The depths of the NBA's winter doldrums are here, and with that comes rampant trade speculation. And while the Boston Celtics are unlikely to make any major trades given the strength of their roster and the restrictions put on the team by the league's new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), it is also widely expected that Boston will make a minor move or two to shave some hurt off their massive 2025 tax bill.
There are also plenty of trade rumors out there that could shift the order of the Eastern Conference and maybe even the entire league, but in this new CBA era, it is harder to pull of deals than ever, meaning much of these rumbles could turn out to be hot air.
The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast recently sat down to suss out what might be about to happen with Boston's roster and the rest of the league with regard to trades. Join us in getting our bearings on all the trade intel we've been hearing -- and what among it is worth paying closer attention to. We even try our hands at some fake deals within the confines the Celtics will likely be working in.
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There are also plenty of trade rumors out there that could shift the order of the Eastern Conference and maybe even the entire league, but in this new CBA era, it is harder to pull of deals than ever, meaning much of these rumbles could turn out to be hot air.
The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast recently sat down to suss out what might be about to happen with Boston's roster and the rest of the league with regard to trades. Join us in getting our bearings on all the trade intel we've been hearing -- and what among it is worth paying closer attention to. We even try our hands at some fake deals within the confines the Celtics will likely be working in.
CLNS Media is Powered by:
💰 Prize Picks - https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS
Download the app today and use Code CLNS when you sign up & Get $50 instantly when you play $5!
🎫 Gametime - https://gametime.co
Take the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Terms apply. What time is it? Gametime!
💳Start earning points on rent you’re already paying by going to joinbilt.com/GARDEN. Make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you: joinbilt.com/GARDEN, to start earning points on your rent payments today!
Elevate your style game on and off the course with the PXG Spring Summer 2024 collection. Head over to https://PXG.com/GARDENREPORT and save 10% on all apparel.
Nutrafol! Take the first step to visibly thicker, healthier hair. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off any purchase and free shipping when you go to https://Nutrafol.com and enter the promo code GARDENGIFT!
#celtics #NBA #BostonCeltics
The CLNS Media Network is the leading provider for video/audio content. CLNS is a fully credentialed member of the media with access to all NFL/NBA/NHL/MLB teams & venues.
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SportsTranscript
00:00Celtics Lab is brought to you by Price Picks and the Game Time app.
00:06All righty.
00:06Welcome to the Celtics Lab podcast brought to you by Price Picks,
00:09the exclusive fantasy basketball partner of the CIS Media Network
00:12and by Game Time for tickets.
00:13Less than tickets, lowest price guaranteed.
00:15What time is it? It's game time.
00:17I'm Cameron Tempest-Tabai.
00:18I am your host.
00:19I'm joined by Dr.
00:19Justin Quinn in Mexico City and by Alex Goldberg in Brooklyn.
00:25It is.
00:26I'm going to pretend like I knew this off the top of my head.
00:28January 21st, the trade deadline is two-ish weeks away.
00:33And so in the second half of the program,
00:34we're going to talk about what trade buzz is out there
00:37and how it might intersect with the Celtics.
00:39But spoiler alert, the Celtics are
00:42they're not going to do that much of this trade deadline,
00:43but we'll see what we can come up with.
00:45In the interim, we'll do the news.
00:46That's what we do here.
00:48So, yeah, that's the agenda for today.
00:50Dr. Quinn, how are things in Mexico City?
00:53Well, between allergies and current events,
00:56which is all I'm going to say about that,
00:58I am tired and stressed out, but good advice.
01:02Cool. Alex, how are things in Brooklyn?
01:05Things in Brooklyn are very snowy right now.
01:08But aside from that, they're, you know, I mean, well,
01:12they they are what they are.
01:15Take care of your neighbors. Care about other people.
01:18Please don't be evil, dear listener.
01:21Good advice.
01:24Yeah, the history teacher in me is inclined to say that,
01:26like the people who've always run the show have been like somewhat to quite evil,
01:30but affecting change at that local and state level is still within reach.
01:35And just like posting snark on the Internet is bad for the soul.
01:38And it's not it's clear that's not going to fix the problem.
01:40So do that what you need to do anyways
01:45or get a podcast and then you can speak your snark.
01:48Let's start with the news.
01:49The news for the Celtics is that they had a nice win in Golden State.
01:55They're on the road in California.
01:58They are tired. They are banged up.
01:59They're a little in their heads.
02:00So this rut that they're in, even if they materially make it
02:04a little bit better between now and the All-Star break,
02:06they've got 12 games, eight of which are on the road.
02:08So we'll talk about that in a second.
02:10But the news is probably going to stay the same for like the on the court product
02:13for the Celtics.
02:14In the meantime, there's a little bit of like actual news.
02:17And that is about the ownership
02:20change. So the Boston Globe had a piece, Michael Silverman,
02:23that was pretty revealing.
02:24Basically, here's the state of affairs update that we got about last week.
02:30The sale, the next stage of the sale will
02:34move forward by the end of this week.
02:35And serious bidders will like have their their bids really vet vetted.
02:41It's expected there's about four or five major bidders
02:44and the Celtics hope to pare that down to two.
02:47That includes PAGS.
02:49He's still one of the groups.
02:51Robert Hale, another minority owner, owner is not out.
02:54As best we can tell.
02:56Mark Bezos, Jeff Bezos' half brother, still interested.
02:59It goes the reporting.
03:01What the Celtics and the banks will do is they'll try to have two bidders.
03:05We'll see if they can bid them up to six billion dollars.
03:08And they hope to do that 51 percent of the sale by the spring
03:11and the rest of the sale by 2028.
03:14Already, the timeline's a little slower than what they were hoping for in the fall.
