It looks like the Boston Celtics will be one of the most active teams ahead of the trade deadline. The 17-time NBA champion already started making moves, becoming one of the three teams involved in the Bol Bol trade, receiving the former Denver Nuggets big man.
Amid a tumultuous season, the Greens have started to make some moves in the market. After completing the Bol Bol trade, they are looking to add another center and get rid of one of their offseason additions.
According to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, the C’s are trying to trade Al Horford away and land another center. The Dominican player’s second tenure with the Celtics hasn’t gone as expected, which is why the front office is trying to shake things up a little bit.
After spending the 16th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft to acquire Al Horford in the offseason, the Boston Celtics are exploring trading him as they pursue another center, league sources told The Athletic.
In his second stint in Boston, Horford has been one of the team’s top defenders, but he hasn’t been able to find a consistent offensive role. His 28.9 percent shooting from deep is his worst output since he started taking 3s in 2015, and the offense hasn’t revolved much around his pick-and-roll game this year.
Only $14.5 million of his $26.5 million salary is guaranteed next season, making him potentially attractive to teams looking to move off long-term money or take on his salary for an additional asset. As the Celtics look to retool and get below the luxury tax, they have been unsurprisingly open to moving Horford and Josh Richardson, two core rotation players signed beyond this season.
Horford returned to Boston during the offseason as part of the Kemba Walker trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He has been unable to replicate his initial success with the Celtics, which has prompted Brad Stevens and the front office to look for alternatives. It’s unclear whether he has suitors, but Horford is a proven veteran that can add depth to another team.
Right now, the Celtics rank 10th in the Eastern Conference, struggling to compete, barely making it to the last spot for the play-in tournament. They need to make some big changes if they want to turn things around, but it seems like the C’s won’t do much noise this campaign.
