It’s no secret that the Boston Celtics need another center. Neemias Queta has been excellent since moving into the starting lineup, but the lack of depth in the middle of the court has seen Joe Mazzulla lean into a small-ball rotation with his second unit.
Ideally, the Celtics would add a starting-level center and move Queta to the bench. Finding an elite big man to anchor the roster for the next five or more years is easier said than done, though. One player who has been floated as a potential target is LA Clippers center Ivica Zubac.
The Clippers are currently 14th in the Western Conference with six wins and 19 losses. If the front office chooses to blow things up and begin retooling, Zubac could hit the trade market. However, according to Brian Windhorst, who did a Q&A on Threads, it’s unlikely Zubac will be made available, regardless of how the Clippers approach their current roster construction.
“Well, Zubac is absolutely not available and absolutely not a stretch big,” Windhorst wrote. “But yes, this is an area where Boston needs to replenish after losing Porzingis and Horford, and they will be looking for opportunities.”
Boston lost a significant amount of talent at the center position this summer. Luke Kornet, Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis all departed. Finding some ready-made contributors has to be a priority for the front office.
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And, while Zubac would be an ideal addition for the Celtics, he’s not the only big man who could improve the current rotation. Boston has the tradable assets to make a move if a center becomes available. The question is whether that big man will replace Queta in the starting lineup or slot into the second unit as his backup.
As we get closer to the February 5 trade deadline, the Celtics will inevitably find themselves linked to a host of trades, most of them likely involving a center. For now, though, Mazzulla has seen a rotation that works and will continue rolling with it until reinforcements eventually arrive.
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