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Boston Celtics: A Realistic Big-Man Wish List For 2016 Trade Deadline

By Jon Shames

Dec 31, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) untucks his shirt as he heads to the locker room after being ejected from the game after receiving his second technical foul during the second half of the Boston Celtics 106-84 win over the Sacramento Kings at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) untucks his shirt as he heads to the locker room after being ejected from the game after receiving his second technical foul during the second half of the Boston Celtics 106-84 win over the Sacramento Kings at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Boston Celtics need a talent upgrade down low, and with the trade deadline approaching, the Cs have a number of big men they could pursue.

Dec 31, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) untucks his shirt as he heads to the locker room after being ejected from the game after receiving his second technical foul during the second half of the Boston Celtics 106-84 win over the Sacramento Kings at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) untucks his shirt as he heads to the locker room after being ejected from the game after receiving his second technical foul during the second half of the Boston Celtics 106-84 win over the Sacramento Kings at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

The Boston Celtics are an average basketball team.

There. It’s been said.

Fans had high expectations for this Boston club after a surprise 40-win season in what was supposed to be a rebuilding 2014-15 campaign, but much like the rest of the Eastern Conference, the Celtics have been unable to put together a string of convincing wins to separate themselves from the pack. With the team sitting at 19-17 on the year (ninth in the East), all eyes point towards the impending trade deadline on February 18th.

Celtics general manager Danny Ainge struck gold in a last-minute deal before the 2015 deadline, acquiring Isaiah Thomas from the Phoenix Suns, who is putting up All-Star numbers with the Celtics. Bringing in Thomas shored up the Cs’ backcourt, but this year, Boston is looking for help down low.

Brad Stevens has experimented with his starting lineup on numerous occasions, and shuffling his big men around the depth chart in an attempt to find the best combinations is just one of the many impediments to his team finding consistency.

Ideally, the Feb. 18 trade deadline would allow the Celtics to bring in an unquestioned starter at the center position, so as to make Stevens’ rotation-management easier and — of course — help Boston run up the standings in the East.

Luckily, with so many teams stuck in the limbo that is averageness, there will likely be little resistance to exploring change from most organizations around the league. So with that, here are three big men that Danny Ainge should inquire about, come mid-February.

Next: Bring Back Big Al

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