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Report: Celtics won't trade core players, including Smart, Hayward

Brian Babineau / National Basketball Association / Getty

Don't expect the Boston Celtics to part with their stars for upgrades.

The Celtics have informed teams that their core players, including Marcus Smart and Gordon Hayward, are unavailable in trades, sources told ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

The rest of Boston's supposed untouchables aren't specified, though fellow starters Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown are also likely off limits.

Windhorst notes the Celtics could eventually be in the market for an upgrade at center to compete with the size of other Eastern Conference heavyweights, such as the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors, in the postseason. But with its key players unavailable in talks, Boston, which is currently over the salary cap, would have to get creative in any trade in order to match salaries for a star big.

Smart has been with the Celtics his entire career since being drafted sixth overall in 2014, although his name has frequently been involved in trade rumors. The 25-year-old guard was reportedly made available by the Celtics during the 2017-18 season as he was set to hit restricted free agency. He ultimately wasn't moved and chose to sign a four-year, $52-million contract with Boston that summer.

Hayward joined the Celtics prior to the 2017-18 campaign and has had an injury-plagued stint with the team. He was in the midst of a bounce-back year this season before being ruled out for six weeks earlier this month with a fractured left hand.

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