Banner 18 or bust? 3 deals Brad Stevens must make before trade deadline to unlock Celtics' championship bid

The Boston Celtics under Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have consistently been strong contenders in the Eastern Conference. This season is no different, with Boston sitting on top of the East with a 30-9 record. The team is once again on a quest to chase championship number 18 in their franchise's history.

It's been the same story for the past few seasons too. The modern-day Celtics have had strong seasons but couldn't get the job done when it mattered the most in the NBA Playoffs. Several fans are concerned that Boston might end up pulling off the same results despite the strength they've shown in the regular season.

Taking all things into consideration, one could wonder if the president of basketball operations for the Celtics, Brad Stevens, is thinking about some changes to his team before the trade deadline. Let's take a look at three possible deals Stevens can secure that could help Boston win championship number 18.

Note: This list reflects solely the writer's opinion. Readers should take this information with a grain of salt.

NBA Trade Deadline: What do the Celtics need for Championship 18?

#1 A solid big man

There's no question that the Boston Celtics did a good job in acquiring former All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis. Despite no longer being named an All-Star, Porzingis still has the capabilities to provide star-quality numbers. However, the Latvian big man is currently the only reliable big on the team. Boston needs better-quality big men to back up Porzingis.

As of the time of this writing, the only understudies Kristaps Porzingis has are Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta, who might be rough around the edges but have recently shown a lot of promise. However, if the Celtics want to win their 18th title, acquiring a more solid big man who can play defense as well as help on offense (like Prozingis) should be their priority. This way, the team wouldn't worry too much inside the paint when the Latvian big man takes a breather.

#2 Better quality bench players

The Boston Celtics may be the best team in the NBA today but that doesn't mean they don't have their flaws. Looking at Boston's current roster, they have a relatively young lineup, particularly on the bench, and that could become a hindrance come the playoffs. While they may have a veteran in Al Horford to lead the second unit, acquiring a couple more experienced players wouldn't be so bad.

A veteran that comes to mind is Danilo Gallinari of the Detroit Pistons. Not too long ago, Gallinari was considered one of the best role players to have on your team. His numbers may have depleted significantly, but his experience could add more firepower to Boston's bench come the postseason.

#3 Acquire a veteran with championship experience

Despite Celtics president Brad Stevens clearly saying that the organization currently has no resources to make any significant trades, he could make a drastic decision and exchange one of his quality players for another player with championship experience.

One player that comes to mind is Klay Thompson. The Golden State Warriors are subtly hinting they could trade Thompson soon. Boston could take advantage and trade Al Horford, one role player, and a couple of draft picks for Thompson if they truly wish to go all out this coming postseason. While Thompson may no longer be the same player he once was, he can still provide solid numbers in scoring.