The Celtics have the 10th best odds of winning the NBA title next season at MetroBet.us/Sugar but they are one of the few contenders that have the requisite assets to make one more trade for a top of the line player ahead of the trade deadline in February.
Two teams in particular, will be selling off top pieces throughout the season in the Thunder and Raptors. Both Sam Presti and Masai Ujiri know that the market for their remaining top players following will be much higher this winter than it is right now.
Look for OKC’s Steven Adams and Toronto’s Serge Ibaka to be two of the more coveted players around the trade deadline, and you can bet that the Celtics, Heat, Spurs and Mavericks will four of the teams eyeing those players.
The Celtics, who desperately need a defensive upgrade in the front court, have the best chips to make a move for either Adams or Ibaka. Adams is the sixth best center in the league when it comes to defensive win shares.
Boston would need to either dip into the luxury tax while giving up virtually all of their rookies and second year players, or they would need to ship Gordon Hayward Oklahoma City’s way if they were to become serious players for Adams. Hayward makes significantly more than Adams and his contract length is the same so it’s doubtful that Presti would make that move simply out of generosity.
Ibaka is a lock to get dealt, considering he is in the final year of his contract. Adams has two years remaining on his current deal.
