NBA Trades: 3 offseason trade ideas for the Boston Celtics

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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 10: Jaylen Brown #7 and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics react during team introductions prior to Game Four of the 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden on June 10, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts, NBA Trades: 3 offseason trade ideas for the Boston Celtics. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

The Boston Celtics season came to a disappointing end this past week. After a remarkable turnaround in the middle of the season, Boston was able to put forth a very impressive postseason run. A run that included a sweep of the Brooklyn Nets, and two seven-game wars against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat. Unfortunately for them, it wasn’t enough to end up with the Larry O’ Brien trophy.

On the bright side, Boston’s core is very young, especially their two young stars, who have yet to hit their primes. Their title contention window is wide open, but as we all know, there are no guarantees in sports.

NBA Trades: 3 offseason trade ideas for the Boston Celtics

It was just a decade ago that most basketball pundits believed the Oklahoma City Thunder were going to be perennial title contenders, yet after their 2012 run, they never made it back to another Finals. This should serve as a precautionary tale and a reason for the Celtics’ front office to be aggressive this offseason.

After giving out extensions to most of their young core, the Celtics will not be able to create cap space anytime soon. In most cases, a team in this situation only has the Mid-Level Exception and veteran minimums as a tool to upgrade their roster in free agency. Luckily for Boston, they possess a decent-sized Trade Player Exception worth $17.1 million., which is set to expire on July 17 of the current year.

This exception gives Boston the opportunity to add a very good player to their roster without having to sacrifice any of their current players. However, TPEs can’t be combined with other salaries to trade for a larger salary. But players can, just adding another contract would allow the Celtics to combine it with another player (like Daniel Theis), and trade for a player whose salary is too large for the TPE.

By the end of the Finals, Boston’s depth issues were a glaring weakness. Payton Pritchard and Daniel Theis were practically unplayable, while Derrick White and Grant Williams struggled mightily to hit open shots. Adding one more 3&D wing to their rotation seems like the most logical fit. Here are three players that the Celtics could add with their TPE.

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