The Boston Celtics are, hands down, the NBA’s biggest surprise this season. After seeing a bulk of its 2024 championship team leave this offseason due to cap constraints, along with Jayson Tatum’s injury, Boston was widely viewed as a potential lottery team entering the year.
Instead, the Celtics sit as the second seed in the Eastern Conference at 25-15, just four and a half games behind the Detroit Pistons. With Tatum reportedly ready to come back and the Eastern Conference wide open, President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens should be looking to upgrade the roster ahead of next month’s trade deadline. One team he should be monitoring closely is the Miami Heat, and more specifically, their superstar center, Bam Adebayo.
Now in his ninth season, Adebayo is firmly established as one of the league’s best big men. He has been named to the NBA’s All-Defensive team each of the last five seasons and is a three-time All-Star. This season, the 28-year-old is averaging 17 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while adding nearly two combined steals and blocks per game.
Players of Adebayo’s caliber rarely become available, and the Miami Heat would certainly command a massive return for their franchise big man. That said, Miami finds itself stuck in the middle of the Eastern Conference. They’re good enough to compete, but not good enough to be viewed as a serious title contender. If the Heat decide to retool rather than remain in basketball purgatory, Adebayo would undoubtedly be their most coveted trade asset. If that scenario unfolds, here is what a potential offer could look like from Brad Stevens:
Adebayo is earning $37 million this season and has three more years of team control after signing his three-year, $166 million contract extension in 2024. If the Boston Celtics are serious about acquiring him, they must be cautious of the salary cap and come close to matching his incoming salary with outgoing contracts.
Why Boston Does This Trade
For Boston, even though they are getting the best player back in the deal, their roster depth takes a significant hit. Anfernee Simons is a scoring first guard who is averaging 14.1 points per game and recently erupted for 39 points against the Miami Heat. Sam Hauser may be Boston’s best 3-point shooter, owning a 41 percent career mark from 3-point range. Hugo Gonzalez, Boston’s first-round pick a year ago, has quickly shown himself to be a high-energy hustle player and a defensive menace. Beyond that, two future first-round picks would present options for potential rotation players in the future.
Still, superstar players don’t come cheap, and Adebayo fits that billing. His length, defensive versatility, and elite playmaking from the center position would elevate Boston on both ends of the floor.
A starting lineup of Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Bam Adebayo would be among the league’s best. If the Boston Celtics want to cement themselves as serious contenders this season and beyond, taking a player like Adebayo from a conference rival could be the bold move that makes them truly unfair.