The Celtics, like every other team in the NBA, are preparing for the possibility of one or two trades setting off an avalanche. But according to teams that have spoken to them, the Celts may be looking more at players around the edges, rather than at more significant deals, as Thursday’s trade deadline approaches.

In fact, they could be more active in the buyout market later, if, as most anticipate, a roster spot will become free when the Jabari Bird situation is adjudicated by the league office.

For now, from all accounts by opposing clubs, the Celtics seem to be most willing to ride this season out, believing that their recent success is a sign they’re still improving and closing in on being able to ably compete for a trip to The Finals this season and take their chances there.

One general manager who had interest in Terry Rozier was rebuffed by the C’s, though there’s room to question what his team was willing to offer for a player headed toward restricted free agency this summer.

“You’d think Boston would be willing to move one or two younger guys and get more experienced,” said one exec. “But it’s hard to get away from young guys on good contracts when you already have [Kyrie] Irving, [Gordon] Hayward and [Al] Horford on big deals. And then you’re trying to get AD [Anthony Davis], too, and what’s that going to cost? At some point, I guess you have to look at the bottom line and not be crazy.”

It appears that, unless the Pelicans blink by Thursday, the Davis drama will linger over the league into the offseason. That will be the Celtics’ first chance to trade for Davis, due to the collective bargaining agreement rule that teams can only have one player on a so-called Rose Rule contract (Irving and Davis are both on these designated player exception deals.)

Meanwhile, though reports of the Lakers pulling away from talks with the Pelicans certainly appear to be true in the moment, no one around the league is seeing that as anything more than a temporary stance.

“I can see why L.A. is getting all frustrated, thinking that they’re bidding against themselves,” said one Western Conference head of basketball operations. “But that’s not really true. What they’re bidding against is what New Orleans thinks it can get from Boston this summer, and as long as that’s out there — as long as Ainge is telling them he’ll be bidding in the offseason — New Orleans can’t be happy with what L.A. is throwing out there.”

It’s thought, as well, that perhaps the Lakers aren’t pleased with the way this is playing out from the Davis side of the street. While they would obviously love to pair a player of his caliber with LeBron James, thus conceivably being able to get more out of their commitment to a 34-year-old in his 16th season, the process is being questioned by some. Though many in the league saw Monday’s ESPN story that Davis had given the Pelicans the names of four teams he’d consider staying with if traded there (Lakers, Clippers, Milwaukee, New York) as trying to make New Orleans think the Celtics would back away because they were not mentioned, others saw it differently. And all are still looking closely at the maneuvering by Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, who is, of course, also LeBron’s representative.

“I think they did that to put pressure on the Lakers,” said one general manager. “I think Paul and LeBron want to get this done now, because they’re afraid of Boston getting him [Davis] later on. I think they’re trying to push Magic [Johnson] and them to bid by putting it out there that there are other teams Davis likes.”

As regards Davis, the Celtics have no choice other than to be patient. But, from the word of others, it would seem they’re being the same with their roster as presently constituted. For now, anyway.