Not Done Yet? Celtics Could Target These Intriguing Buyout Candidates

The 2023 NBA Trade Deadline has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean the Boston Celtics are done making moves.

Boston did swing a trade before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline, landing center Mike Muscala in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Boston shipped out Justin Jackson, alongside a pair of second-round picks, in the deal to keep its options open heading into the All-Star break.

The Celtics have one roster spot open with the player swap. They have also been afforded a Disabled Player Exception due to Danilo Gallinari’s preseason ACL injury, opening the door for them to be serious players in the buyout market.

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Here are some players that could come available for the Celtics to make a run at:

Will Barton
Will Barton is representative of the exact kind of wing the Celtics could be looking to add after Jaylen Brown’s injury. The versatile veteran is in the final year of a two-year, $30 million deal he signed with the Denver Nuggets, who traded him to the Washington Wizards last offseason. The 32-year-old’s role has diminished over the course of the season, as he has averaged 7.7 points on 38.7 percent shooting (38.0 percent from three-point range), 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists over 40 contests.

The Wizards and Barton are working on a buyout, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, opening him up for an opportunity to hit free agency. According to Keith Smith of Celtics Blog, Boston and Barton have shown mutual interest in each other.

Terrence Ross
Could the Celtics take a page out of Bill Belichick’s book and sign a player that has owned them in the past? Terrence Ross is a perfect example of that kind of player, averaging 11.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 34 games versus Boston in his career. In the last five contests, he’s had games scoring 33 and 29 points.

Though it hasn’t been reported that Ross is going to be bought out, the Orlando Magic have reportedly been weighing their options as to who they’re going to set free following the deadline. As an impending free agent, he seems like an obvious option for both the Magic and Celtics.

Danny Green
A cheap veteran presence, Danny Green seems like he’s getting caught in no-man’s land following the deadline. The Memphis Grizzlies shipped him to the Houston Rockets in a three-team deal, though the expectation is he will be a free agent by the week’s end.

The Celtics’ level of interest is a question, as he’s coming off an ACL injury in his age-35 season. He could fit perfectly into the $3 million exception received for Gallinari, however. If the other wing options fall through, Green could be last on the list.

Nerlens Noel
The Celtics got their center in Muscala, but Noel could be an option if they choose to double down on depth in the front court. Noel was not traded by the Detroit Pistons prior to the deadline, putting him on track to be released.

Another cheap option, Noel could provide size on the front lines for Boston as it hopes to stay healthy entering the postseason.