With the Boston Celtics rolling and their path to hanging Banner 18 looking more possible than it has in many years, you can’t fault fans of the storied ball club for hoping for a reunion with former Boston big men Daniel Theis or Kelly Olynyk. Or failing that, team president Brad Stevens getting a deal done for rumored target Isaiah Stewart to fortify the team’s frontcourt. But even fairly modest trades like these are probably not in the cards for the Celtics this season, who can’t follow through with an offer that makes sense given the exigencies of the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement or the team’s current structure. But the team will almost certainly make at least a few lesser moves to get better ahead of the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline in Early February, so the hosts of CLNS Media’s “Celtics Lab” podcast linked up with Cap Sheets’ Yossi Gozlan to try to project what it is Boston actually will end up doing. We also get into why those fun but unrealistic deals bringing back Celtics alumni or Beef Stew are unlikely or impossible, and get caught up on the last Boston news of 2023. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by FanDuel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics will face the Brooklyn Nets later this week with the Eastern Conference’s top spot potentially at stake, and while a bit of the wind has been taken out of the proverbial sails of the matchup with Nets star Kevin Durant out for the game with a sprained MCL as well as an outside shot of Marcus Smart missing the contest with a contused knee, it will still be a very important game for the Celtics. More data for a potential postseason collision, the aforementioned top spot in play, and a chance to see if Boston will play the way they should despite the absence of KD all loom large. The growth of Brooklyn bigs Nick Claxton and Ben Simmons also figures to be a point of concern, and any time the team crosses paths with Kyrie Irving, things get intense. To that end, the hosts of the CLNS Media “Celtics Lab” podcast linked up with the host of the Off the Glass “Brooklyn Buzz” podcast Nick Fay to talk all things Celtics-Nets. The foursome get into how Durant’s absence may impact the MVP race, what sort of trade targets each squad might have interest in at the 2023 NBA trade deadline, and more. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/celtics-lab-nba-basketball-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NBA’s 2024 trade deadline now perhaps better measured in hours than in days. And knowing what the range of possibilities that exists for the Boston Celtics to choose from to make moves to bolster their roster for a push to the 2024 NBA Finals is a good place to start. What can the Celtics do to get better? Which moves are more likely, and which make little sense? Who are the likely targets, and which ones might surprise us? More importantly, what is off the table for Boston’s front office, and which trade targets should the Celtics be pursuing? To get our bearings for what should be an impactful if comparatively quiet trade deadline for Boston, the hosts of the CLNS Media “Celtics Lab” podcast linked up with “How Bout Them Celtics!” cohost Jack Simone to talk ourselves through his recent trade deadline primer for Celtics Blog. We also touch on the news, recent games, Marcus Smart’s return, Joel Embiid’s knee, and a ton more, so be sure to tune in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics aren’t dead – they’re feeling better actually. Excuse the Monty Python reference, but with all the injuries this team has managed to keep going with yet still be in the hunt for the ultimate prize, Python’s Holy Grail seems pretty apt. The starters have shown signs of life despite being left for dead by the national media, and the second unit keeps on fighting despite losing several key parts, much like the Black Knight. But what other moves has Boston made to address their significant lack of depth, and how are the playoffs looking this week? Maybe most interesting of all, why are beat writers penning missives to their lack of yearning for a departed former player six months after said exit? All these questions and more are answered by Luis Gonzales and Justin Quinn in this week’s podcast.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/celtics-lab-nba-basketball-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices