The NBA trade deadline is inching closer with just two days remaining before the big day, and the Boston Celtics are swinging for the fences.
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According to ESPN's Zach Lowe, the Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers have reportedly talked on a deal involving Blake Griffin.
They have talked intermittently with the Clippers about Blake Griffin in recent weeks, per several league sources, but a deal is extremely unlikely. Griffin will be a free agent this summer, and Boston would probably need official permission to talk to him about his future — a concession Minnesota allowed Cleveland before the Kevin Love trade. The Clips would ask for a bounty, starting with Jae Crowder and one of the Avery Bradley/Marcus Smart duo, plus picks, per league sources.
Griffin has a player option on the final year of his contract, one which he's certainly going to opt out of. He would need to agree on a contract extension or guarantee his return before Boston sells the farm to add him.
Moving Crowder and likely Bradley opens the door for Smart and Jaylen Brown to take on extended roles for the Celtics, but does it really bring them any closer to contention in the Eastern Conference?
We would pay for seven games of LeBron James-Griffin.
Trader Dan(ny Ainge) is certainly exploring all options ahead of the deadline.
