Report: Celtics Now Want A Real Asset For Schroder, May Not Even Trade Backup Guard At Deadline
BOSTON (CBS) -- The trade speculation surrounding Dennis Schroder began approximately 30 seconds after the guard signed a bargain deal with the Celtics over the offseason. All the rumors will come to an end Thursday at 3 p.m., if not earlier.
But now, it seems like Schroder being jettisoned by Brad Stevens is no longer a sure thing. While the Celtics are still exploring trades involving the backup guard, the objective is no longer to give Schroder away for some tax relief, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com.
The Celtics have become a good team since the calendar flipped to 2022 and have won six straight. They're on the cusp of being a legit playoff team and not a play-in participant, and Bulpett wrote Wednesday morning that it's possible that Schroder could still be in green after Thursday's deadline.
It helps Boston's cause that Jaylen Brown did not make the All-Star game, which saves the Celtics some bonus money toward the tax. The team now just needs to trim roughly $1 million from the books to avoid the repeater tax, which Stevens can accomplish without simply giving Schroder away.
Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix added Wednesday morning that the Celtics are now "looking for a player and draft capital" for Schroder. He said there is traction on a deal with the Bucks involving Donte DiVincenzo, while the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks are also interested in Schroder. He adds that the C's are not going to deal Schroder without landing a rotation player to add to their mix.
It doesn't necessarily need to be a point guard either, with Josh Richardson and Payton Pritchard able to assume the role as Boston's ball-handlers off the bench. According to Keith Smith, the Celtics also believe they'll be able to get a veteran point guard on the buyout market should the need arise.
