The Athletic (subscription required) revealed that Jae’Sean Tate is an option for the Boston Celtics, but MassLive’s Brian Robb didn’t seem to think the rumor had too strong of legs; nearly writing off the possibility altogether since the Houston Rockets forward doesn’t fit into the $6.2 million Grant Williams TPE and signaling that the improvement can come internally.

“Notably, Tate makes a $6.5 million salary this season with a club option for $7.1 million next season,” Robb prefaced before saying, “The Celtics do have the Grant Williams traded player exception, but that’s for $6.2 million. So Tate doesn’t fit on that front. That could result in the Celtics looking elsewhere depending on the price for Tate, though the 28-year-old forward likely won’t cost too much in terms of assets.

“Tate isn’t a huge name, as expected, and would be a depth piece on the roster. On the season, he’s averaging 4.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in his 43 games this season for Houston. Tate is also listed at 6-foot-4, so he’s not necessarily that big wing Stevens mentioned. However, Stevens also said there are some internal candidates who could fill that role, so the C’s aren’t necessarily married to that idea of trading for a big wing.”

Oshae Brissett the internal option the Boston Celtics are likely to land on
That Boston Celtics top six (Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford) isn’t going anywhere at the trade deadline. Payton Pritchard is the most likely rotation player to be, and even that isn’t likely.

Who gets traded then? And for who? Probably no one. For no one.

The big wing? It’s an internal option. His name is Oshae Brissett, and though his ascension has been slow in Boston, it’s been tangible. Enough to believe that giving up assets for a player unlikely to crack an eight or nine-man rotation isn’t on the cards for Brad Stevens and the rest of the Celtics front office.