03:18So that timeline could move.
03:19The big news, and it got a little complicated, is according to NBC
03:23Sports, Boston and Chris Cotillo, Fenway Sports Group is out.
03:28Some people misunderstood that they thought John Henry and the Fenway
03:31Sports Group would be in.
03:33As best we can tell, Fenway is out, which means that people that own the Red Sox
03:38and the people that will own the future Las Vegas basketball team
03:41won't also own the Celtics.
03:44Alex, you did big thumbs down.
03:45Do you want to remind people why John Henry owning the Celtics
03:48would have been a bummer?
03:50Well, if John Henry is going to be owning the Celtics,
03:53you can say goodbye to any future MVP winners on the team
03:57because he is going to presumably sell all of the good players
04:00and then hype up all of the potential free agent acquisitions
04:05that the Celtics are going to get with all of their brand new cap space
04:08only to sign, you know, over the hill players and make trades
04:13for positions that are probably not that consequential
04:17and miss out on general big picture free agents
04:20and generally be a kind of laughingstock franchise.
04:23So if that's what you're looking for for the Boston Celtics,
04:26you should be thrilled about the possibility of FSG and John Henry taking over.
04:31But I like when the team is good
04:33and has good players that they pay money and keep.
04:37So I would prefer to not do that.
04:42Yeah, that that does describe my sports group.
04:44It's not clear who the future owner is going to be,
04:46so we can't guarantee that they're going to have deep pockets.
04:49Justin, anything I missed from like the latest news?
04:52I don't want to say dump, but like the latest update from the globe.
04:56There is really not a lot there.
04:58Most of what we are working with that you just mentioned
05:00actually comes from other prior reports.
05:02And so we're just inferring that those are the groups.
05:04They almost certainly are because there's kind of people don't really grow on trees.
05:10So, yeah, no, there's not really too much more to add.
05:12In fact, if anything, hopefully we'll get some clarity
05:14as soon as to what exactly is going on,
05:17because for now, as might be expected with the Celtics being who they are,
05:21they're very tight lipped about everything.
05:23Yeah, I'd be curious about that.
05:24Like if you're the Grousebacks, a sort of public bidding war
05:28that kind of becomes a circus is probably how you get it from five billion
05:32to six billion, but it might dissuade serious bidders.
05:35So, yeah, the Celtics are very good at not letting news get out.
05:40And also there's there's like a lot of legal stuff going on.
05:42So this is different than trade buzz.
05:45This is like practically matters.
05:47So according to the Globe, maybe expect some news in the next two weeks
05:50to several weeks, but nothing's guaranteed.
05:54All right.
05:56Other than news news, O'Shea Brissett joined the G League.
06:00He's back.
06:01Jack Simone of Harvard Houdini caught up with him.
06:04You can go check out Jack's work and see what Brissett had to say.
06:07But no hard feelings.
06:08He's excited to be back as the TLDR.
06:11OK, for the basketball staff, for the Celtics recently.
06:16Yeah, they lost in a big, bad way to Toronto.
06:19Then they beat the pants off of a shorthanded magic team.
06:22Then they once again choked like mad to the Hawks.
06:25And then they beat the pants off of Golden State.
06:28So these Jekyll and Hyde Celtics.
06:31My take on it is this that in December, they had a few games
06:35where like they just they couldn't shoot and it really was a nothing burger.
06:39It was frustrating if you're a fan, frustrating
06:42if you have to collect quotes after the game, but like sometimes
06:44you got to shrug an 82 game series.
06:47I'm at a point now where I think, A, I genuinely think the fatigue
06:50and that they're banked up is more than has been reported.
06:54But B, I think they're in their own heads.
06:56And now it is like they're not spiraling.
06:58They're not going anywhere.
06:59But I think they thought they could turn the switch on.
07:02And then they were really shocked when I was harder than anticipated.
07:05And so that's why I think.
07:09Like Joe Mazzola kind of snapped at me, like that's why they're kind of being weird.
07:13And KG, that's my read on it.
07:15Winning cures everything.
07:17A big win against Golden State is not nothing like we've talked about this before.
07:21The team was genuinely really pissed that Golden State won the title in TD Garden.
07:27So there's there's not like animosity to like the individuals.
07:30But I think the Celtics got up for that game because they don't like Golden State.
07:33Maybe the Steve Kerr thing.
07:35I don't know anything else that you like observed in this latest
07:39like really back and forth swing for the Celtics
07:43who are still on pace to win 57 or 58 games.
07:47The way we always thought they were going to be.
07:49Yeah, it feels to me that your assessment is correct.
07:52They tried to flip the switch, and it took a while for the engine to warm up.
07:57As it were, the Orlando game, I think, was really the first game
08:01that it felt to me that they were really, really trying to focus in
08:05and really dialing in.
08:07And it worked.
08:08But then it didn't.
08:10Very uncomfortably, particularly for poor Jalen, who fell on his head in overtime.
08:15That should never have happened in the first place.
08:18I think the Golden State game, if there's anything really to be gleaned from it
08:21beyond what you just said in terms of the extra extra sauce, if you will,
08:26is just the fact that this looks like a team
08:29that finally starting to put the pieces back together again
08:32and has really realized that it's late enough in the season
08:34where they really just have to focus on bringing it on a night to night basis,
08:37no matter who is in front of them, because if they don't,
08:41we're going to be in 2022 all over again.
08:42And that's just from the Warriors perspective.
08:45Yeah, Alex hit it and then positive.
08:48Yeah. Friends of our prospects.
08:50Well, just really quickly, you know, watching some of these games,
08:53I think the thing that kind of stood out to me, there's a couple.
