The Boston Celtics are among the unlikeliest teams to dabble in a blockbuster trade, but that doesn’t mean enemies in the Eastern Conference aren’t concocting their master plan to dethrone the reigning champs.

Boston has already ruled itself out of any worthy trade pursuit after the front office committed over $900 million to retain its starting five of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. Plus the ownership group is completing a multi-billion-dollar franchise sale in the next few months so expecting the C’s to get involved is just wishful thinking.

Expecting those trailing Boston in the standings, however, is a different story.

Since the Chicago Bulls are quickly collapsing into the pits of the East, the organization is considering moving on from six-year veteran Lonzo Ball and the Miami Heat are among those interested, per Evan Sidery of Forbes. Miami, along with the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves, is said to have held “exploratory talks” with Chicago.

Miami’s interest in Ball suggests that the underdogs of the East aren’t ready to tap out this season, even despite its ongoing drama with star Jimmy Butler — the Heat have suspended Butler several times after his rumored trade request in December.

For the Celtics, this could mean another crossing of paths with Miami could be on the horizon once the playoffs begin. Boston has undergone four postseason battles with the Heat in the past five seasons, including three in the conference finals.

The Heat have gone 23-22 as the No. 6 seed in the East, and while that puts them 13.5 games back of the conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers, it also places Miami 3.5 games behind the No. 4 seed Milwaukee Bucks. That’s plenty feasible, especially with 37 games left in the regular season and especially under the leadership of head coach Erik Spoelstra.

Now, it’s a reach to think Miami will chase the No. 1 seed. The Heat rank 21st in scoring (111 points), 20th in rebounds (43.8) and 19th in field-goal percentage (45.7), and don’t have much star power outside of Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.

Ball, meanwhile, doesn’t fill Butler’s shoes by any stretch of the imagination. Chicago signed the No. 2 pick of the 2018 draft to a four-year, $85 million contract in free agency four years ago, hoping he’d command the offense’s facilitation. Instead, Ball missed the entire previous two seasons — sidelined for 1,006 days from an NBA game — with a left knee injury that required three procedures.

The 26-year-old made a triumphant comeback this season, averaging seven points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists across 26 games (five starts). Ball has also played a career-low 20.8 minutes amid the cautious return, giving the Bulls a shade of what the UCLA product ascended to become during his first year in Chicago.

Ball shot a career-best 42.3% from 3-point range and knocked down 3.1 attempts through his first 35 games (all starts) with the Bulls. That season, Ball also averaged 13 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists with 1.8 steals — playing a career-high 34.6 minutes.

The trade deadline is scheduled for Feb. 6 at 3 p.m. ET.