The Boston Celtics want to Boogie.
The Celtics, who made an improbable run to the playoffs this season, are looking to continue to improve via trade this summer, in the hopes of landing an elite talent, and have their eyes on Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.
Will (the Celtics) open their war chest of future draft picks to try to pry DeMarcus Cousins away from Sacramento via trade? The early word out there is: Bank on it.
The Celtics have draft picks for days. They own their own first-round pick (16th) and the Los Angeles Clippers' (28th) in the coming draft, and have two second-round picks (the Philadelphia 76ers' 33rd overall, and their own, 45th).
Boston has four first-round picks in 2016: their own, the Brooklyn Nets', Minnesota Timberwolves' (via the Phoenix Suns, protected 1-12) and Dallas Mavericks' (protected 1-7 from 2016 to 2020). They boast five second-round picks in 2016, as well, and another two first-round picks in 2017 and 2018.
Stein adds that general manager Danny Ainge will be aggressive and creative in terms of packaging picks for talent, and that Ainge won't be picky when it comes to said talent.
Will they be in the mix for pretty much any name player who unexpectedly comes available in coming months?
Bank on that, too.
An athletic big man or a scoring threat on the wing would appear to be Boston's two most glaring needs, but Ainge likely won't be choosy.
Expect him to try to pounce on the next elite player, at any position, who finds himself being abruptly shopped.
Cousins, 24, signed a four-year maximum extension worth a reported $62 million with the Kings in September 2013. He's locked up through the 2017-18 season.
It's going to be an interesting summer in Boston.