08:57One, on the positive side, Christoph Sporzingis looks a lot more comfortable
09:01out there than he has, you know, basically he's been kind of consistently
09:06trending up for the past few weeks.
09:09And it seems like he's still finding his footing a little bit.
09:12But, you know, he's he's looking more comfortable, particularly
09:16in kind of working that mid post area, passing out of that
09:20and getting to his kind of patented I'm just going to shoot over you shots.
09:25The the thing that really jumps out to me, though, is that Jason Tatum
09:30looks like he needs a break and he's still playing good basketball.
09:33He's still, you know, fairly efficient.
09:37You know, he's making plays.
09:38He's defending reasonably well. He's getting a lot of rebounds.
09:42But his shooting percentage is just dropping and dropping and dropping
09:45as the weeks start to go on.
09:47And to me, as Drew and Derek to that, too, which is
09:52too surprising considering the summer they had.
09:54I think what you're seeing to that point, Jake, you is the Olympics
09:59coming home to roost a little bit here.
10:01All of the Olympic guys look genuinely tired
10:04and like they are in bad need of the All-Star break.
10:09Yeah, I mean, it's worse than that just because this
10:13stretch of basketball and they have so many games stacked up.
10:17If you just like to look at March and April, the schedule breathes so much better.
10:21So, yeah, like having a few actual days off would be nice.
10:23But just it's been a relentless stretch of basketball.
10:28I have more to say on that.
10:29But first, let's talk about our friends over price picks,
10:32because while basketball season is heating up, the football season
10:34is about to reach its climax and the big game is almost here.
10:38So it's now or never to cash in on the action.
10:41And if you're we're a little early, actually, this this read
10:45is written around the big game, but there's the game that comes before the big game.
10:49So you can double dip here with price picks
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10:54It's also the case that price picks is giving away a free pick for said big game,
10:58which means that the starting quarterback only needs to throw one yard to win.
11:03If you pick at least one more staffer projection and stitch those together.
11:07So if you're feeling a lucky punk, you can really win big.
11:12Plus, if you tell one of their super sweet Millie winners, big game lineups
11:17and you go three for three, you can split a one million dollar pot
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11:27It's easy. It's fun.
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11:35Price picks just makes it easy to get it on the fantasy action,
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11:48That's CLNS prize picks run your game prize picks run your game.
11:52I don't know why it's written twice in the copy.
11:54All right. Thanks, Price Picks.
11:55Emphasis, man. Emphasis, man.
11:58Yeah, my first job out of undergrad was writing ad copy.
12:05So in November, December, you would start writing about the big game,
12:08because if you are not a licensed partner, you can't talk about the superb owl
12:13that comes in February.
12:15So that's why it's an excellent thing.
12:17Yeah, exactly.
12:19At the grocery store, her
12:21our friends of our price picks sell promos around the big game.
12:24I it's so funny that no one has come up with like another euphemism.
12:29Speaking of the big game.
12:30Yeah, like the Celtics really kicked the Warriors ass.
12:34And look like Alex is right, they are as tired as you think they are.
12:41I genuinely think Derek White
12:43got really sick when he missed that game in Denver.
12:45I mean, for him to miss the homecoming game,
12:48there's like a really bad bug going around the NBA.
12:51Reporters are missing entire weeks.
12:52Like the people I work alongside do not miss games like they're
12:55the hardest working MFs I know, and they're missing several games in a row.
12:59So the NBA bug that is going around is like kicking people's ass
13:03and people are just drained after.
13:05So I think Drew is her straight up.
13:08Like, I don't think he's right.
13:10I think Derek was banged up and then he got sick.
13:13And then I think Jason and Jalen are between banged up and overworked.
13:18Like, ironically, the only guy who's rested is Chris Stapps.
13:20So, yeah, they're nine and eight in their last 17.
13:25Celtics fans are in a twist.
13:27The guys on the radio are in a twist.
13:30Occasionally our peers in the media are in a twist.
13:33One person says the Celtics do not need to worry about that.
13:35And that's our old friend Steve Kerr, who knows a thing or two
13:39about taking teams the distance.
13:42Justin, it's again, it's January 21st.
13:45What's your temperature check on where the Celtics are at
13:47with what we've laid out?
13:49I mean, on a scale of one to ten, I would say like a five point five to a six.
13:54And only for the same things I was talking about earlier.
13:57They need to start building those habits.
13:58This is the time of the season.
14:00We really need to dial in and do that anyway.
14:02So I expect to see more of what we have saw
14:05at the start of this road trip through the rest of the road trip.
14:08If they drop a game to one of the L.A.
14:11teams, I would not be devastated, but I would be a little concerned.
14:15And, you know, as long as they start doing better than 500
14:19and increase their, shall we say, focus for the rest of the regular season,
14:26I think that will go away, even if they are winning it,
14:28like some historic clip, like they were at the start of the season
14:30or threatening to catch the one seed, which I think is kind of out of the grass
14:33now anyway.
14:35I don't think there's too much reason to be concerned just yet,
14:38but we are starting to enter a critical stage.
14:41Yeah. What about you, Alex?
14:43I think I'm probably a little bit less concerned, again,
14:48just because I think the injuries and fatigue are so real
14:53at this point of the year, every year for NBA teams.
14:57You know, obviously, like Cleveland and No KC are trying to run away
15:00with the one seed, their pedal to the metal the whole way.
15:03And they're probably going to do that at this point.
15:06I think it's pretty unlikely that Boston is going to be catching Cleveland.
15:11So for those teams, they're going to go super hard every night.
15:14I have no doubt about that.
15:16But this is also the part of the year where NBA teams, for lack of a better word,
15:21kind of mail it in for a couple of weeks right before the All-Star break,
15:26before kind of the last big kick to the playoffs.
