CLEVELAND -- The Celtics enter the trade deadline in a terrific position compared to the vast majority of the NBA. They have their entire core locked up long term and are unlikely to need any changes to the rotation coming off a title run where everyone crucial was brought back. However, Boston has still been busy having plenty of conversations over the past few weeks while assessing the needs of the roster.
![3 intriguing paths Boston Celtics could take at trade deadline after Cavs win - masslive.com]()
This current iteration of the defending champions could use a tweak or two to the roster, albeit how much exactly is debatable. With that in mind, there are a few routes this team could take in the next two days as Brad Stevens tries to put the finishing touches on the depth chart. Here are a closer look at those options:
This is the simplest and probably the likeliest path at this point. Stevens took a similar path last season when he dealt away Lamar Stevens and Dalano Banton ahead of the trade deadline simply to free up those roster spots. Boston ultimately brought aboard Xavier Tillman and Jaden Springer in separate deals and then later signed Neemias Queta to fill the 15th roster spot.
This time around, the obvious candidate to be moved in this path would be Jaden Springer due to his $4 million salary and repeater luxury tax penalties that kick in on Boston’s payroll. If the Celtics want to clear out any other players (Xavier Tillman?) for a free agent on the buyout market, they would need to make that move proactively here.
Moving Springer or Tillman to another team shouldn’t cost any serious draft capital finding someone with a traded player exception or cap room to absorb Springer’s deal could be tricky. Throwing in a second-round pick or another sweetener should be enough to get it done unless they find a rebuilding team that wants a free look at him.
Find a cheap rental upgrade via trade
This could be done in combination with the clear roster spots path but will involve using some draft compensation. The Celtics still have the ability to absorb any player making a minimum salary contract without sending out matching money in the deal so that type of trade feels likelier than any other type of deal given the steep cost of adding any salary (due to tax penalities) beyond the minimum to the roster.
Whether it’s a wing making the minimum (Javonte Green? Garrison Matthews?) or a big (Guerschon Yabusele?), the Celtics have several second round picks that could be used as a sweetener in any deal since their own minimum deals that could be moved don’t have value at this point.
This has been Stevens’ preferred paths for the last two seasons with low-cost additions like Mike Muscala and Xavier Tillman rounding out the last two trade deadlines at minimal cost.
