The Boston Celtics have one of the most talented rosters in the league. They can go eight players deep without any let up in quality of play. However, there is evidence that the Celts may be too talented for their own good which has caused some friction in the locker room and during games. With the trade deadline looming, Boston could be a big player in upcoming deals. But is that really the better option?
The Celtics own a 31-19 record and are currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference behind the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers. Looking at their roster, it’s essentially the same as it was last year. The only difference being that players who were injured last season are healthy now.
Rookies Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier had plenty of playing time a season ago because of the injuries to Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving. That trimmed down coach Brad Stevens’ rotation and allowed the youngsters, including Jaylen Brown, to develop their game uninhibited.
With Irving and Hayward back, Stevens needed more time to figure out how to best utilize his players. It didn’t help that a recent three-game slide created tension between the players which was centered on All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving. As soon as that was resolved, the Celtics went back to their winning ways with a five-game win streak, which came to an end with a loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Though the Celtics have a ton of talent, which can be dangled in front of teams seeking to deal a superstar, the Celtics don’t need to make any drastic changes to the roster at this point.
Here are three reasons why Boston should avoid making any deals before the NBA trade deadline:
3. Time to jell
Team chemistry is one of the most elusive elements of a championship team and it doesn’t happen overnight. For a team to jell, it takes time, experimentation, tweaking and failing. Stevens has had to do his best coaching this year to keep his team from imploding given the number of players they have that can start for most teams.
Their highest paid player, Gordon Hayward, is only averaging 10.6 points per game. That’s too little production for someone earning $31 million this season, but moving him to the bench was a stroke of genius and it took a lot of humility to make a gutsy move of such kind. Any player making as much as he does in this league should be starting, but both player and coach decided that winning was more important than egos.
That move helped Boston string together an eight-game winning streak that’s still the longest they’ve had this season. There are still some chemistry issues here and there but they can be worked out if given more time.
If they opt for a trade now, then the work they did to get to this point will all have been for nothing. They’ll have to start from scratch once again.
2. Protection against injuries
As good as Irving is, he has a tendency to get hurt at the most inopportune times. Last year, he missed 22 games in the regular season as well as the entire postseason. When he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Irving only played 51, 59 and 53 games during his first, second and fifth seasons, respectively. Rozier, the team’s fiery backup point guard, is excellent insurance should anything happen to Irving. His performance last season showed that he’s not afraid of the big moments and that he could be the X-factor in a series.
Trading Rozier, one of the players considered as good trade bait, would put Stevens and management on edge, hoping that Irving avoids injury throughout the season.
The same goes with Irving being traded to give Rozier a chance to run the team. Who knows if the second-year player can carry this team to a championship as the starting point guard full time? Irving has done it and that experience will be invaluable to the Celtics if they reach the Finals as expected. Additionally, if Rozier suffers an injury, it’s unlikely that Marcus Smart can run the show on his own.
The same is true about other players who are rumored to be on the move in case Danny Ainge, the team’s GM and President of Basketball Operations, decides to make a trade. There’s no guarantee that injuries won’t play a part in determining the playoff picture for Boston. The Indiana Pacers, who just lost their star player Victor Oladipo are mired in such circumstance. Without another All-Star caliber player on the roster, the Celtics' season may be a lost cause.
The Celtics may have a lot of healthy bodies now, but one can never be too sure. The injury bug could be a game-changer. Just ask the Houston Rockets.
1. It will deplete their roster
Let’s pretend the Celtics want to trade for Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal. In order to match his $25 million salary, they Celtics would have to trade two to four players just to get in range for a deal to push through. The same will be true for a trade with the New Orleans Hornets for Anthony Davis, who is earning roughly the same salary as Beal.
A deal will severely shorten the team’s rotation and deplete them of bodies to throw at their opponents. Their depth is a strength and the fact that they have six players averaging double-figures scoring means that everyone is contributing to the team’s success.
Having plenty of options keeps the offense from being too predictable and allows the team to go with the hot hand. That will come extra handy in the playoffs when the pace grinds to a halt and teams are often looking for more offense from their bench.
Right now, the Celtics are doing just fine at 31-19 and only 1.5 games back from the Sixers. There is no need to pull the trigger on a deal — especially when there is a good mix of youth and experience, and one of the smartest coaches in the league to manage both.
Stevens is the key here and he's bound to figure everything out before the postseason arrives. That’s when his hard work during the regular season will finally pay off.
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