The Boston Celtics could trade Marcus Smart, Derrick White or Payton Pritchard this offseason, according to NBA insider Brian Robb of MassLive.
The Celtics are looking to move a guard to improve other areas of the roster.
“The Celtics may not be in the hunt for big names like Bradley Beal ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft but that has not stopped Brad Stevens and the rest of Boston’s front office from seeking out potential upgrades,” Robb wrote. “A league source tells MassLive that the Celtics have been one of the more active teams in the league in trade talks ahead of Thursday’s draft.
“Boston only holds the No. 35 overall pick but the team is looking at making potential tweaks to the supporting cast around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The Celtics are particularly loaded in the backcourt with Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon and Payton Pritchard all under contract for next season and the team is investigating moving a guard to improve other areas of the roster per a league source.”
The Celtics lost to the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals in seven games after reaching the NBA Finals last year. Boston lost to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 Finals in six games.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Boston Celtics, Marcus Smart, Derrick White & Payton Pritchard Updates
Pritchard would like to be traded by the Celtics this offseason, according too Jay King and Jared Weiss of The Athletic. The guard had several DNPs in the regular season and playoffs.
“With the new onerous CBA rules looming after next season, the front office will likely have to decide in the next 12 months whether it can afford its expensive veteran depth,” King and Weiss wrote. “Payton Pritchard has made it clear he hopes to be traded this summer, according to multiple team sources, so will the Celtics move him if they trade one of their core guards?”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Boston Celtics, Marcus Smart, Derrick White & Payton Pritchard Updates
Pritchard appeared in 48 games during the regular season. He averaged 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 41.2% from the field, 36.4% from beyond the arc and 75.0% from the free-throw line.
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