What options do the Celtics have before the 2025 NBA trade deadline? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics started their NBA title defense very well with a record of 21-6 in 27 games.
Jayson Tatum is a legitimate MVP candidate. Jaylen Brown performs fantastically after Finals MVP winner in June. Payton Pritchard is arguably the leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year in the midst of a career-best season for the 26-year-old point guard. Boston, as a team, is on its way to break multiple league records in a single season for 3-point shooting.
There’s a lot to like about the way the Celtics are currently playing, but you can always improve both on the court and in terms of roster construction.
The trade deadline is February 6, so teams still have over a month to get deals done before the playoffs. The Celtics, however, are in the second apron, which is part of the CBA that places restrictions on big-spending teams.
Our Celtics insider Chris Forsberg recently broke down what the second apron means for the C as the trade deadline approaches:
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The Celtics cannot combine contracts in a trade, meaning they cannot combine contracts to acquire a more valuable player. If the Celtics were to move, say, Jaden Springer’s $4 million contract, they couldn’t combine it with Queta’s $2 million contract to chase a $6 million player.
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The Celtics cannot sign any buyout players who previously earned more than the mid-level exception this season.
On the latest episode of NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics Talk PodcastForsberg was joined by ESPN NBA front office insider Bobby Marks.
🔊 Celtics Talk: Exploring Celtics roster options with ESPN’s Bobby Marks | Listen and subscribe | Watch on YouTube
What might the Celtics want to look for if they move on the trade market, on waivers, or on the buyout market? Marks thinks wing depth and/or another frontcourt player would make sense.
“Look, everyone wants wing depth, that’s always the most important thing,” Marks said. “Hey, can we get a big winger on our bench? I think every playoff team is looking for him, and can you get a little more depth in the frontcourt, a little bit between a little forward and a power forward, something like that would be a priority.
“I think the cool thing about the apron rules, and not many people know this, is that you can trade for minimal players and still go over the apron. It’s kind of a little loophole where you can look around the market and you can look at, I don’t know, a team that doesn’t have one, whether it’s Utah or Detroit or Brooklyn, and maybe there’s someone out there who, can- be that instead of sending your choice with Jaden Springer, maybe you go out and use that choose to acquire someone to help you there, I think it’ll be interesting to see what happens.
“PJ Tucker is interesting. That’s something the Celtics should do their homework on, not from a business standpoint, just from a waiver standpoint, because I think his salary is below that threshold- low. But he hasn’t played all year. How happy is he? You saw that Jae Crowder, who was out of the league for a while, is in Sacramento now, but what will be? production? be satisfied with what their role will be. »
One name to watch as the trade deadline approaches is Lonnie Walker IV, who the Celtics signed with a Exhibit 10, contract during the summer but was not kept for their opening day roster. Walker is currently playing in Lithuania.
“You’re probably going to hear a lot about Lonnie Walker IV over the next five or six weeks here because he has a buyout in his contract in Europe,” Marks explained. “I talked to his agent while I was driving to Orlando and he said, ‘He’s playing great.’ For Europe, he’s on a good run playing there, so he’s a name.
“He was in (Celtics) camp. (They) know him. He knows the system. He can come in, and without the expectations that he has to play. But it’s a nice insurance policy for a guy that you can pitch in a playoff game because he’s already been there.
The Celtics acquired Xavier Tillman Sr. and Jaden Springer at last year’s trade deadline. And with their own first-round pick and three second-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, the C’s could make a move or two before February 6.
Also in this episode:
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Bobby Marks on the Celtics season so far
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The biggest threat in the East?
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Did Brad Stevens make all the right decisions?
