Even if the Boston Celtics keep their "core four" intact, there are still moves to be made ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
Veteran role players Josh Richardson and Dennis Schroder have both drawn reported interest around the league, and moving either player to free up cap space, acquire draft capital and/or shake up Boston's supporting cast might be a wise move for Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.
To that end, Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported Wednesday that the "framework" of a deal between the Celtics and Chicago Bulls has "circulated around the league."
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Forsberg's Mailbag: Plotting a trade deadline plan for the Celtics
Here's the framework of that deal, per Fischer:
Bulls receive: Dennis Schroder
Celtics receive: Troy Brown Jr. and a second-round pick
Boston Celtics
The Washington Wizards' No. 15 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Brown joined the Bulls in 2021 as part of a three-team trade involving Boston that sent Daniel Theis and Javonte Green to Chicago.
While Brown hasn't contributed much this season in a reserve role for the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls -- 4.7 points over 16.9 minutes per game -- he's just 22 years old and has some upside as a versatile wing.
More importantly, the C's could gain about $700,000 in cap space with this move -- Brown is making $5.1 million on an expiring contract while Schroder makes $5.8 million -- and pick up a draft asset in the process.
It's not a trade that really moves the needle, but if Stevens is committed to keeping Robert Williams and Marcus Smart -- who both have garnered interest on the trade market, per Fischer -- then these are the kinds of deals he'll likely explore between now and Feb. 10.
The Utah Jazz also have reportedly shown interest in Richardson, so if the Celtics want to pursue a trade of him or Schroder, it appears there are plenty of potential suitors.