NBA Trade Rumors: 7 bold predictions heading into the trade deadline

Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns drives against Ish Smith #14 of the Denver Nuggets (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns drives against Ish Smith #14 of the Denver Nuggets (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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NBA
Jakob Poeltl (Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports)

The Boston Celtics will land Jakob Poeltl

The Brooklyn Nets taking a big step back in the Eastern Conference after trading Kyrie Irving, that’s likely one less team that the Boston Celtics will have to worry about come playoff time. Even though the Nets could still be competitive, I find it highly unlikely that they’ll be able to compete for a championship this season without making an unforeseeable significant move in the next few days.

That’s an even bigger reason to believe that the Celtics should be all-in heading into the NBA Trade Deadline. That means making a big move, possibly for a big-name center. And one of the names that the Celtics have been linked to recently is Jakob Poeltl.

Poeltl is a player that could be viewed as the final missing piece for the Celtics heading into the season. He has the capability to be a productive starter but could also fill a role for the team off the bench, giving the team flexibility and depth that they’ve been missing in the frontcourt.