15:30This is kind of where teams are juggling a little bit.
15:34I don't particularly have much fear that the Knicks are going to catch Boston
15:39for the two seed at this point.
15:41It feels like there's a decent amount of distance barring something catastrophic.
15:45So for Boston, I think the whole plan for this season is be healthy
15:51and playing your best basketball in April.
15:53And as long as they're doing that, I think I'm going to be fine.
15:58Yeah, some people made note that now twice in a row or two out of the past
16:03three games, Jalen Brown, a little unprompted has said he's not like
16:08really comfortable with his role or his shot diet right now,
16:11even though his field goal attempts and usage rate is up.
16:14They changed up the substitution patterns in the Atlanta game,
16:17and I got all excited and it didn't really help.
16:21They've changed them a bunch of times.
16:22I mean, again, like right.
16:24Like a few weeks ago, we were talking about
16:25all the different wacky lineups that are playing.
16:27And then I like that Jason is starting the fourth.
16:31I think Jalen doesn't like it, but it wasn't.
16:33So I think they're they are officially in a funk.
16:37I don't think it's just a shooting slump, but I'm not I'm not concerned.
16:40And then also not to be arrogant.
16:43I just like I don't know what team in the Eastern Conference
16:44is good enough to defend this Celtics team,
16:47even if they're like kind of playing like doo doo.
16:50Just like there isn't a defensive juggernaut in the east, the Thunder.
16:54That's crazy.
16:54Like what the Thunder are doing is staggering.
16:56And if they just sweep their way to the finals and beyond,
17:01I guess I wouldn't be surprised at this point.
17:03One team that is not going to the NBA finals.
17:06Is the Philadelphia 76ers, and we can talk about that briefly
17:11after I pause the action, talk about our friends over a game time,
17:15because as much fun as it is to talk about the doom
17:18that is happening for Sixers fans, it's more fun to talk about
17:22going to see the game live.
17:24It's the middle of winter.
17:25The weather is lousy, but basketball and hockey are heating up.
17:29So hopefully your home team is doing better than the Sixers
17:32and you can go catch a game.
17:33But even if not, go be a sicko and go watch a Sixers game.
17:35And that means downloading the game time app.
17:38They have all sorts of new features, including game time picks, a real game
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18:24Don't let the game time app today create an account.
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18:29Terms apply.
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18:39what time is it? It's game time.
18:40Game time can't guarantee your favorite team wins,
18:43but they can guarantee you get in at a reasonable price as that.
18:47All right. Back to the action.
18:47And yeah, the Sixers stink.
18:51Joel Embiid foot, his foot healed, but his knee continues to be a problem.
18:56He's out indefinitely.
18:59I texted with our guy, Kai Carlin, about this.
19:01And he said that lots of people are unhappy with
19:06the fact that the team is not being straightforward with
19:08Joel Embiid's knee, which either tells me Joel is not being straightforward
19:12with his knee or the team is not being straightforward with the knee.
19:15So that doesn't seem like a recipe for success.
19:17Paul George is not playing great basketball.
19:19I'm not ready to write off.
19:20He's he's done, but he's not playing well.
19:23And their pick is top six protected, which means if it is seven,
19:28eight, nine or beyond, it goes to the Thunder.
19:32Anyone having it worse than the Sixers right now?
19:38There there are some teams that are definitely in the danger zone with Philly.
19:42It's hard to think of a worse one.
19:44The only other one that kind of comes to mind for me is the Phoenix Suns,
19:50who are sitting at 10 in the play and race in the Western Conference.
19:55They're 500.
19:57They're not as bad as Philly has been this year.
20:00But Devin Booker is having a bad time.
20:03Bradley Beal is having a bad time.
20:06And Kevin Durant is 37 and on a very big contract.
20:09And they have no draft picks.
20:12The path out for the Suns is easier than for the Sixers,
20:16because I think there are still people who will trade for Kevin Durant
20:20who will trade for Devin Booker if it comes to that.
20:23Maybe even Bradley Beal, but we'll talk about that shortly.
20:27Maybe, maybe I'm skeptical.
20:31Yeah, I think I'm just reporting what other people are reporting.
20:34I don't agree that he's going to trade, but I mean, the Sixers are
20:38trade Joel Embiid away from clearing the deck, and they have like mostly
20:41all of their future picks the Suns.
20:43Are you going to trade for Joel Embiid, though?
20:45I mean, who's going to trade for Joel Embiid at this point?
20:48The Pelicans, the Hornets.
20:50I mean, you have a dollar, but why wouldn't you try?
20:53I guess Joel Embiid is on a mass, massive contract.
20:58He just signed a huge extension.
21:00If you're a bad team, you're selling.
21:03Presumably, even if you're selling low, you're still taking on a gigantic deal
21:08with a guy who has no cartilage left in his knee.
21:12Fellas, and is what?
21:14Seven, two and two hundred plus something pounds.
21:18He might not cook, but he's not.
21:19He's not going to be the driving star of a superstar.
21:22But I think they can pull the ripcord.
21:25The Suns, if they pull the zero, the NBA, we've seen it happen in the past.
21:29But I'm pretty skeptical.
21:31I think it would be far more likely that a team that is close to contending
21:35doesn't all in or that is not that is like on the verge, like teetering
21:40between contending and falling apart, would do an all in gambit for Embiid
21:45than a Hornets or a Jazz or a Pelicans.
21:48Those teams, I just I don't see.
21:50I just think we see it all the time, like a GM who knows that their job
21:54as a six to 18 month time span is not my problem anymore.
21:57Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
21:59I mean, I think all of which is to say that the Sixers covered.
22:03They've got McCain.
22:04They've got Maxi.
22:05Like they have a future.
