Celtics swing trade with Ainge’s Jazz hours before deadline
Brad Stevens made another small deal just hours before the NBA trade deadline, and he did it with the team run by old friend Danny Ainge.
The Boston Celtics made one more small trade just hours before the NBA trade deadline passes on Thursday, and it involves Brad Stevens making a deal with old friend Danny Ainge.
As first reported by Shams Charania, the C's are trading forward Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz. Ainge is currently the CEO and alternate governor for Utah, with Justin Zanik serving as general manager. But it's still certainly notable to see Ainge make a trade with his former club, as minor as it may be.
And it's certainly a worthwhile move for Stevens and the Celtics, considering that Boucher last played a game for them on Nov. 23 and has been a healthy scratch ever since. Trading Boucher sheds his $2.3 million cap hit and frees up a roster spot. This, plus Wednesday's swap of Anfernee Simons for big man Nikola Vucevic, freed the C's from the luxury tax apron and gives them an opportunity to sign someone on the buyout market who was making up to $14.1M.
These moves are ultimately minor and the biggest impact is financial. But the Vucevic-for-Simons trade arguably makes the Celtics better from a basketball standpoint, as they switch out a redundant player for one that fills a need they've had all season. It's unlikely they make any more moves at this point before the deadline, certainly nothing major.
The NBA trade deadline officially passes at 3 p.m. EST on Thursday.
