The Boston Celtics are in win-now mode.
That much is obvious, as Boston advanced to the NBA Finals last season and sits atop the Eastern Conference standings this season. But Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck reinforced the notion while discussing the team’s approach to the upcoming NBA trade deadline with Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.
“The conversation that I’ve had with Brad is, it’s about this year,” Grousbeck said Saturday on NBC Sports Boston’s “Celtics Pregame Live.” “It’s not about ‘this will pay dividends in three years’ or ‘this will do this next year.’ It is this year. Muscle up and let’s go get the job done.
“So that’s his instructions, and that’s what we’re going to try to do. If there’s anything to do, we’ll do it. If not, we love this team. We’re at the top of the league right now.”
The Celtics really don’t have any glaring weaknesses, but that certainly won’t stop Stevens from looking for ways to improve the roster. Boston’s depth has been tested recently, so the C’s could benefit from adding another piece or two to their very talented core.
The Celtics’ current roster construction — strong in most areas — means Stevens can be flexible in his wheeling and dealing before the Feb. 9 trade deadline. There’s not one specific need he must address, although bolstering the front court seems like a potential priority as interim head coach Joe Mazzulla looks to keep Robert Williams III and Al Horford healthy and rested for the long haul.
