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Arguably the best team in the league, the Boston Celtics have been a powerhouse in the 2024-25 NBA season. However, in the NBA Power Rankings, they just fell a spot in the Week Nine edition. The NBA also had a few takeaways for their playstyle.

The first takeaway was the Celtics are still almost unbeatable when missing players. They have had only one game where their top six players (starters + Al Horford) have all played in the same game. Even with their problems with full star availability, they are 21-5.

The second takeaway was while the Celtics are known to be one of the best three-point shooting teams in the NBA, they are also one of the best at free throws. They are second place behind the Denver Nuggets in free throw differential, and they are the best in opponent free throw rate, holding opponents to 20 attempts per 100 shots from the field.

The final takeaway was that Payton Pritchard is a stud. He was the second player in the NBA to reach 100 threes made behind Anthony Edwards. The Celtics also score 122 points per 100 possessions when he is on the floor, and 85% of his minutes are without superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

The Celtics will play the Chicago Bulls in a home and home series starting Thursday, December 19th, at 7:30pm EST.

After trading for Kevin Durant in 2023, the Phoenix Suns have not made it past the Conference Semifinals. With Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Durant, they got bounced in the first round to the upstart Minnesota Timberwolves last year, and their current 14-11 record and sixth-place standing in the Western Conference shouldn’t inspire the most confidence this season.

The Suns are unlikely to make a massive trade and boost their odds this season. Booker is the face of the franchise, Durant, at age 36, is averaging an incredibly efficient 25.7 points per game, and Beal has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he would have to approve any deal. However, if the Suns can find an attractive enough landing spot for Beal, they might be able to flip him.

Set to make $53.6 million next year and $57.1 million the year after that, Beal has possibly the worst contract in the NBA. The Suns have made it clear that they want to win, and adding a player who fills an area of need has quickly become a necessity.

Should the Lakers trade away LeBron James, it makes sense that Anthony Davis will be the next domino to fall. Jusuf Nurkić is posting only 9.2 points and ten rebounds this season on inefficient shooting, so if the Suns smell blood in the water, they should pounce on Davis.

If the Lakers deal away both James and Davis, it’s safe to say that a rebuild is inevitable. The Suns don’t have any first-round picks to trade, but they could offer a substantial package.

By giving up Beal, Mason Plumlee, rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro and two second-round picks, the Suns could match the incoming salaries of Davis, Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxwell Lewis and two-way player Armel Traore. While the Lakers would prefer draft picks, Dunn and Ighodaro would fit in well next to Dalton Knecht in the future.

While Beal might not want to be traded to a rebuilding Lakers team, he is likely not going to win a ring with the Suns this year, so being the face of the biggest franchise in the NBA might be enough to sway him to waive his clause, even if it means playing on a rebuilding team.

As usual, the NBA trade rumor mill is dominated by big market teams and superstars like LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, the Golden State Warriors and the Brooklyn Nets. Small market teams like the Detroit Pistons often get the short end of mock trades and reports, but a savvy move by first-year President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon makes the Pistons a team to keep tabs on.

On Sunday, the Pistons waived backup center Paul Reed, who was slated to make $7.7 million this season. With the roster move, the Pistons have opened up roughly $15 million in cap space, the most in the NBA. Insiders are expecting another domino to fall in the Motor City.

“The Pistons cut Paul Reed, and fell below the salary floor,” said ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on his self-titled podcast on Monday. “They ended up signing another guy off their G League team today (Javante McCoy)…watch the Pistons as a third team.”

As teams try to navigate the first and second aprons, including the Pistons as a third team makes sense. For a price, Detroit would happily take on contracts, expiring or otherwise, to help propel their rebuild.

This offseason, the San Antonio Spurs took on Harrison Barnes from the Sacramento Kings so they could complete the trade that brought in DeMar DeRozan. In return for opening their wallet, the Spurs received a first-round pick via the Kings, and Barnes was named Western Conference Player of the Week and is shooting a career-high 44.4% from deep. Detroit could follow that blueprint.

