It’s no secret the team wants to add at least one big name this summer and despite plenty of room under the salary cap, the likely scenario is a trade as the team just can’t afford to move forward with some much inexperience on the squad.
Boston is capable of becoming the top team in the Eastern Conference next season, especially if Ainge can get the talent he wants and the latest reports have the Celtics showing interest in Chicago Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler.
At 6’7″, the former first round draft pick has the size to play at small forward, which is a specific need for Boston. The team has a solid group of youngsters in the back court, but lack depth and scoring options with the current group of front court players.
The 26-year-old took over as the team leader in Chicago, despite some rumblings off-court from teammates. Butler averaged over 20 points and grabbed five rebounds per game this past season, but with the Bulls failure to make a move up in the standings, many NBA experts now believe management could dismantle this team and grab some young talent to begin the rebuilding process.
Marcus Smart, RJ Hunter, and Jae Crowder are all players that could be used to make a deal happen. Couple that with a first and second round draft pick in June, and the pieces are in place for both sides to make a deal happen.
Ainge has also expressed interest in Kevin Durrant, but the Thunders star player would likely only leave Oklahoma City to join a squad that could win a championship now and that makes his current team and Golden State the front-runners, likely leaving the Celtics looking elsewhere for the players they need to become a contender.
