The Boston Celtics have had very high expectations coming into this season. They have started out with a 24-15 record which is currently good for third in the NBA Eastern Conference. Despite the great start, they still don't appear to be ready to get over the hump and beat the other dominate teams in the conference like the Toronto Raptors and defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. Many speculate that this will cause Boston to make some major moves before the trade deadline.
Loaded with a ton of valuable assets, the Celtics could definitely be major players in the trade market if they choose to do so.
The team has been linked to a number of superstars in recent weeks, such as Jimmy Butler, DeMarcus Cousins, and Paul Millsap. Any one of those players would be an immediate roster upgrade and would allow them to challenge, and possibly even dethrone the Cavaliers as the top team in the East. One player that is also gaining some serious interest from Boston is budding young superstar center Hassan Whiteside.
Boston looking to add more star power to roster
Hassan Whiteside would be a great fit on this Boston Celtics team. He would make an instant impact on the frontline and would allow Al Horford to move over to his more natural power forward position. Boston would become one of the top defensive teams in the entire NBA with a nucleus of Whiteside, Horford, Avery Bradley and Isaiah Thomas.
The shot blocking ability and rebounding that Whiteside brings to the table would be second to none. The Celtics could compete for championships on a regular basis with a roster built around that "Big 4." Team president Danny Ainge would love nothing more than to turn the Celtics into a dynasty again. The team has a lot going in its favor, with all of the assets they have stockpiled recently.
Miami Heat looking to make a deal
With the Miami Heat starting the season with an extremely disappointing 11-29 record, it is believed that they may be going into full rebuild mode. If that is the case, the Boston Celtics would be an attractive trade partner to get some value back if they decide to let one of their stars go.
This is why the deal for Whiteside would be appealing and benefit both teams. The Heat would have the pieces to start their rebuild, and the Celtics would get another superstar to pair with the ones they currently have on their roster.
A proposed trade would send Jae Crowder, Amir Johnson, James Young, and a first round draft pick in 2017 to Miami in exchange for Whiteside. This deal would dramatically change the landscape of the Eastern Conference, and would place Boston on a direct course to play Cleveland for the chance to go to the NBA finals. With a little over a month to go before the trade deadline, expect the Celtics to make some moves to get their star player and upgrade their current roster.
