Any Boston Celtics roster shakeup likely won't come until the offseason, it seems.
As Thursday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline approaches, The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor reports backup point guard Terry Rozier is expected to stay put.
"League sources don’t expect the Celtics to move point guard Terry Rozier, who will be a restricted free agent this offseason," O'Connor wrote Wednesday.
O'Connor then explained why Rozier is a valuable asset to Boston on two levels.
Unless Boston is blown away, Rozier is viewed as insurance in case Kyrie Irving leaves, or as a potential sign-and-trade sweetener in a move for Anthony Davis.
While the Celtics reportedly are confident Irving re-signs with the team this offseason, he certainly left the door open with his recent public comments. Rozier always has played well in Kyrie's absence -- he has career averages of 15.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game as a starter -- and would be a very strong "Plan B" if Irving were to bolt in the summer.
Rozier also could factor into a potential trade for Davis, whom the Celtics can't trade for until July 1 while Irving is on the roster. Boston reportedly has told the New Orleans Pelicans that every player is on the table in negotiations for Davis, which includes Jayson Tatum. But the C's obviously would prefer to keep Tatum, and Rozier is another asset they could present to the Pelicans in a trade package that doesn't include Tatum.
Boston Celtics
(As O'Connor notes, the Celtics would have to sign Rozier first in restricted free agency, then trade him to New Orleans.)
Boston still may be working the phones Thursday, though: In the same column, O'Connor mentions second-year forward Semi Ojeleye as a player other teams may check in on.
Boston uses Ojeleye as an occasional weapon off the bench, playing only 10.5 minutes in 39 games, but maybe another team could see him as something more.
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