The Celtics are working to find a new home for forward David Lee, according to an NBA source. Lee has not appeared in a game since playing 16 minutes in a Jan. 10 loss to the Grizzlies; the Celtics are 10-4 since, including Wednesday’s 102-95 win over the Pistons.
If the Celtics are able to trade Lee, his $15.5 million expiring contract would most likely be used to offset salary in a larger deal. If they are unable to finalize a move before the Feb. 18 deadline, Lee could be a candidate to agree to a buyout, allowing him to sign with another team.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens has consistently praised Lee’s professionalism, even bringing him up after Boston’s win over the Knicks on Tuesday when he was asked about how Tyler Zeller has handled a reduced role. The source said the discussions between Lee’s camp and the Celtics have been amicable.
The Celtics acquired Lee from the Warriors in a trade last summer, hoping his passing and rebounding skills would be a boon. But he has struggled to mesh with this group. He is averaging 7.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 30 games while shooting a careerlow 45.3 percent from the field. Stevens’s decision to lean on a more skilled, smaller lineup has left Lee as an odd man out.
“He’s a really good player,’’ Stevens said on Sunday. “The reason that he hasn’t played is a style of pace choice, not a choice with any particular skill set by a particular player. And so it’s a tough situation for him. He’s handling it like a pro.’’
Lee said he planned to go to Washington on Thursday to be a part of the White House ceremony honoring the Warriors for their NBA title. It is a regularly scheduled day off for the Celtics.
“It’s a chance, one of the final times to kind of celebrate what was accomplished last year,’’ Lee said Tuesday night.
With the trade deadline two weeks away, rumor season will soon heat up. Now in his third season, Stevens has learned not to pay it much mind.
“We’re just all like listening and laughing and trying to figure out what’s real and what’s not,’’ Stevens said, “but not putting a lot of stock into it until somebody knocks on our door. And that’s the way I feel about it. I probably followed up on every third rumor my first year, and I don’t think I’ve followed up on one yet [this year]. If [president of basketball operations Danny Ainge] wants to talk to me about something, he knows where to find me.’’
Big deal
In the final hours before last season’s trade deadline, there was a whirlwind of activity involving standout point guards. Nearly a year later, Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy is pleased with the way Detroit’s deal for former Boston College star Reggie Jackson has worked out.
In that three-team trade, the Pistons gave up guard D.J. Augustin, forward Kyle Singler, and a 2019 second-round pick. Jackson is averaging 19.1 points and 6.4 assists for Detroit.
“He’s had a very, very good year,’’ Van Gundy said. “And the thing I put on top of that, I tell people if you look at all those point guards moved last year at the deadline — Brandon Knight, Isaiah Thomas — you had to give up first-round picks to get all of those guys. And we didn’t. So I feel like we did a good job in that deal. And Reggie’s played very well, obviously.’’
Slick floor
Usually immaculately maintained despite the underlying ice, the TD Garden floor became an issue Wednesday after Detroit guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope strained his groin slipping on a wet spot in front of the Pistons’ bench, and Celtics forward Jae Crowder slipped in the same area seconds later.
Caldwell-Pope left the game in the second quarter, limping badly. Crowder remained in the game.
“I didn’t see it, but for sure I slipped right after Caldwell-Pope did,’’ Crowder said “It was very slippery right there and hopefully he’s not that injured but it was for sure slippery.’’
Detroit center Andre Drummond said he noticed wet spots on the floor throughout the game.
“Yeah, there was a few of them, but that’s not an excuse for the game,’’ he said. “I caught myself slipping a few times. That play with Kentavious, Jae Crowder fell three seconds later.’’
Tight race
It is too early in the season to dive too deeply into playoff scenarios, but 51 games is certainly a large enough sample size to be notable.
And the Celtics are actually tied for third place in the Eastern Conference with the Hawks.
That position has generated considerable buzz among Celtics fans. But Boston is also just 2½ games ahead of the eighth-place Pistons.
Gary Washburn of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