22:07Even if it looks really dark now, the Suns, to your point,
22:09unless they trade Booker Durant, who, by the way, they're like 19 and five
22:13when Booker and Durant both play like they're it's just health.
22:18But if they trade Durant, they just get the picks back
22:21that they got from the Beale trade like they still don't go and get better.
22:25They like normalize.
22:27Um, I just said it still looks fans.
22:29Cool your jets.
22:31I'm I'm just really quickly on the Sixers.
22:34I mean, I'm just really dubious that this team is going to be
22:39anywhere close to contending for even like a mid tier playoff spot anytime soon.
22:45I, I mean, that might be a scorching take, but I think this year we've seen
22:51and admittedly, I still think Tyrese Maxey is a good player,
22:54but it's clear that Tyrese Maxey is not a like one, a capital
22:59P point guard superstar at 22.
23:02Yeah, he's 22, but he's a couple.
23:05McCain is young for a season.
23:07They can get it.
23:08They can get that.
23:10They can fix their situation in the offseason and retool over the next,
23:14dare we say, mini process type maneuver.
23:18But I don't think I agree with you.
23:20I don't I don't see them being a legitimate multi round
23:23postseason team for at least another two seasons.
23:26I remain dubious that Maxey will ever be good enough defensively
23:30to be a true one, a franchise carrying star.
23:34And I think the reality is that
23:37Embiid can't Embiid has shown that he can be that guy.
23:41But I'm not sure we're ever going to see that player again
23:44with the state of his knee.
23:46And if you don't have that player in the NBA,
23:50it is just so, so hard to win,
23:54especially with the league the way it is now.
23:57Yeah, the Sixers are fucked with a capital F,
24:01like there's no other way to put it.
24:03Yeah, the best thing that would happen is they get a top six pick,
24:06which is possible on the table.
24:08OK, on the table.
24:10All right.
24:11Speaking of future casting, let's hop into the lab.
24:15We're going to talk about the trade chatter that exists.
24:18We'll talk about the Celtics at that tail end.
24:20But again, the new CBA just makes lots of things more complicated.
24:25So it's in years past, it was kind of easy enough to hope and
24:30pray that they work on a deal.
24:32Now it's like you have to be a lawyer and a
24:37accountant all at once just to figure this out.
24:40Obviously, the biggest trade rumors revolve around Jimmy Butler,
24:42who's back with the Heat,
24:44who made a big stink about being back with the Heat, who didn't play that well.
24:48And I think they lost by 20 in his return.
24:52Windhorse said on Hoop Collective today that they're working the phones
24:55and like actively and and things are progressing.
24:59It just it's the case that Jimmy Butler makes 48 million dollars.
25:03He has a 52 ish million dollar player option,
25:05and he's being stubborn about being traded to the Suns,
25:09who, unless Bradley Beal waives his no trade clause,
25:13aren't going to trade for Jimmy Butler because they would have to trade
25:16Durant or Booker to.
25:17She's going to the Bucs.
25:19Jimmy, I think so.
25:22I think it's on the table.
25:23They're saying the rumor from Stein or Rosa Fisher
25:28I get confused because they share their news later now.
25:31Anyway, they've been talking about that.
25:34They prefer Bradley Beal, which does anyone really believe this?
25:37I mean, really, between the contract and the output and the no trade clause,
25:41do we really believe that?
25:43Or is this like the most pathetic attempt at leverage I've ever heard of?
25:46I mean, that's how I'm seeing it.
25:47I mean, am I wrong there?
25:49Well, it's going back to the CBA thing.
25:51It's like these are three maybe vote three teams.
25:55Well, not the Heat, but the Suns and the Bucs are like three
25:59two of the most leveraged, overleveraged teams in the NBA.
26:02And because of the Jimmy situation, the Heat consequently are too.
26:06So we're also just seeing the like what happens with this new CBA is leverage
26:10is really hard to find because there's just stiff rules.
26:14So there's there's only so much you can do.
26:18So but the challenge with the Bucs and I do hear where you're coming from, JQ.
26:23The challenge for me with the Bucs, though, is they don't have control
26:27of their pick until twenty thirty one.
26:30The Bucs are wild.
26:31To your point, Kim, the Bucs are so over leveraged,
26:34having burned so much capital for the Damian Lillard trade.
26:38I mean, I guess you could do like Chris Middleton in a bunch of seconds.
26:42But I really I find it hard to believe that Pat Riley
26:48would rather do that than simply wait to the offseason
26:52and see if things loosen up a little bit so much so that they'll get a better offer.
26:58Like I had the same take.
27:00But where is this chatter coming from?
27:04I don't know.
27:04And I think for me, I'm I would be.
27:08I understand that there's mutual desire and that the Heat are working the phones.
27:13To me, it feels like it's almost impossible to do a Jimmy Butler trade
27:18for any sort of value with it within the next two weeks.
27:22The teams that want him, the Suns, the Bucs, you know, all these kind of
27:25pseudo contending teams really don't have the assets
27:30that could make that trade make even an iota of sense for Miami.
27:34If I'm Pat, I mean, and maybe Pat Riley is washed.
27:36Maybe he's just finished, as he said in that interview with I forget who.
27:41But I just I would be so surprised if he just like
27:45sells as low as you can possibly sell on Jimmy Butler
27:50just to get him out of there when all you have to do is wait a few months.
27:55The Heat aren't going to be good anyway.
27:57Like just wait a few months and sell them in the offseason
27:59for what will presumably be a much better deal.
28:03I don't know about much, but there might be more options.
28:07If I'm the Spurs or I'm the Pistons, I roll the dice.
28:10You have the money, you have the timeline.
28:12Jimmy's a good player and an organization that he buys into.
