Rumor: Celtics looking to play facilitator role in trades

See link below for your daily Bulpett update.  Bottom line is that the Celtics are holding firm (so far) to their price demands on guys like Brandon Bass, Tayshaun Prince, and Marcus Thornton.  There is interest out there but teams are (thus far) unwilling to meet that price in a straight up deal.  The deadline will tell us which team's blink.

Another route for the Celtics to go is to play the role of facilitator.

Danny Ainge dangling bait, but holding to asking price | Boston Herald

As with last week, and even with tomorrow’s 3 p.m. trade deadline closer on the horizon, teams are still looking to score a bargain. But the Celts are holding to their asking prices for straight-up deals and hoping the offers improve. According to one general manager, Ainge is also looking to see what else is going on around the league to see if the C’s can become a part of a larger transaction.

We've gone over this in this space a few times but it is worth mentioning again.  If some team with no cap room wants to make a big move on a guy like Dragic, they might need some team (like the Celtics) to step in and give them some wiggle room.  Ainge has both expiring contracts and Traded Player Exceptions to dangle in exchange for more draft assets or young players with upside.

Another name to keep an eye on is Reggie Jackson.

Trade Deadline Buzz: Uncertainty reigns as deadline approaches

Rival teams expect the Thunder to ultimately move Reggie Jackson before the deadline, a move that would help them step out of the luxury tax this season and help them stay out of the tax in future years.

The Celtics could easily absorb Jackson or help another team to do so in exchange for an asset.

So stay tuned for all of that and more.  This is one of those deadlines where Ainge has every option open to him.  There's always a chance that he could choose to do nothing, but I kind of doubt that.