The Boston Celtics aren’t expected to be very active ahead of the NBA’s Feb. 8 trade deadline. But Danny Ainge and Co. undoubtedly are keeping a close watch on the league’s happenings, and there’s a good chance they liked Monday’s big news.
The news, of course, is that Blake Griffin now is on the Detroit Pistons after a blockbuster trade sent Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic and two draft picks to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for the star forward.
The trade was a virtual salary dump for the Clippers, who appear ready to rebuild after ridding themselves of Griffin’s 5-year, $171 million contract. The Pistons, mediocre bordering on bad before Monday, now will be mediocre bordering on good after adding Griffin but still aren’t a threat in the Eastern Conference.
So, why do the Celtics care?
The answer comes down to Bradley. The Cleveland Cavaliers, while an absolute soap opera at the moment, still are just 5 1/2 games behind the Celtics in the East, and Bradley could have helped them patch up their most glaring issue. The 27-year-old guard is an elite perimeter defender with a high motor who would have provided immediate relief for an aging Cleveland club that has the NBA’s third-worst defensive rating. He’s also developed into a solid offensive option.
Detroit made no secret about putting Bradley on the trade block, but the Cavs stayed on the sideline. Are they holding out for another trade target like, say, DeAndre Jordan or Lou Williams? It’s certainly possible. But another scenario must be considered: LeBron James very well could leave in free agency this summer, and if Cleveland doesn’t think this club can make one last serious run at a title, it could use the deadline to either stand pat or plan for life without LeBron.
The Cavs trading for Bradley, a rental whose contract expires after the season, would have signaled they’re serious about giving James more help and competing with the Celtics for the East crown. And while there admittedly are bigger and better options on the market, every trade target off the board closes Cleveland’s window of opportunity for improving a squad that, as currently constituted, could have very hard time reaching a fourth straight NBA Finals.
And if the Cavs don’t even make it out of the East, well, good luck convincing James to stick around.
