The NBA trade deadline is hours away, and the Boston Celtics have some big decisions to make.
Less than one year removed from the NBA Finals, the team most expected to return is at a
critical juncture of their season and fans are wondering what if anything the team will do.
Team President Brad Stevens is now in his second year as decision maker for the most storied
franchise in basketball, and his team currently has the best record in the league. They seem to
have all the pieces needed for a return to the Finals, but the argument can be made that they
still need help.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are far and away the team’s best players, and possibly even the
best 1-2 punch in the NBA. They are stars, but it’s not all puppy dogs and ice cream over at TD
Garden. Both players are averaging more minutes per game than either has their entire careers,
and each have dealt with injuries already this season. Robert Williams, the team’s dynamic
center, didn’t return from offseason knee surgery until December. Since, he’s managed to play
in most of the team’s games, however, he has still looked as fragile as ever, missing time
already due to injury. If the team wants to play until mid-June, they are going to have to not
only manage him, but also find a backup plan when he isn’t inevitably able to play down the
stretch.
Not many organizations can claim they were just in the Finals and are the favorites to make it
back. Their opponents in said Finals, the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, aren’t having
nearly as good as a follow up campaign, as they are hovering around the .500 mark at 28-26.
They have the luxury of having been there and done that and know how to turn that switch on
when it matters. The Celtics have yet to prove that.
The Celtics need to make a move, not only to help in their chances of winning a record 18th
championship, but also to ensure that they have enough depth to protect themselves from
injury at the most crucial of times. Finding a player, or players, who can not only supplement
minutes for Tatum and Brown to make sure they are fresh when it matters, but also a big man
to give Williams and veteran Al Horford breathers, should be Stevens primary focus heading
into this year’s trade deadline. They were two games away hoisting the championship trophy a
season ago. They are one smart move away from hoisting it this year.