The Boston Celtics created a roster spot Thursday by reportedly trading Jabari Bird to the Atlanta Hawks before the NBA trade deadline.
So, how will they use it?
There are several players the Celtics potentially could target on the buyout market — like Enes Kanter, Robin Lopez and Wesley Matthews, to name a few — but it doesn’t sound like Boston traded Bird with any specific new face in mind.
The Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy reported Thursday, after the deadline, the Celtics don’t have an immediate target for the open roster spot they created by trading Bird. Thus, the C’s might just wait and see who becomes available before ultimately making a move.
The Celtics don’t really have any glaring weaknesses despite hitting some rough patches this season. Plus, their usual rotation is rather full at the moment. You can never have enough depth when eyeing a deep playoff run, though, so it’d be surprising if Boston didn’t kick the tires on some possible options in the coming days, especially with the Celtics otherwise remaining inactive before Thursday’s deadline as other Eastern Conference contenders — like the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers — bolstered their respective rosters.
The Celtics entered Thursday with a 35-19 record, tied for third in the East with the Indiana Pacers. The Bucks and Raptors occupy the top two spots, respectively, while the Sixers sit a notch below the Celtics and Pacers with a 34-20 record.
