At least one NBA expert urges the Boston Celtics to break character in the coming weeks.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps explained Wednesday why he’d like to see Celtics “take a big swing” by the NBA trade deadline. Boston could use some frontcourt help and reportedly also might consider adding another wing player in order to bolster their playoff prospects. However, due to complex NBA trade rules and Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge’s historical reluctance to make in-season deals, growing numbers of NBA observers predict Boston will stand pat ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline.
Here’s why Bontemps believes the Celtics should shock the basketball world.
“The Boston Celtics and 76ers both need to add quality depth pieces,” Bontemps wrote. “If the Los Angeles Lakers can find a way to get (Minnesota Timberwolves forward Robert) Covington, they should. Denver also needs another wing defender. But what I’d like to see more than anything is for one or more of these teams to take advantage of the wide-open nature of this season and make a bold move to get better. It would be fun to see a team take a big swing.”
The Celtics currently are in a heated, six-way race for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Although adding the right player might propel them up the standings, bringing the wrong one into the mix risks disrupting a seemingly harmonious squad.
Those concerns would exist in any NBA season, but perhaps the potential reward — a deep run in the NBA playoffs — would make the Celtics more willing to gamble on acquiring one of their trade targets than they otherwise would be.
