While the Boston Celtics try to figure out how to save their season, Danny Ainge is still reflecting on trades that almost happened.
The Boston Celtics have very obviously regressed since their bubble experience last season. Many NBA fans expected the team to be championship contenders at the season’s start but just over a week away from the All-Star Game, the Celtics do not appear to be in good shape at all. The C’s are currently 15-17 and in ninth place in the mediocre Eastern Conference.
Boston has now lost 14 of its last 21 games and will need to figure out what to make of their season soon. A team executive just spoke about how the team has struggled to recover since Kyrie Irving left, but now they must move forward.
The NBA’s trade deadline of March 25 is swiftly approaching but the Celtics’ front office isn’t sure if they’ll be able to get anything done.
Danny Ainge and the Celtics don’t seem confident as the trade deadline approaches
It’s hard to tell if the Celtics’ woes can be corrected before the NBA’s trade deadline. The team still has a $28.5 million trade exception stemming from Gordon Hayward’s offseason departure. But the front office has to be asking itself if this Celtics roster is worth any investment.
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, while elite young players, don’t seem to have what it takes to get this team over the top. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge shoulders some of the blame for that. In speaking with Toucher and Rich on Thursday, Ainge explained that roster construction is his responsibility and that he isn’t sure if the team will be able to make improvements by the deadline.
“I don’t have those answers and it’s probably not the time that it’s going to be answered,” Ainge said. “It’s rare that trades get done (not close) to the deadline. We’re talking and we’re trying to do some things. We’ve been close a couple times. Time will tell.”
This cannot be comforting for C’s fans. The All-Star Game is just over a week away and if the Celtics hope to fight for a playoff spot, they need to start turning things around sooner than later.
Boston will be back in action on Friday evening when they take on the Pacers. That matchup will kick off a four-game homestand to lead into the All-Star Break. Tatum and Brown, both selections to the event, will need to show fans and critics why they were selected.