The Boston Celtics apparently shouldn't expect to have big offseason. Sporting News' Sean Deveney casted a gloomy forecast for the Celtics' summer, reporting the team is unlikely to make a splashy trade - for a player such as Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins or Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons - or to sign a big-name free agent, such as Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love or Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan.
Aside from the draft, Deveney's report suggests Celtics fans don't have much to look forward to this summer.
"The Celtics canvassed the league last year looking for a team willing to give up a disgruntled star, but there were none available, and there are not likely to be many available this summer, either," Deveney wrote Tuesday. "They might pursue, say, DeMarcus Cousins or Chandler Parsons should the Kings or Mavericks begin a deconstruction, but it is unlikely either of those guys gets moved in the end."
As for free agency, Deveney doesn't believe the Celtics will have a shot at any of the big-name restricted and unrestricted free agents.
"One of the consequences of the coming salary cap explosion is that teams that might otherwise be wringing their hands over a potential luxury tax hit - the Warriors, Bulls, Clippers and Thunder, for instance - figure to be more willing to absorb the blow with knowledge that it's a one-year indulgence," he wrote. "So players that might otherwise be on the market - Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, DeAndre Jordan, Enes Kanter, etc. - aren't likely to leave their current teams, nor are those teams finding it necessary to trade players to clear space to keep them. The Celtics have cap space available and Danny Ainge will continue to burn up phone lines trying to find a feature player, but don't expect him to come up with anything just yet."
The two recurring names linked to Boston have been Cousins and Love. Boston reportedly sniffed around at a potential trade for Cousins in February, but nothing came of it. Reports regarding Cousins are conflicting, with some believing Cousins could be had for the right price since he isn't a fit in the coach George Karl's system.
Boston has also been linked to Love, but according to Deveney, Love will end up with the Los Angeles Lakers if the power forward decides to leave Cleveland. Boston also likely hurt its chances of acquiring Love a few weeks ago when center Kelly Olynyk ended his season by dislocating his shoulder, a play Love thought was done to intentionally injure him.
"I thought it was a bush-league play," Love said, according to ESPN. "Olynyk was in a compromising position, had no chance to get the ball, and it's just too bad that he would go to those lengths to take somebody out of the game and do that to someone. I have no doubt in my mind that he did that on purpose. ...
"That's just not a basketball play," said Love, who averaged 18.3 points in the first three games of the series. "You look at the replay. I saw a picture of his arm underneath. It's just not a basketball play. Yeah, expect it to be physical, but when it has to go to that length, that's not the way it's supposed to be. That's not how you play basketball."
Another name for Celtics fans to watch this summer is soon-to-be free agent Greg Monroe, who admitted in December he had entertained the idea of playing for the stories franchise.
If the Celtics do try their luck at a trade, they at least have the assets to pique another team's interest. As for free agency, Boston has only $40 million in guaranteed money on the books for next season.
