5 NBA Contenders That MUST Make A Trade Before The Deadline

General Manager Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics made a clear statement this past offseason when they put pen to paper with swingman Jaylen Brown. The move determined that the next 5-10 years in green would be lead by their 2 young studs, Brown and Tatum.

Ainge stood firm at this juncture last season, opting to hold onto eccentric guard Kyrie Irving, a move much heralded as the final nail in the coffin for the Celtic’s chemistry issues which contributed to Irving bolting and making his way to Brooklyn. What makes this lack of action so pertinent is that Ainge had the opportunity to move Irving in a deal that could have landed the likes of Anthony Davis (if only as a rental), Damontis Sabonis or Karl-Anthony Towns. Of course these deals were not guaranteed, but Ainge’s decision to sit tight and wait left his team coming up short in playoff time and without 2 of his stalwarts coming into this season (with Horford also gone).

The key difference heading into this season is that the direction of the roster is clear; Tatum and Brown are the definitive go-to guys, while Kemba and Haywood are there to bolster a 4-pronged attack. It’s a strategy that has paid off in spurts; Brown and Tatum are both averaging career highs, Haywood is healthier, Kemba has been a breath of fresh air, the team is tussling for the 2nd seed, and they have a sound rookie crop. The team is among the top 3 in defensive efficiency, turnover rate and point per possession, so what is the issue.

The real concern is size. Between Kanter, Robert Williams and Daniel Thies the Celtics have players who each possess certain traits of the departed Al Horford, however none of them excel at multiple aspects of his game.

Turn to the salary cap tables and it’s clear that they haven’t got a lot of flexibility to add pieces in the offseason. They are hovering just below the hard cap and even re-signing Gordon Haywood to a lower number - just over $30m currently - will not allow them to add much with Tatum, Brown and Walker in the fray.

So what to do?

Choices in the immediate term are limited. Steven Adams, Clint Capella and others have been mentioned, however this would take a deal involving Marcus Smart and potentially Gordon Haywood to complete, something Ainge has been clear he’s not prepared to do.

My suggestion? Think more realistic.

Adding an Adams or a Capella is not going to allow for a quick integration process. It’s going to take time to insert a key cog from another squad into the offense, and it will shackle them in the offseason market. Boston should be looking at expiring deals like Derrick Favors. The New Orleans big man would add stellar post defence, is mobile enough for their system, will not affect their cap and has a relatively cheap and attainable contract.