This is not a surprise. When the Celtics picked up Brandan Wright from the Dallas Mavericks as part of the Rajon Rondo trade it was thought they would flip him for more future assets rather than make him part of the long-term plan for in Boston.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge told Wright as much, according to J. Michael at CSNWashington.com.
Wright is attractive as a trade target for two key reasons.
One, he has an expiring $5 million contract, so he is not a long-term burden on the finances of a team plus said team may have the upper hand in re-signing him this summer.
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Second, Wright can flat out play. He was getting key minutes in Dallas as Tyson Chandler’s backup and was giving them 8.8 points on 74.8 percent shooting (no, that is not a typo) plus 4 rebounds a game, plus he was a good defensive rim protector as shown by his 1.6 blocks a game. Look at it this way, he had a PER of 25.8 in Dallas.
There are a number of teams that could use a big man for depth as teams start to gear up for the playoffs. The Cavaliers had been a possible destination but that ends with the Timofey Mozgov trade. What Boston will want back are picks and young players, things that can help them in the rebuilding process.
If you’re looking for guys most likely to be moved by the February trade deadline, Wright and Boston teammate Jeff Green should be at the top of your list.