The Boston Celtics own the NBA's best record at 37-11 with the Feb. 8 trade deadline exactly one week away.
How important is the trade deadline for teams like the Celtics that are considered top contenders to win the NBA Finals? Well, if recent history is any indication, it's not very important.
That's not to say there haven't been teams in the past who bolstered their title chances with in-season trades. Two of the best examples came in the late 1980s when the Los Angeles Lakers acquired center Mychal Thompson (Klay's dad) in the 1986-87 campaign. Thompson immediately became a key piece for the Lakers, who won back-to-back titles following the trade.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The 1988-89 Detroit Pistons swapped scoring forward Adrian Dantley for All-Star forward Mark Aguirre in a move that also resulted in back-to-back titles. The 1994-95 Houston Rockets acquired Hall of Fame guard Clyde Drexler during the season. Drexler reunited with former college teammate Hakeem Olajuwon to help the Rockets win their second straight championship.
More Celtics coverage
But recently, the trade deadline has been more about good teams adding depth and not big-name talent. One of the most notable acquisitions by a title-winning team over the last decade was the Toronto Raptors getting center Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019. He was a starter during the Raptors' title run, but he wasn't one of their three best players.
So if the Celtics just add a depth piece or two, fans should not get upset. Any frontcourt player who can come in and help take minutes away from Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford over the second half of the regular season would be valuable. The C's need to keep these two big men fresh for the playoffs.
A wing with size who could take some minutes away from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown would be a nice trade deadline upgrade for the C's as well. Any player who can play defense and shoot 3-pointers would be a solid addition, too.
Here's what the last 10 champions did at the trade deadline. You'll notice that several of these teams made their major trade in the prior offseason. The same could be said of the Celtics, who acquired Porzingis and Jrue Holiday before the season.
🔊 Celtics Talk: Rozier to the Heat. Doc to the Bucks. Digesting all the Celtics’ rivals moves with Bobby Marks | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
2013-14 San Antonio Spurs: The only move the Spurs made was acquiring forward Austin Daye from the Raptors. Daye appeared in just one game during San Antonio's run to a fifth championship.
2014-15 Golden State Warriors: Nothing.
Stephen Curry was on the way to winning his first of two straight league MVP awards. The Warriors won a then-franchise record 67 games and defeated an injured Cavs team in six games to claim their first title since 1975.
2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs' only notable acquisition was veteran center Channing Frye from the Orlando Magic. They gave up guard Jared Cunningham and a 2020 second-round pick.
Frye added some frontcourt depth to the Cavaliers' lineup, but he didn't play a huge role in their playoff success. He averaged 6.7 points over 13.9 minutes per game during the 2016 playoffs.
2016-17 Golden State Warriors: Nothing.
The Warriors already made their major move in the summer of 2016 by signing superstar forward Kevin Durant in free agency.
2017-18 Golden State Warriors: Nothing.
The defending champion Warriors were absolutely loaded in Durant's second season with the team. There wasn't much that could have made the roster better. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
2018-19 Toronto Raptors: The Raptors acquired veteran center Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for C.J. Miles, Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright and a 2024 second-round pick. Gasol averaged 9.4 points and grabbed 6.4 rebounds per game for the Raptors in the playoffs that season. He played 30.4 minutes per game and started all 24 of Toronto's postseason contests.
The Raptors made their major move in the summer of 2018 by acquiring superstar forward Kawhi Leonard from the Spurs. Leonard carried the Raptors to their first title and won NBA Finals MVP for the second time.
2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers: Nothing.
The Lakers traded most of their top players and valuable draft picks in the summer of 2019 to acquire superstar center Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans.
2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks acquired versatile forward P.J. Tucker, forward Rodions Kurucs and first- and second-round picks from the Rockets in exchange for guard D.J. Augustin, forward D.J. Wilson and two first-rounders. Tucker was an important veteran for the Bucks who defended at a high level and stretched the floor with his outside shooting. Milwaukee also dealt forward Torrey Craig to the Suns for cash a day before the Tucker trade.
The Bucks made their major move -- acquiring point guard Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans -- before the 2020-21 season started. Holiday played a key role in Milwaukee winning its second Larry O'Brien Trophy.
2021-22 Golden State Warriors: Nothing.
Noticing a pattern?
The Warriors were already deep in the luxury tax and had a pretty good team. They also had two lottery picks in Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody who needed more playing time. The Warriors maybe should have added another veteran, but it all worked out for them in the end.
2022-23 Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets were part of a four-team trade involving the Lakers, Clippers and Magic. Denver sent guard Bones Hyland to the Clippers in the deal and received center Thomas Bryant from the Lakers. Bryant played in just one playoff game for the Nuggets.