The Boston Celtics would like to make a move ahead of the NBA trade deadline, but no one knows quite what to expect from them. Heading into the All-Star break, the Celtics hold a 19-17 record and are the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. Could a trade for Houston Rockets star Victor Oladipo be in their future?
Oladipo has been rumored as a potential target for the Celtics since the offseason. In the talks between Boston and the Indiana Pacers for a Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade, Danny Ainge was angling to get Oladipo.
Now, the Rockets are in the drivers seat. They could look to flip Oladipo for some kind of value before the deadline. The Celtics could once again be a team to keep a close eye on, according to one NBA executive.
“Victor Oladipo’s market value is not great. The Rockets aren’t going to get anything of high value for him, but they could still trade him. Boston is a team to watch. They want to add more firepower and Danny (Ainge) has always liked his game and could be interested in a half-year rental.”
The last part of that quote is the most important thing to keep an eye on with Victor Oladipo. He is in the last year of his contract and will hit free agency in the offseason. Many believe that he will find his way to the Miami Heat.
Should the Celtics trade for him, they would likely only have him for the rest of this season. There is a chance that they could convince him to stay with a deep postseason run, but that is far from a guarantee.
Since being traded to the Rockets, Oladipo has played in 15 games. He has averaged 19.9 points per game to go along with 4.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.4 steals. Oladipo has shot 38.7 percent from the floor and 31.3 percent from the three-point line.
It is obvious that he is not the same All-Star player that he once was with the Pacers. His quad injury set him back, but he is starting to get back to being a more explosive player. However, he isn’t the same player and the Celtics know that.
While it would still be a good move to trade for Victor Oladipo, the Celtics should view this as a depth move. It is unlikely that Oladipo would take over the starting job ahead of Marcus Smart when the defensive genius is back healthy.
Expect to hear quite a few more rumors surrounding the Celtics as the trade deadline continues coming closer. Oladipo is a name to watch at this point in time.
