Chicago Bulls waive potential Boston Celtics buyout target

The Celtics have not been involved in any of the NBA blockbuster trade fireworks over the past weekend but it’s possible they could still benefit from it. The Chicago Bulls traded away Zach LaVine on Sunday night as part of a three-team trade with the Spurs and Kings. The team acquired three new players in that deal (Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, Tre Jones) but only sent out one, which forced them to cut a couple players to make the deal official.

The team elected to release wings Torrey Craig and Chris Duarte in order to finalize that transaction. MassLive wrote about Craig last week as a potential trade or buyout target for the Celtics. The 34-year-old has not played since December 30th due to an ankle injury but was approaching a return prior to his release.

The 6-foot-5 wing has shot above 39 percent from the field for the past three seasons now and is a potential upgrade option for the end of Boston’s bench. The Celtics front office continues to explore options trading reserve wing Jaden Springer per sources due to the team’s hefty tax bill and Springer’s $4 million salary, which makes them a candidate to look for a wing replacement in the coming days and weeks.

Craig has only appeared in nine games this year for the Bulls, a team that was more focused on developing younger wings. However, his playoff track record could make him a popular target on the buyout market. He’s played in 75 playoff games since 2018 including 19 starts in stints with the Suns and Nuggets. Craig signed a two-year deal with the Bulls back in 2023 but he has not been a big part of the team’s plans this year.

For Boston, adding additional perimeter shooting options could be a priority in the coming days. Outside of Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard, Boston’s guards and wings off the bench have not provided much in that department on the 15-man roster with Springer, Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman underwhelming in their stints.

The team will undoubtedly explore other options in the days to come and Craig will certainly have multiple suitors on the open market. Still, Craig is a player to keep an eye on if the team elects to stand pat at the trade deadline outside of opening a roster spot or two.

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