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Report: Celtics prefer to trade Prince, buyout not a certainty if not

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

It was largely assumed that when the Boston Celtics acquired Tayshaun Prince that he wasn't long for kelly green.

The Celtics absorbed Prince from the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 12, primarily so the salary math worked in the three-team trade that sent Jeff Green to Memphis. A 34-year-old veteran on a $7.7-million expiring contract, Prince's place on a rebuilding team was unclear, and several reports suggested Prince could be bought out.

That may still ultimately happen, but the Celtics are still hoping to trade Prince for an asset before the Feb. 19 deadline, according to a report from the Boston Herald. If no trade materializes, the Celtics may buy Prince out, but head coach Brad Stevens is said to have grown fond of the veteran quickly and may want to keep him around.

"I think there's no question about that," Stevens said when asked if Prince can help the young club with his leadership. "But also there's the fact that he's a veteran who knows how to. The other thing is he just has such great poise and presence."

In three games with Boston, Prince is averaging five points in 20 minutes, more run than may have been expected but an amount that could continue through the end of the season, it seems. That's bad news for contending teams who were hoping to have a shot at the lanky wing defender on the buyout market, the Los Angeles Clippers reportedly among them.

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