The Boston Celtics were on a roll over the previous week, but they have succumbed to both franchises from Los Angeles this season. They are back to a subpar .500 record, 10th in the Eastern Conference while in the midst of a brutal stretch playing all playoff teams in the whole month of December. Additionally, Jaylen Brown has already missed 13 games this season, which makes it more difficult for head coach Ime Udoka to adjust with his new roster.
With 26 games played already, there are still glaring roles with the lineups combinations if the Celtics plan to have any serious plans of contending this year. Their ability to mesh together as a unit has been questionable because the inconsistency of the performances of each player has been abysmal. As the NBA trade deadline approaches in two months, the Celtics should be active in negotiations this February.
3 Celtics trades to eye at the NBA trade deadline
This would shock the world if Brad Stevens is able to execute this deal before the trade deadline, but Damian Lillard would be a phenomenal point guard for Boston. This move them makes an instant championship contender with the Big 3 of Lillard, Brown, and Jayson Tatum even if would not to surrender their young studs and future draft capital.
Boston would need to wait for Marcus Smart to be trade-eligible, but Al Horford and Smart would be the centerpiece of the deal for the salaries to match, while mortgaging majority of their future to acquire one of the best players in the association. If this trade is available, Stevens must heavily consider it for a franchise that is tied for the most championships in NBA history. Additionally, the Celtics are one of the few contenders that still have all their draft picks for the next several years as this could be the enticing return that the Portland Trail Blazers would prefer.
Jerami Grant
Jerami Grant has been a combo forward that could benefit playing alongside Brown and Tatum because of his massive improvement on his three-point shooting accuracy and versatility as another tremendous defender under the tutelage of Udoka. He will not be cheap to acquire because his contract is still for two years at around $2o million each, but Grant would complement a squad that is in dire need of a third scorer that has a multitude of assets in his repertoire as well.
Boston could ship Josh Richardson and Juancho Hernangomez along with a couple of picks to make the Detroit Pistons pull the trigger. The Pistons are still focused on their rebuild, and Grant does not seem to fit the timeline of their core in Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes, and Isaiah Stewart. As he continues the age, Grant fits the Celtics more as a third or fourth option in offense for a legitimate playoff contender.
Robert Covington
Robert Covington has been underwhelming this season with the Portland Trail Blazers, but one could not forget that he was remarkable over the last two years. He is another individual that does not demand the ball or tally a high usage rate, thus making him a brilliant side kick to the star duo of Tatum and Brown. He is a sensational help defender that could aid terrific on-ball defenders in Brown and Smart.
Covington would be a spot-up shooter in the offensive schemes of the Celtics despite his disappointing inefficiencies over the course of his career. He must be more of a threat with his outside shooting prowess because that open up the possibilities of Udoka playing him at the four or even at the five in a small-ball lineup in crucial junctures of the playoffs. Richardson could continue being the main piece being moved to this deal as well.
These three players could eventually end up in other organizations by next season, but Stevens must at the very least have a meeting with the front office members of these three franchises. Searching for the surrounding pieces that would be perfect with Brown and Tatum has been grueling for Boston over the past three years, but Celtics fans have the utmost trust in Stevens to acquire another star to pair with this incredible duo. Boston has not won a championship since 2008, and their fans are being restless and eager for continued success in Massachusetts.
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