Did Celtics Force Eastern Conference’s Hand Before Trade Deadline?

The Boston Celtics have watched as several Eastern Conference foes dip their feet into the NBA trade market ahead of the Feb. 8 deadline, scrambling in search of last-minute roster improvements.

First, the Indiana Pacers worked out a deal with the Toronto Raptors, acquiring Pascal Siakam — a double-double threat any given night — to play alongside NBA assists leader (12.6) Tyrese Haliburton. Upgrading its size, front-court and scoring, Indiana feels it’s in legitimate contention in the East despite what its 24-20 record may imply.

Then on Tuesday, the Miami Heat landed old Boston friend Terry Rozier from the Charlotte Hornets, packaging a post-prime Kyle Lowry plus a future first-round draft pick in exchange. Last season, of course, Miami eliminated Boston in seven games to punch its NBA Finals ticket and the organization now refuses to give in, adding Rozier’s career-high 23.2 points per game to a respectable 24-19 Heat roster.

That’s two notable moves from teams that beforehand could’ve been counted out, but now are right back in the conversation as threats — not only in the playoffs — but to the race for the No. 1 seed in the East. The Celtics have comfortably sat there for most of their first 44 games, routinely putting together a collection of encouraging playoff-like victories.

Does that mean Boston has set the bar to which teams like the Pacers and Heat feel they need to chase?

“I don’t think they’re competing with us,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters at Wednesday’s practice, per team-provided video. “First of all, we haven’t won (the NBA Finals). So I don’t know why anybody’s competing with us. We haven’t won a championship since 2008. So we’re certainly not the standard. We’re chasing people just as much as people may say they’re chasing us. We don’t even look at it in that standpoint.”

It’s unlikely the Celtics will be ultra-active by the deadline. With financial limitations due to the team’s busy offseason, even despite owning a $6.2 million traded-player exception from the Grant Williams trade, Boston isn’t in any position for another blockbuster. While a potential reserve unit add could be in the works, there’s plenty of upcoming work to keep the flourishing core together in the coming years — Boston has three players in Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday in line for massive contract extensions.

After Indiana landed Siakam, Mazulla offered a relatively similar takeaway, shrugging off whatever goes on outside the Celtics organization.

“Obviously I saw it,” Mazzulla said before Boston defeated the San Antonio Spurs and won its franchise-record 20th consecutive home game to begin the season. “There’s a TV out in the back, guys talking about it but it doesn’t really concern me.”

Outside of the Boston Celtics, multiple teams in the East need to make a trade before the deadline including the Bucks, 76ers, Knicks, Cavaliers, and the Hawks.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) January 24, 2024

Stating the obvious, the Celtics can’t control what other teams do. Even if Mazzulla believes Boston isn’t being chased, the No. 1 seed for sure is, and teams like the Pacers and Heat won’t bow down any time soon. Miami is fresh off an NBA Finals appearance, and Indiana eliminated the Celtics from the In-Season Tournament, so both squads have experienced success over the current top dog in the NBA.

Of course, there’s then the upper echelon of teams — the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers — right up there with the Celtics, meaning that moving forward, Boston will have its work cut out for them.

Even the Bucks made an in-house change by firing head coach Adrian Griffin after Milwaukee’s 30-13 start, and replacing him with Doc Rivers.

There’s still time for the rest of the conference — the Celtics included — to make something happen and increase the favorability of their chances way ahead of playoff time. So far, it’s clear been clear that team owner Wyc Grousbeck and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens are both committed, but they might not be the only ones.