Rumor: Celtics actively looking for upgrades

The schedule is all jumbled because of COVID but trust me when I say that we’re officially approaching NBA trade season. That means it is time for vague rumors and rampant speculation!

Old friend Kevin O’Connor has the following tid-bit on the Celtics in his latest power rankings column.

Late Saturday evening, I received a flurry of texts from multiple executives around the league who said the Celtics were up to something. What they’re up to is unclear, but league sources have long said Boston is searching for upgrades to bolster its wing and big man position.

He also points out that Tristan Thompson is now trade eligible (NBA rules restrict trades for a time period after a free agent signs with a team). Ainge recently mentioned that the “sweet spot” for trades is usually closer to the trade deadline (March 25th this year), but that doesn’t mean he won’t look for a deal before then. As Keith Smith reminds us, NBA GM’s “talk trades every single day.” If the right deal comes along, he’ll pull the trigger.

The rumor related to the big man position is curious. If that means power forwards, I’m tracking with that. If it means centers, well that’s more confusing and might include the option of moving Tristan Thompson (which would be odd since he just got here) or another one of the centers on the roster.

The wings rumor makes a lot more sense as the team has felt the absence of Gordon Hayward in several ways this year.

So who do you think the Celtics are working on? Any speculation on why the team might have ramped up their activity?