The Boston Celtics have a trade chip that they have to use this month, and quickly.
President of Basketball Ops Brad Stevens has until the NBA trade deadline next Thursday, Feb. 8, to use what’s called a traded player exception (TPE) to acquire another player, before it expires. The TPE is essentially a voucher to trade for a player without having to move salary back the other way. This TPE was created after the Celtics sent Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for two second-round picks.
The Celtics’ TPE is for $6.2 million. By rule, they can use it to acquire any player(s) costing $6.3 million or less. So, let’s take a look at some players that could fit into the TPE and make sense as midseason depth additions for the Celtics…
Saddiq Bey
Saddiq Bey qualifies as a strong target for the Celtics’ traded player exception. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Bey fits into the TPE at just $4.5 million (via Spotrac). An established depth forward, Bey is averaging 13.2 points and 6.6 rebounds in 32.7 minutes per game for the Hawks. He’s started 32 of 45 games for Atlanta this season, but he’d be an instant injection of shooting and rebounding off the bench in Boston. Bey is still just 24 years old with plenty of experience under his belt, but not yet for a top championship contender.
Simone Fontecchio
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – JANUARY 01: Simone Fontecchio #16 of the Utah Jazz drives past Tim Hardaway Jr. #10 of the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of a game at Delta Center on January 01, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
Would Danny Ainge drive a hard bargain with his former club for the 28-year-old Fontecchio, who just made his NBA debut last season? His three-point shooting at the wing is legit, as he’s hitting a strong 40.1 percent from downtown. The question is whether Fontecchio would represent a significant-enough upgrade over the likes of Sam Hauser. But he does fit comfortably under the TPE at just over $3 million.
Reggie Bullock
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 02: Reggie Bullock #25 of the Dallas Mavericks defends against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on April 02, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
An established energy shooter off the bench, Bullock would provide some needed reserve scoring for the Celtics. His minutes are way down for a terrible Houston Rockets team, but he’s still shooting 39.3 percent from three-point range. His minutes may provide more value on the Celtics’ bench than they would for a team that’s going nowhere. Plus, it would be a win for Brad Stevens to add a player that went to the Spurs as part of the Grant Williams three-team deal.
Dwight Powell
DALLAS, TEXAS – DECEMBER 23: Dwight Powell #7 of the Dallas Mavericks dunks during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Center on December 23, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Powell is a bit of a departure from the other players on this list. He’d provide depth at center rather than wing, and doesn’t shoot threes. So, in light of that, maybe the Celtics themselves wouldn’t view him as a great fit. But they can do worse for a reserve big that can pull down rebounds and score efficiently around the rim. And he’s only $4 million.
Otto Porter Jr.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – DECEMBER 22: Otto Porter Jr. #32 of the Toronto Raptors shoots over Robert Covington #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on December 22, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Porter would be a pitch-perfect TPE addition at exactly $6.3 million. But it’s not the best sign that he’s struggling to see the floor for a bad Raptors team. Porter is shooting below his usual standard at the moment (34.8 percent from three), and he could end up a veteran buyout, anyway. But it would be better for the Celtics to bring him in on the TPE than do nothing at all.
