Possible Trade Targets for the Celtics

The Celtics have slowly emerged as one of the league’s greatest anomalies. On paper, the roster is comparable to Brooklyn or Philadelphia, and yet they’ve won 10 of their last 12 games, including an overtime shootout against the Los Angeles Clippers last night. Now they’re entering the All-Star break with a 32-23 record, edging out Atlanta for the third spot in the Eastern Conference.

Some would point towards Isaiah Thomas’ All-Star worthy performance as their sudden spark, but it’s certainly been a team effort. Contrary to the score last night(139-134), coach Brad Stevens has made defense the teams main focus. Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, and Jae Crowder have all developed into top-shelf perimeter defenders while the latter two have also become capable scorers. Meanwhile, Evan Turner is still serving as the team’s swiss army knife. A versatile defender who can score, rebound and make plays when needed.

The team’s true weakness is its rotation of power forwards and center’s. Ranging from Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, Tyler Zeller, Amir Johnson and David Lee. While none of those players are horrendous, no one shines as the surefire starter. So what options are available for the surging Celtics?

Boston is in a unique position because of their numerous draft picks over the next three years. In hindsight, trading Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn was more than “worth it”, now that all three of Brooklyn’s first round picks over the next several years appear to be lottery picks. That gives Ainge a lot of flexibility when you consider the massive salary cap increase that will occur over the next two years. He can either wait and watch his draft picks come to fruition, pursue marquee free agents once the season ends, and/or possibly trade players and possibly future draft picks for pieces before the trade deadline. Right now the Celtics lineup is lightning in a bottle, and while they’re currently third in the East, Ainge is convinced the team is right on schedule in the rebuilding stage. So who could the Celtics target before the trade deadline to push this squad even further?

Ryan Anderson is the 6’10” stretch-four that the Celtics could be looking for. A better, available option then Kelly Olynk if you will. His contract expires at the end of the season, so it wouldn’t be very shocking if New Orleans looked to gain something from the loss. The Orlando Magic have denoted that they would, at least, be open to trading Tobias Harris, a 6’8 small forward who can play small and move to power forward. Like Ryan Anderson, Harris isn’t a great defender, but his added scoring could greatly benefit the Celtics. What makes Tobias so special is his tremendous upside, and if anyone’s proven they can exert the most out of their players, it’s Brad Stevens.

Here are the heavy hitters, the guys who could really turn the tide of this young Boston squad. The less an appealing of the two would be the Houston Rockets’ center Dwight Howard. He certainly isn’t what he once was in Orlando, and from a distant, the perception is that Dwight is lazy, unmotivated, and difficult to work with. However, his talent is undeniable, and if he can put the team’s success over his own then Boston can truly become a force to be reckoned with in the East. An unavoidable problem would still be his free throw shooting, which practically makes him useless in late game situations. However, Dwight would still be a huge improvement among Sullinger or Olynyk.

The final target, and by far the most publicized as of the last week, would be Al Horford. The Hawks have indicated that they’re open to trading Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver or Al Horford in order to strengthen their roster down the road, so it would make sense for Ainge to pursue their center. Al’s only 6’10” so he’s perfect for small ball, and he’s an efficient post player who can crash the boards. Alongside Isaiah Thomas and a plethora of role-players, Al Horford could be the piece that propels Boston past the first round.

Just like last year’s acquisition of Isaiah Thomas, don’t be surprised if Danny makes a high profile trade before the deadline on February 18th. And, don’t be surprised if they sign a marquee free agent in the offseason. Possibly Kevin Durant? Who knows. Boston’s future may be uncertain, but it is certainly bright.