It’s no secret the Celtics are likely going to be active for the Feb. 10 trade deadline in a couple weeks. While they won’t be moving on from Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum, the goal is to get more talent around their young superstars.
But there could be another interesting wrinkle for the deadline, according to Heavy’s Steve Bulpett. While the Celtics are being “extremely active” on the market, Bulpett also reported they’re looking to offload salary for another goal: Get their young players more playing time.
That means the youth like Romeo Langford, Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith, who have seen sporadic playing time within Boston coach Ime Udoka’s rotation. Each player has seen their moments throughout the season, providing a spark here and there. But game-to-game consistency has been the larger issue.
When the Celtics acquired Josh Richardson and Dennis Schröder during the offseason, that made minutes difficult to come by for the former first-round picks. Nesmith and Pritchard, especially, have seen up-and-down minutes this season because of the players in front of them on the roster.
That’s where Boston president Brad Stevens could make some moves at the deadline. The main goal is to shed salary to get under the luxury tax line, which is why the C’s shipped Juancho Hernangomez out for two injured players in return.
If the Celtics do prioritize their youth, that should be a positive development for the franchise and fans alike. Boston’s core lies with Tatum and Brown, along with other pieces like Robert Williams III. If the Celtics want to become title contenders, having a net-positive role players will be huge come the playoffs. That also means investing in developing the young players.
Should the likes of Pritchard, Nesmith and Langford better themselves, it would also be a solid development to have home-grown talent. The three have shown they can be NBA contributors, but it’s just about opportunity.
The Celtics have shown a willingness to hear potential trades, whether it be Richardson, Schröder or even Marcus Smart. Smart recently signed a multi-year extension in the offseason while Richardson is under contract through next season. Schröder, of course, is only signed through this season and is the Celtic whose name has appeared in trade rumors the most.
Depending on which veteran gets moved, that means different chances for the young players. Schröder is the likeliest player to get traded because of his contract status. Should that happen, Pritchard will be the primary benefactor as the backup point guard. That helps the Celtics even more, who need all the 3-point shooting they can get — Pritchard’s best quality.
The next couple weeks should be plenty interesting for the Celtics, along with setting the foundation for the franchise for years to come. But if the youth is a priority, that’s an interesting factor for the trade deadline.
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