The Dallas Mavericks are in Boston for the last game of their road trip on Thursday. The big talk has been the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade.
Davis has been nursing an abdominal strain, so his status for tonight’s game against the Celtics is up in the air.
Several Mavericks players won’t be playing. PJ Washington is out for personal reasons, with his wife having just given birth.
Caleb Martin, who was recently traded from the Philadelphia 76ers, won’t play as his trade is still pending. Additionally, Dereck Lively II and Dwight Powell are sidelined due to injuries.
Davis is listed as questionable on the NBA injury report because of his abdominal issue. The trade that sent Doncic to the LA Lakers was quite unexpected, leading to criticism for Mavs GM Nico Harrison, though acquiring Davis could be beneficial for the team.
Davis is one of the NBA’s top big men, known for his versatility, offense, and defense. He could form a strong duo with Kyrie Irving.
As for whether Davis will play tonight against the Celtics, it’s still uncertain.
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The Boston Celtics have limited flexibility for trades due to being in the second apron, which means they must match salaries precisely for any new player acquisitions.
Despite this, the Celtics boast one of the NBA’s top starting lineups when everyone is healthy, so they aren’t pressured to make moves. However, some additional help could always be beneficial.
On Wednesday, they made a move to reduce future luxury tax by trading Jaden Springer to the Houston Rockets, although this doesn’t change their second apron status. They’ll need to be strategic with any trades as the deadline approaches on Thursday.
One player linked to the Celtics is Guerschon Yabusele, a former Celtic who’s now with the Philadelphia 76ers after a standout performance in the Olympics. He’s having a good season on a team potentially out of playoff contention, and adding him could significantly boost Boston’s bench.
When questioned about trade rumors, Yabusele responded in a straightforward manner.
“Well, I feel like with what happened last night, everyone’s in a place where you can be moved,” he said on Sunday. “I’m not trying to think too much about it, and just come out here, do my job and do it the best as I can.”
The Boston Celtics are still in the running for an NBA championship even if they don’t make any trades. However, bringing in Guerschon Yabusele would give them an advantage they seem to lack right now.
Yabusele adds valuable size to the bench and comes with an expiring contract valued at just over $2 million, making him a cost-effective option. It’s rare to find a player who performs at his level for such a price.
This season, Yabusele has been putting up 11.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game, while also shooting an impressive 40% from three-point range.