28:18You can get 18 months of like focus Jimmy Butler before he loses that focus.
28:23But I'm inclined to agree with Alex.
28:25Like the math doesn't math.
28:26So unless the team swings for the fences,
28:29a prudent team would not trade for Jimmy Butler right now.
28:34Elsewhere, Kyle Kuzma, in theory,
28:38is on the trade block, but he's not been playing very well.
28:41Bruce Brown, Kelly Olenek,
28:44Chris Boucher, Boucher, Boucher, Boucher.
28:48It's a little crazy to me that Chris Boucher is on the trade block, but
28:53I guess they yeah, there's no speculation.
28:55It's more speculation that he could be on the trademark.
28:58From what I heard, he the Raptors would prefer to keep him,
29:00which sounds like they might move him if you throw
29:02if you surprise him like a first round pick, maybe.
29:05But yeah, he's not going to be a cheap trade if he is traded at all.
29:08Yeah.
29:09Cam Johnson is a sexy name on the trade block.
29:13The Nets, unfortunately, for their case, like aren't bad enough.
29:16And I guess they could just like really have a fire sale
29:20and like try to bottom out.
29:21But I just don't see how they can catch the worst teams in the league.
29:25The new lottery math is generous.
29:28If you're in, you know, like the fifth or sixth worst team in the league.
29:32But I think everyone expects Cam Johnson to be traded at some point,
29:36least of which he has value.
29:39I mean, it seems like he's a good player.
29:40Reportedly, Indiana and Sacramento are both interested for Jake Fisher.
29:44But every so often you hear other teams tied to Cam Johnson just because
29:50his stats pop off the page.
29:51Like I think we've said a few times here, like front offices
29:56aren't necessarily populated with like whip smart people.
29:58They're populated with people who have that job.
30:01So whether or not Cam Johnson is like worth a flyer or not,
30:05I bet some team is going to talk themselves into it.
30:08I'm a little just really quickly on teams that might talk themselves
30:12into Cam Johnson.
30:13Guys, I don't know if you watched the game last night,
30:17but holy smokes, do the Golden State Warriors need any sort of talent
30:22on the wing anywhere?
30:24I would think they seem like such an obvious Cam Johnson team to me.
30:29But I've got the same. No, I agree.
30:33Yeah, poor Wiggins.
30:34I don't know, like why his career is just like I mean, I know he had some
30:37off court stuff that was like pretty serious and maybe he's just never gotten
30:40back, but that's that's sad if that's
30:44is why that happened.
30:46Nick Claxton, like maybe so go pick your favorite net.
30:48They're probably available.
30:50And incidentally, the Nets and the Warriors already did a trade this year.
30:54It didn't work out, but right.
30:57Schroeder was on the Nets.
30:58Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
31:00I love Dilo on the Nets. It's so fun.
31:02Um, Jonas Valanciunas from the Wizards available
31:08per our Mike Skodo, Mike A. Skodo.
31:11Golden State in New York would be interested.
31:13I think any team that ends up with Valanciunas, he makes decent money.
31:17So it's a little harder to move.
31:19I think that that would just be like such a fabulous get.
31:22I think he's such a talented player, steady.
31:28Why aren't the Los Angeles Lakers in on Jonas Valanciunas?
31:32That's such an obvious fit.
31:34I don't know what they trade, though.
31:37I don't think that Valanciunas is quite the same player than he was,
31:40so I don't think the ask would be outrageous.
31:41But yeah, I just mean salary matching.
31:44They don't exactly.
31:45They don't they don't have a player in that range.
31:47They don't need that would just create another hole.
31:50They would need to fix it.
31:51It's got to be Reeves or really and
31:54they need Reeves as offense, even though he's like a disaster on defense
31:57and they need really to like pick up the pieces for LeBron
32:00who doesn't play defense anymore.
32:01So, yeah, I just
32:05I don't know the Lakers and the Warriors.
32:07Look, it's coming for the Celtics, right?
32:09Like if you were to say about your stars.
32:13This is what happens.
32:14And someday the Celtics soon or in many years will need to make this decision.
32:18But like the Warriors and the Lakers did not build around their aging stars
32:23very well, and now they're in prison.
32:24So if there's ever been a time for the Danny Ainge doctrine
32:28referring to when he wanted to trade Bird and McHale while he was still on the team,
32:32the time is, you know, this is the era of that doctrine.
32:35Yeah. Speaking of Ainge, another name,
32:39I bet it would be shocking if they didn't move Rob Williams,
32:44if the Blazers didn't, because they obviously need to bottom out.
32:47If they think he's good enough to keep around another season or two,
32:50but they're anticipating doing a quick rebuild, maybe.
32:52But expect Rob Williams to be a very popular name
32:56and trade rumors coming up.
32:58Windhorst and Tim McMahon or Tim Bontemps.
33:03There's two Tims, I don't know which Tim it is in our notes.
33:06They said, well, so they reported that
33:10is interested in Rob Williams.
33:11Iman Odoka also reported that by getting caught on a hot mic,
33:14saying, we're going to trade for you.
33:16So, yeah, Rob Williams would actually
33:20Mr. Discretion.
33:22Rob Williams would be such a good get for any team when healthy.
33:25But he's he might never be.
33:27I mean, like the Joel Embiid is like never going to be healthy again.
33:32Rob Williams, it could be bosses for his knees.
33:35Maybe not that interesting trade there, if that happens.
33:40And I think it seems like it's all signs point to yes.
33:43Just really quickly on that.
33:45Houston would then have a really crowded center room almost overnight.
33:49Obviously, Jabari Smith Jr.
33:51is out with a hand injury for a little bit, but he will come back.
33:54Alperin Shangun, I think arguably Houston's best player
33:58plays the center position and probably is best at the center position,
34:01even if he needs another defensive big usually to be paired with him.
