Danny Ainge might be lurking with the NBA trade deadline approaching.
The Boston Celtics president of basketball operations always seems to have his hand in multiple trade scenarios as the deadline approaches, and it sounds as if this season is no different. ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reported Friday that the Celtics are being “quietly aggressive” with the Feb. 18 trade deadline less than three weeks away.
However, it doesn’t sound like there’s a whole lot on the market — yet.
“Boston has been quietly aggressive, with its well-chronicled array of assets, in search of the splashy move we all know Danny Ainge would love to make,” Stein wrote. “But with Sacramento thoroughly unwilling to entertain offers for DeMarcus Cousins, and Cavaliers general manager David Griffin likewise emphatically shooting down the notion of making Kevin Love available earlier this week, there isn’t a starry trade target for Ainge to chase. At least not yet.”
Things can change quickly, of course, and the Celtics remain stockpiled with assets, including up to four first-round picks. One of those picks — a first-rounder from the Brooklyn Nets — is unprotected. The Celtics also have two first-round picks in 2017 (with the option of swapping picks with Brooklyn) as well as two more first-round picks in 2018.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
