Boston Celtics Want Jimmy Butler and Paul George
The Boston Celtics may be one of the best teams in the league right now, but they are quite different from the other contenders at the top. The team actually has a lot of young players and draft picks thanks to the moves general manager Danny Ainge made in the past few years and this has given them some wiggle room to improve.
As the trade deadline draws near, the Celtics have been linked to elite players like Carmelo Anthony and Blake Griffin. However, reports say the team has also been keeping an eye on two of the best two-way players in the league.
Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical has reported that the Celtics were interested in Chicago Bulls guard/forward Jimmy Butler and Indiana Pacers forward Paul George. Apparently, the team has been trying to convince the Bulls and Pacers to part with their players.
"Boston's shown minimal interest in Anthony, preferring to continue its pursuit of persuading Chicago (Jimmy Butler) and Indiana (Paul George) to engage in trade talks that involve two younger, more well-rounded stars," Wojnarowski said in his report.
Celtics fans will probably celebrate if they can get either one of the two without trading away their core players. The question is, can the Celtics pry them away from their respective teams?
Butler is having a career year right now and he has been selected as a starter for the Eastern Conference in the National basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game. He's clearly the Bull's best player, so he won't come cheap. Meanwhile, George is the cornerstone of the Pacers, and they have built the team around him. Will the Pacers part ways with the player they have invested so much in?
A lot of pundits believe that the Celtics should make a move before the trade deadline, and some have even suggested trading away Isaiah Thomas. With the trade deadline just a week away, the Celtics are in prime position to make a move.