The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Another NBA trade deadline has come and gone without the Boston Celtics making a major move. In fact, the Celtics didn’t just avoid a blockbuster — they failed to make a single move, period.
Boston’s quiet Thursday wasn’t for lack of offers. Unless you’re living under a rock or your name is Vlade Divac, you’ve likely heard about the Celtics’ “stockpile of assets,” headlined by two tantalizing Brooklyn Nets first-round picks. Those pieces reportedly put them in the mix for Jimmy Butler and Paul George, but Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge couldn’t swing a deal, leaving Celtics fans once again waiting for the other shoe to drop.
It’s easy to jump on Ainge and the C’s for continuing to sit on their proverbial treasure chest. But there are two sides to every story, and Boston’s latest non-actions are no different. With that, let’s break down both sides.
The case against the Celtics standing pat at the deadline:
Really, Danny? Again? Boston’s 2017 Nets pick arguably is the most coveted asset in the NBA. The Celtics, with their second-best record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, could have packaged that pick and some combination of Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart to pair a perennial All-Star in Butler or George with All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas. That move would have made them a legitimate threat to the banged-up Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference while still keeping them in relatively good shape for the future. (They still own the Nets’ 2018 first-rounder, after all.)
But even without landing Butler or George, Boston could have done something. The Celtics, one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA, sat on their hands as the Toronto Raptors acquired Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker and the Dallas Mavericks traded for Nerlens Noel. The Raptors now are an even tougher matchup for Boston should they meet in the postseason, and this group of Celtics has a tall task ahead of it in the East.
The case for the Celtics standing pat at the deadline:
Who says the C’s were going to get past the Cavs and Golden State Warriors, anyway? Boston is on pace for 50-plus wins, owns the rights to a potential No. 1 pick in one of the best drafts in recent memory and boasts a solid, young core with excellent chemistry. Would Butler or George have put the Celtics in the title conversation? Sure. But it’s unclear how long either would have stayed — George reportedly is interested in heading to the Los Angeles Lakers once his contract expires in 2018, and Butler’s deal is up in 2019.
In not making a rash deadline decision, Ainge set Boston up to potentially become a perennial title contender down the road. LeBron James can’t play forever, and if the C’s find their next franchise player in a guy like Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball, they could take the mantle from the Cavs as the new kings of the East. In which case all those angry Celtics fans would owe Ainge a serious apology.
The verdict:
We get the virtues of playing the long game, but assets only are valuable if you actually use them. Unlike in past years, the Celtics had a legitimate chance to acquire a talented, relatively young All-Star, and they got cold feet. That puts Boston a sticky situation: Fultz and Ball both are point guards, and using the Nets pick on either player (assuming the ping-pong balls are kind) would force the team to make a decision on Thomas, who will be seeking a hefty new contract this summer or in 2018. At the very least, the C’s could have swapped one of their non-Brooklyn picks and a role player to bring in a rebounder like Tucker or Andrew Bogut. Instead, they’re placing a lot of faith on the future, which, as always, is uncertain.
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Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
