Trade speculation has already begun

We’re only four games into the new NBA season and the Celtics are being mentioned as potential trade partners. While it’s far too early for this chatter, two articles were released on Wednesday with scenarios that could potentially entice Boston.

The first of those articles was from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, while it was not centered directly around the Celtics he did look at the issues at the center position.

“They entered the season operating with an expansive committee at the position”

Windhorst leans on the hockey-style rotations that Boston are currently experimenting with, stating that “It’s already been challenging as Theis and Kanter have missed games to injury.”

Windhorst goes on to name the usual suspects of Clint Capela and Steven Adams as potential targets for the Celtics.

The second article to drop was from The Athletic’s John Hollinger, his angle is based around the options currently available mores so to the Toronto Raptors, but that doesn’t stop him from bringing Boston’s name to the hypothetical trade table.

“Still, one can imagine a center-starved team like Boston or the Clippers making a few calls Toronto’s way as we get into January.”

Hollinger goes on to state that “Toronto could theoretically take on about $30 million if it sent out Powell, didn’t extend Anunoby (thereby keeping his presumably lower cap hold on the books) and otherwise tightened its post-2021 belt.”

With Marc Gasol currently earning $25,595,700 this year and Serge Ibaka banking $23,271,605, matching salaries in trade talks becomes difficult.

It’s important to remember the Celtics are hard capped following the acquisition of Kemba Walker via sign-and-tade, A hard capped team cannot exceed the cap under any circumstances, there are no exceptions of any kind.

So in order for any trade to be possible, players such as Gordon Hayward or Marcus Smart would need to be in the conversation.

So what do you think? if one of the players suggested by Windhorst or Hollinger become available, should the Celtics enter into discussions?