The Boston Celtics acquired Xavier Tillman from the Memphis Grizzlies before the NBA trade deadline. He rounds out the team’s center rotation. After sending Lamar Stevens as part of a trade, they still have an open roster spot to fill.
Masslive’s Brian Robb reports that the franchise remains active on the trade market. Brad Stevens is expected to sign another contract.”League sources told MassLive that Boston could make another move before the trade deadline after the Tillman deal,” Robb wrote. “Brad Stevens has talked about wanting to add more wings to the roster, and losing Stevens in the Tillman deal could be a sign the team is looking to get another body there.
The Celtics have recently been linked to Kris Dunn and Lonnie Walker IV. Both players provide depth at the guard position. Walker IV can also play as a small forward. Since taking over the front office role, Stevens has been very successful on the trade market. Almost all the deals he has done have been successful, and the results have been in court this year.With big contributions from rookies Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, Boston has the best record in the NBA. They have three: attack and defense.
They are arguably the most talented team in the league this season. Of course, Tillman’s move and subsequent trades could be viewed as upgrades meant to provide injury insurance to the starting rotation. But there are plenty of reasons to add depth to the team’s top six, namely Porzingis and Al Horford. Adding more depth to the back end of the roster gives Boston its best chance to weather an injury to a key contributor.Ultimately, Stevens will make moves to position his team as champions-elect. He will then have to rely on Joe Mazzulla to get the best out of his players.