“They purposely came into the season with a bunch of salary cap space to play around with,” added Tim Bontemps. “With the difficulties teams are going to have making deals, you’re going to have to have every trade be a three-team trade.”

As massive salaries like those of James, Butler, Brandon Ingram, Bradley Beal and Jerami Grant are expected to be on the move this season, teams looking for some flexibility could turn to Detroit, who is still rebuilding and tanking with the hopes of turning the franchise around in the coming years. For now, they are biding their time.

The Golden State Warriors have two dream wing targets on the trade market, but they probably won’t land either one.

Jimmy Butler and LeBron James are the two superstars the Dubs are eyeing, but the entire basketball world would be surprised if Golden State landed Butler and downright shocked if the Warriors somehow acquired LeBron.

As such, Golden State needs a realistic Plan C, and according to a new report from Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz, Jerami Grant of the Portland Trail Blazers fits the bill.

“A hot start to the season has since cooled for the Golden State Warriors, who are still on the search for a second scorer to support 36-year-old Stephen Curry,” Swartz said.

“ESPN’s Brian Windhorst named both Butler and James as players on the Warriors’ “list” and said the team is making its final decision on whether to keep Jonathan Kuminga or dangle him in a trade.”

“If blockbuster trades for James or Butler fall short, Grant is still a strong option. The 30-year-old forward is averaging 16.1 points on 38.4 percent shooting from three this season.”

Grant is in year two of a five-year, $160 million contract. He was drafted with the No. 39 overall selection in the 2014 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and has since played for the Sixers (2014-2016), Oklahoma City Thunder (2016-2019), Denver Nuggets (2019-2020), Detroit Pistons (2020-2022), and Trail Blazers.

The Los Angeles Lakers, for much of the season, have been looking for upgrades on the wings and in the frontcourt. They have the 21st-ranked offense and allow their opponents to shoot 36.8% from deep, and allow the third-most points in the paint. At basically every position, their defense could use an upgrade.

The Lakers have long been linked to the Portland Trail Blazers. Jerami Grant and Robert Williams III would each provide a much-needed defensive boost, and Grant is averaging 16.1 points on efficient shooting, so he could slot into the starting lineup next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Dating back to last season, Portland has made it clear that they want two first-round picks for him, but recent reports suggest that the Blazers have changed their tune.

“The Trail Blazers have lowered their asking price on Jerami Grant,” posted Forbes’ Evan Sidery on Sunday. “Portland would be willing to part with Grant for one first-round pick and a promising prospect instead of two future first-round selections.”

The Lakers could offer Max Christie, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura and a 2029 pick for Grant, or they could up the offer and demand both Grant and Williams III in a bigger move.

Portland is riding a six-game losing streak, but Grant has been shooting 47.7% from deep during that span. On top of that, he is a solid defender who could take the Lakers from the middle of the pack back to the top of the West.

Golden State’s window is closing soon, which makes their next move crucial.

Can Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. afford to be anything other than bold and aggressive on the market?

Golden State has already acquired Dennis Schröder, but the Warriors need more. LeBron James isn’t coming to save the day, but another former No. 1 overall pick might surprisingly be on the menu for the Dubs.

The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly open to trading Zion Williamson, and ESPN’s Bobby Marks thinks Golden State should pounce.

“Zion is interesting … because he is injured right now … we don’t know when he is coming back,” Marks said.

“I’ve always circled Golden State … (as a) team there for for Zion.”

The Warriors could send a package of Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, Brandin Podziemski, and draft capital to New Orleans for Zion.

But is it worth the risk? Williamson has literally never appeared in a playoff game due to his constantly revolving door of injuries.

Within the risk there lies a reward, however — if Zion gets back to full health, he would be a monster for the Warriors and unlock a new dimension for the team.

Small-ball lineups with Schröder, Curry, Williamson, Jonathan Kuminga, and Green would be ridiculous to play against.

Maybe Dunleavy Jr. should just take a big swing on Williamson and see what happens.