Report: Celtics will accommodate Prince buyout if they can't trade him

Tap here to access our NBA Trade Deadline tracker, which includes the latest transactions and rumors.

A few years ago, it would have made sense for Tayshaun Prince to be the leading item in a trade deadline week rumors report. In 2015, with Prince now 34 years old, it speaks to how weird this deadline could prove to be.

While the surprises have already started revealing themselves - hi, Goran Dragic trade request - there are few elite names expected, on a balance of probabilities, to change teams. Prince is one of them, with the Boston Celtics working hard to trade him ahead of Thursday's deadline.

If a trade doesn't materialize, which it may not given Prince's $7.7-million price tag, the Celtics plan to accommodate Prince on a buyout, according to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.

That was the purveying logic when the Celtics absorbed Prince's deal when trading Jeff Green to the Memphis Grizzlies in January, but head coach Brad Stevens' fondness for Prince and the team's proximity to a playoff spot called that assumption into doubt. With the news that they'll buy Prince out floated, it seems unlikely the Celtics will have much leverage in trade negotiations.

Were Prince to be bought out, Wojnarowski points to the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers as potential destinations. The Clippers could use the help on the wing and Doc Rivers loves to add veterans to his bench, while the Blazers would have to waive or trade a player to clear room.

In 35 games split between Memphis and Boston, Prince is averaging 7.6 points and 3.2 rebounds while hitting an uncharacteristic 48.8 percent of his threes in a small sample. Still a capable multi-position defender who can knock down a corner look, Prince wouldn't move the needle a great deal, but playoff games are often decided at the margins. If he's bought out, there's little risk to adding him for depth and experience.