As of this publishing, the Boston Celtics have the best record in the NBA, and they’re already coming off an NBA Finals run, albeit one that fell short of a trophy. Still, as the Feb. 9 NBA trade deadline nears, Celtics general manager Brad Stevens is working the phone lines, trying to make more improvements to an already strong roster.
According to Jay King of The Athletic, one of the areas the Celtics are reportedly targeting is more frontcourt depth. While the Celtics have the benefit of already having a more than formidable duo with Robert Williams and Al Horford at center and power forward, and Luke Kornet has been impressive off the bench, there is room for growth.
Shams Charania mentioned the Celtics have looked into acquiring Spurs center Jakob Poeltl, and he would bring another rebounding rim protector to the paint, but that’s merely the tip of the iceberg. King mentioned several other names the Celtics could reasonably target.
Specifically, King brought up Mason Plumlee, Jae’Sean Tate, P.J. Washington, Kelly Olynyk, and Chris Boucher as other depth options who may be available for the right price in the next two weeks.
Let’s briefly examine each of these acquisitions and what they would mean for the Celtics.
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Boston Celtics’ potential frontcourt targets each bring unique traits
Mason Plumlee
On an expiring $9.1 million contract, Plumlee isn’t a defensive presence in any way, but he’s a 10-year vet who has a good feel for scoring in the paint. Averaging career bests in points, rebounds, and assists, Plumlee has plenty to offer a contending team in 2023.
Jae’Sean Tate
Tate is quite unlike the others listed here in that he stands just 6-foot-4 and primarily plays forward, but he’s always played much bigger than his height would suggest. His positional versatility as a defender is something to behold, where Tate’s strength allows him to hold his own in the paint while his quick feet still allow him to stick with scoring guards and wings.
P.J. Washington
If the Celtics wanted to add more of a long-term solution in the frontcourt, P.J. Washington could be the choice, but he won’t be cheap to acquire. Set for restricted free agency, the Celtics could look to secure Washington’s rights now, in which they’d be adding a versatile scorer who’s a career 37% 3PT shooter. Yet, the Celtics may not want to commit to paying Washington with an expensive core already locked in for next season.
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Kelly Olynyk
If Olynyk is the target, the reason is obvious. Olynyk is one of the best shooting big men in basketball and is sinking threes at a ridiculous 41.4% rate this season. With the Utah Jazz one of those teams who could become a buyer or seller, Olynyk could likely be had for the right price if the interest is real.
Chris Boucher
Under contract through 2025, Boucher would bring long-term security to Boston’s frontcourt, but the Raptors may not be in a rush to trade him for that very same reason. If Boucher is truly on the block, Toronto would be selling low on the 6-foot-9 forward, who shot 38% from distance two seasons ago but is now down to 31% this season.
The trade candidates are all over the place, from low-cost, short-term fixes, to long-term solutions. Whether Joe Mazzulla’s roster sees any changes between now and the deadline remains to be seen, but, as you can see, the Celtics have all sorts of options.