34:06Robert Williams, obviously a center.
34:08That guy, we love Rob. He's great.
34:11He's super good at what he does when he's healthy.
34:13Not a shooter has never been a shooter, will never be a shooter
34:17in all likelihood.
34:18And then you got Stephen Adams, who is playing fine.
34:22Like he's in a perfectly solid role.
34:25That that I mean, I get Yume Udoka loves playing big ball.
34:30I completely understand that.
34:32But that's a lot of capital to burn on centers.
34:36Yeah, which is to say, like
34:40things will heat up between now and February six, but
34:43the trade buzz is kind of quiet.
34:46In years past, we've said, like, wait for this domino to fall
34:48and then lots of things will come into play.
34:51I just I don't see a lot of teams making moves.
34:5310 teams or second apron teams like there just isn't.
34:58There aren't cheap contracts and there's not that many movable contracts.
35:01Speaking of which, we'll close up.
35:02We'll talk about the Celtics a little bit here.
35:05Basically, if you need a reminder, Boston can't stack salaries in trade.
35:11They basically have to match perfectly for salary.
35:13They can't take on any extra, which means trading Jaden Springer,
35:17who makes about four million dollars, would be the only reasonable way
35:22to bring in another rotation player unless they were going to trade
35:26Pritchard or Horford.
35:27So Springer's four million dollars, if you want to get on the trade machine,
35:30is probably what you're playing with.
35:32Otherwise, like Jordan Walsh and Xavier Tillman and make two million.
35:35But they can't be stacked in a trade.
35:36So it's two million out, two million in four million out, four million in.
35:41Unless you somehow get on the trade machine and bring the Celtics
35:44under the cap.
35:45There are ways around that.
35:46For example, if you use Boston's open roster spot
35:49and technically you're fitting into space, that could work.
35:52But it would have to be a minimum contract.
35:54So, yeah, and I don't even know if the trade machine is clever enough
35:57to help you build that.
35:58So anyways, with those frames of mind, none of us have gotten that sexy
36:02with our wish casting quickly.
36:07I'll concede that most people say the Celtics need wing depth.
36:11They definitely need wing depth, or it would be nice to see them
36:13gobble up some wing depth.
36:15I, myself, would think that bringing in a big would be prudent.
36:19I think that, I don't think Cornette and Keita are good enough
36:23to play meaningful minutes in the postseason.
36:25And if, for example, Horford go down with an injury,
36:28the Celtics are left with like an unbelievable defensive vulnerability.
36:32So my opinion would be to bring in a center, I don't know,
36:36like Walker Kessler or something.
36:38I think a very controversial take, as it were.
36:42I mean, it's not going to happen.
36:43So it's not manufactured bullshit.
36:46Anyways, Danny, so which is to say two first round picks for Walker Kessler.
36:51That's not happening, which would be worth it, in my opinion.
36:54And I've laid that out before.
36:55And that's not what the two Celtics picks potentially frozen.
36:57Yeah, I can see that.
36:59I you don't need to convince me.
37:00I can see the pre-agency aspect of that idea.
37:04But there's a lot of ifs.
37:06But there's a lot of ifs.
37:07So when there's that many ifs, it's usually, you know.
37:11Sure.
37:11Walker Kessler is third in the NBA in blocks.
37:14He's just because he plays for Utah doesn't mean he's not a fabulous player.
37:18OK, let's do this quick because we said this was going to be a quicker episode
37:21and we were bad at that.
37:22Alex, who will the Celtics target on the trade market and why?
37:27So there are two names that jump out to me.
37:29They're both vet ads.
37:31They're both kind of similar players in some respects.
37:34Um, first one's a reunion.
37:37Javante Green, what's up?
37:38You're shooting 38 percent from deep in New Orleans, doing literally
37:42nothing of consequence.
37:43You can still jump your friends with Jason Tatum.
37:46Why not?
37:47You know, he's on a one year deal.
37:48It's an expiring.
37:49So it would clear up just a teeny little bit of cap room for Boston next year,
37:55which would help them as they navigate apron land.
37:59But to me, Javante feels like, you know, if you're looking for wing depth,
38:04if you're looking for somebody who has at least some chemistry
38:07and somebody who, frankly, will be comfortable in Boston,
38:10like playing only spot minutes, Javante feels like a good pickup.
38:15And then the other one for me in a similar vein, that wing shooting
38:19pretty well for a team that is doing nothing in Chicago.
38:22Torrey Craig has been a just rock solid,
38:26pretty decent deep bench wing for a while now.
38:31I am a little nervous about Sam Hauser's back injury.
38:34It feels like he has just not he's been looking better in spurts lately,
38:39but he just hasn't quite gotten all the way back.
38:42And I feel like you want to have a backup wing option
38:47who can play some minutes that might have a little more vet experience
38:51than Jordan Walsh and will allow Sam to heal over the course
38:54of the remainder of the season.
38:56To me, those two jump out.
38:58And then for different reasons, I'm just kind of intrigued by the length
39:02and athletic upside of Tamani Kamara in Portland.
39:05Again, Portland is a team we mentioned earlier.
39:07They are doing absolutely nothing this year.
39:10They should be totally willing to sell basically every player on their team.
39:14That isn't Simons or Donovan Klingin.
39:17Scoot Anderson's looking a little better lately.
39:19Maybe keep him as well.
39:20But to me, like Tamani Kamara, long athletic shot is a little busted.
39:27But if you just want to throw another guy to eat up some minutes
39:31and who won't get cooked on defense, why not?
39:35Sure. Justin, you go.
39:38One of your names I had on my list and the other I hadn't thought about.
