BOSTON — Despite all the uncertainty the Celtics entered the season with, they have given Boston president Brad Stevens a happy problem 26 games into the season. The C’s are clearly good enough to hang in a bunched-up East as they’re 15-11, good for fourth place in the conference. They’re doing all that despite missing Jayson Tatum, who continues his Achilles rehab.
So, there’s a balance ahead of February’s trade deadline for the C’s front office. The Celtics — especially if Tatum returns to the court this season — could be a threat to come out of the East at full strength. But at the same time, there’s a need to keep an eye on the future when it comes to all their assets.
“We’re all still trying to figure out who we are and what we can be,” Stevens said after Celtics practice Wednesday. “We will not put a ceiling on this group. If it makes sense for us to look for things that can help us, we certainly will. But it all has to be within good deals, and it all has to be within the ultimate goal, which is the North Star of retooling so we’re in a position to compete for what we want to compete for.”
The Celtics have made it work with their current personnel, even though the backup big man spot is a glaring issue. Neemias Queta has been a breakout starter, but the C’s have also gone small with Josh Minott in the meantime. There are certain advantages to going small, but getting a legit backup big would give the C’s more matchup options.
Notably, the Celtics have also gotten solid contributions from their stable of young wings. Jordan Walsh is another breakout starter as the third-year pro’s defense and energy have popped out. Minott, Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman have also shown what they contribute with added minutes throughout this season.
But trades are always a much easier concept than the actual execution. The C’s front office under Stevens has succeeded in player development, along with opportunistic trades. For example, Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser have been great homegrown success stories, while Derrick White was acquired via trade. So there’s striking the balance of competing for both the present and future.
“If I feel like we can do something to reach those things, and it makes sense with another team that’s willing to do something, which is very complicated, then we always listen, and we always look, and we’re always pursuing that,” Stevens said. “There’s nothing holding us back necessarily from that. But at the same time, there’s a lot of things that have to go right in a deal. One thing you can control is the people in the room getting better.”
The subplot of any trade the Celtics make also has to do with the finances, which dictated the number of their moves this past summer. The second apron of the NBA’s salary cap is too stringent with all the basketball penalties. It’s why the Celtics parted ways with Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet last offseason.
With Boston roughly $12 million above the luxury tax line, there’s always a chance they cut even further costs. There’s a benefit for the C’s in a year where they’re not a prime contender, even if they’ve been one of the spicier teams in the East. When Tatum returns, paired again with Jaylen Brown and Co., the Celtics will likely be right back to contending for titles. For now, they’re still figuring out what exactly they’re working with, much like other teams across the league.
“A lot of positive, seen good growth, which is important,” Stevens said. “I think we’re in the midst of it, as every other team is, and there’s a fine line between feeling really good about yourself and not feeling so good about yourself. And I think we just have to kind of stay in the work. I’ve kind of looked at us on a positive side, a work in progress where I’m really encouraged by both the work and the progress.”