4 Boston Celtic Players Have Been Suspended Because Of Drug Test

This season, two Eastern Conference contenders hope to add to their squad, but it appears that they won’t do it until after the 2024 trade deadline.

The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks are anticipated to be active in the buyout market, but Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported on Wednesday that they are unlikely to make any big transactions.

It was mentioned that because of second tax apron regulations, neither club is allowed to sign a player whose base salary was more than $12.4 million.

The Celtics are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves with the best record in the league at 17-5. Windhorst reported that Boston is likely to be seeking a quality rotation player to improve its depth behind its vaunted starting lineup.

“The Celtics have six premium starters and it makes them one of the NBA’s best teams. But after that, coach Joe Mazzulla has less experienced/proven players on his bench,” Windhorst stated. “Getting one more quality rotation player, at any position, would give Boston options.”

The Bucks and Orlando Magic are tied for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference with a 16–7 record. Windhorst observed that they “lack size and quickness on the outside, which constantly applies pressure to their second line of defence in the paint,” suggesting that perimeter defence is their greatest need.

Since both Boston and Milwaukee have payrolls that exceed the luxury tax by more than $17.5 million, they are regarded as second-tier teams. In order to preserve balance in the NBA, teams in the second apron are prohibited from making additional purchases.

Naturally, it’s still unclear which players that end up in the buyout market will be game-changers who can affect the Bucks’ or Celtics’ chances of winning an NBA title.