The Boston Celtics have been popping up in trade rumors for some time now. The team has loads of assets, including players and valuable draft picks that would be appealing to any team looking to make a deal. Boston is currently sitting in third place in the NBA Eastern Conference with a 26-16 record, and the team is still looking to improve its roster so that they can be prepared for the playoff push. With the trade deadline quickly approaching, the time to make a move is now.
Boston to shake up roster before deadline
If the Boston Celtics expect to take the next step toward becoming an NBA dynasty again, they must first clear the hurdle that is the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
With the way the roster is currently constructed, the Celtics have a very solid team, but may not have enough offensive firepower to hang with teams like the Cavs or the Golden State Warriors. Boston signed free agent Al Horford in the off-season and so far it has been a success. Pairing him with a core of Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, and budding superstar Isaiah Thomas forms a dangerous group, but General Manager Danny Ainge may want to add more.
Because of all the assets the team has available they will have no shortage of potential trade partners. The Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Chicago Bulls are all teams that have been rumored to be in talks with the Celtics. Recently another team has come to the forefront of trade discussions, the Denver Nuggets.
Nuggets to trade big man
The Denver Nuggets are looking to make a move before the February trade deadline largely because of the logjam they have in the frontcourt. As of right now they have Nikola Jokic, Kenneth Faried, Darrell Arthur, and Jusuf Nurkic all fighting for playing time. With the recent emergence of Jokic, Jusuf Nurkic seems like the odd man out of the rotation.
Nurkic definitely has plenty of upside and potential, and could flourish in the right environment. He's a young bruiser that can score in the low post, grab rebounds, and be a solid rim protector when given the opportunity. He would be a great fit in Boston alongside Al Horford. Horford would be able to seamlessly slide over to his more natural power forward position with Nurkic at center.
The proposed trade would have Denver send Danilo Gallinari, Nurkic, Jameer Nelson, and Darrell Arthur to Boston in exchange for Jae Crowder, Amir Johnson, Tyler Zeller, Terry Rozier, and a first round pick in 2019. This deal would benefit both teams because the Celtics would get the firepower needed to get over the hump and the Nuggets would acquire valuable assets to substantially strengthen their roster.