39:41And I love it so, so much. OK.
39:44So two of these, these two options
39:48tie into it's almost like a recurring theme, both in terms of the kind of players
39:53that we're talking about and the teams are coming from
39:56and the reunion quality here.
39:59And I'll start with Delano Banton, who, you know, this is the kind of player,
40:04the level of player, he is better than he was in Boston.
40:07Much of it's because he's playing for Portland, obviously.
40:10But I mean, he's six foot eight.
40:12He can play a biggish role when he needs to.
40:15He can play a guardish role when he needs to.
40:17So he's he's exactly the kind of flexible wind that can put a lot of holes.
40:21Not great.
40:23But he is shooting 37 percent from three on three point three attempts this season,
40:27which kind of fits in with about how many attempts he would be getting on Boston
40:30playing in that kind of a role,
40:32particularly on nights when he has a slightly bigger one because he's resting.
40:35And then another potential reunion that has to do with the demise of a team
40:39you were just talking about.
40:40I don't think it's out of the question that a Celtics first round pick
40:44maybe this season's maybe the next one they can trade
40:48would be enough to get Yabu back in Boston, who can move the ball and pass.
40:52Yeah, you can move the ball a bit.
40:54He actually rebounds pretty, pretty consistently now
40:57and is shooting even more 40, roughly 40 percent on three point eight attempts
41:02per game.
41:02So I don't know if there would be enough playing time,
41:06but it would be a good pre-agency kind of move in a similar way,
41:09but maybe a little cheaper.
41:10And the thing that I think would be the biggest problem
41:14is you probably have to move on from one of Luke or Kata
41:18because there just wouldn't be the minutes to bring him on
41:20to make it a justifiable deal for a first round pick.
41:23So, yeah, I love that.
41:26Alex, you're muted.
41:27I think Yabu fits.
41:29I mean, I was so pumped when he signed with the Sixers.
41:31I thought that was such a good get.
41:32And he's been a bright spot for the Sixers this season.
41:38Yeah, Delano Banton has the same birthday as my mom.
41:40So that also there's a bonus there.
41:42Could you even imagine trading Jaden Springer back to the Sixers
41:46to get Yabu back to the Celtics?
41:48That would be so goofy.
41:51I love that.
41:54I went a different direction with this
41:56because once upon a time, the trade deadline was just like,
41:59pick a big name player and put them on a team and have fun with that.
42:03So in that spirit,
42:06the best trade buzz is names people recognize
42:08for other names people recognize and they don't look at the stats.
42:11And so, like, again, players like Delano Banton and Walker Kessa
42:14are way better than you're realizing because, you know,
42:17they're not on television. No one talks about them.
42:20So I went the exact opposite direction.
42:21And these are players that would fit Jaden Springer's contract.
42:26Kevin Love, the Sixers.
42:28I mean, the heat gets so mad at Kevin Love for supporting Jimmy Butler
42:31that when they trade Jimmy Butler, they get rid of Kevin Love.
42:34Sure. I'll tell Lowry.
42:36I don't think there's any gas in the tank,
42:38but just to, like, remind the Celtics to get over themselves and be tough.
42:42Love that. Take a couple of charges.
42:43You can still do that.
42:45Seth Curry, defensive center.
42:48You're not getting you're not getting him out of Charlotte, though.
42:50I don't know. He'd hate you for that.
42:52Or maybe not. Maybe not.
42:53Maybe he'd like to, like, win a basketball game or two.
42:56He might enjoy that. Fair.
42:58Patty Mills.
42:59I don't know that I want that much defensive liability to Patty Mills.
43:03Oh, my God. The NBA.
43:06It's not it's not Carmelo Anthony.
43:07I will give you that I have two wing players that have name value
43:12and like maybe something to give Jay Crowder and Cam Reddish,
43:16neither of whom like probably contribute to winning basketball,
43:18but they have like the build that maybe the right coaching in the right context.
43:22And if you really are feeling thin on the wing,
43:25just in my actual two names.
43:27Well, I mean, I guess I'll give you three.
43:29I think that Javante Green thing is real.
43:31That's pretty legit.
43:32Unless the Celtics are like we have to trade for a guy that has years
43:36just because we have to look into the future or the spot over.
43:39Yeah, that's good.
43:41I've got one more guy to try to save it or should I bust it?
43:45Save it now.
43:47You go and then I'll do mine and implicitly mine will be the finale.
43:51Cool. My my guy,
43:55so to speak, actually isn't the guy to trade Springer into space
43:59and you elevate Jordan Peterson.
44:02Drew Peterson, Drew Peterson, Jordan Peterson,
44:06please, please, please do not elevate
44:09the main roster Boston Celtics.
44:11I am imploring you.
44:13Whatever you do, do not give Jordan Peterson a full NBA.
44:19Hey, thank you for that.
44:21You've been following the news.
44:22That might be where we're headed anyways.
44:25OK, so Javante Green feels real.
44:26I think it's a lot of bad stuff watching the news.
44:29Sorry about that.
44:32Well, now I'm never going to be able to top that.
44:33I was going to say Taylor and Tugger.
44:35I don't think that's natural.
44:38Well, you think about three point variance
44:41and the way that the shot goes into the ball.
44:48Yeah, Jordan Peterson is not Kermit the Frog.
44:50Just for clarity's sake.
44:52Jordan Peterson is racist Kermit the Frog.
44:56Yes. And on that note,
45:00this episode of Celtics podcast brought to you by Price Picks.
45:03This is a fantasy basketball partner of the CNSB network
45:06and by GameTap tickets.
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45:10Please like and subscribe to never miss an episode.
45:12And we will be back next week,
45:14hopefully to talk about some more Celtics wins out in California.
45:17Until then, adios!