years and he clearly hasn't worked out with them so it wouldn't be a bad idea to move on from Smart.

1. Jaylen Brown

It wouldn't make much sense to get rid of Jaylen Brown but at some point the Celtics have to realize that their duo isn't necessarily working. It makes more sense to think about it in the way of the duo not working because of the surrounding pieces, but Brown clearly isn't the guy that needs to be next to Tatum and they could decide to move him. If they are going to get back a huge package for him and get somebody back who could be that second star still, it would make sense. It's going to be interesting to see what they decide to do with Jaylen Brown because he's certainly one of the better players in the NBA and he's not somebody who needs to necessarily be traded. There could be a better fit out there for the Celtics team so it is possible he gets moved.