SALT LAKE CITY — As the countdown to the trade deadline has dissolved from weeks and days to hours and minutes, the Celtics are still holding out hope that a star will fall from the NBA sky.

While league sources indicated that, in the words of one, “nothing is really hot with Boston,” Danny Ainge and Co. are still said to be working to pry loose something major. In that vein, for example, Doc Rivers has said the Clippers aren’t trading Blake Griffin, but it’s a fair bet the Celtics will revisit the topic before the clock next strikes 3 p.m. EST Thursday.

It would take someone on Griffin’s level to get Ainge to part with the first-round pick from Brooklyn, but sources tell the Herald it would definitely be on the table in that case.

That would not be so for some of the other very good, but not transcendent types that have also been discussed with the Celts. The pick would not be in play for Al Horford, but that matter seems moot anyway. The C’s have had no recent talks with Atlanta about him, and, in addition to what the Hawks might want should they move him, it is clear from sources that the Celts are not willing to pay the 6-foot-10 center big money when he becomes a free agent in the summer.

And word is the Celtics would also be unwilling to part with the Nets’ pick if the Cavaliers choose to be more interested in making Kevin Love available. The C’s have never really stopped being interested in Love after their hot pursuit in the summer of 2014 when he was with the Timberwolves, and it was reported here that if Cleveland didn’t come through with the big contract last summer, Love would have been looking at Boston as a landing spot.

But now with his large deal in place and physical questions (sources say a knee problem may be more of an issue than his back or shoulder), how much would the C’s be willing to offer? And, again, that presupposes the Cavs change their stance and look harder and what Love could bring back on the open market.

The risk/reward dilemma is a key aspect in everything the Celts are doing right now, and in particular with the pick coming from the Nets this June (as well as the right to swap positions with them next year and the unencumbered first-rounder from Brooklyn in 2017).

The critical point from NBA people who’ve spoken to the Celtics in the last week is that the club isn’t under pressure to get something done this minute. Ainge has said that any move he makes has to work for the longer term as well as now, and that states pretty clearly he’s not giving up any of the Nets’ chips for anything other than a sure thing.

“He’s not going to spend a lot for someone who doesn’t move the needle,” said one prominent player agent.

Said another: “Danny has something pretty good going there, so why would you mess with that unless you knew you were making it really better?”

While much of the talk surrounding the Celts has been focused on players they may or may not be trying to acquire, other clubs are interested in much of what the C’s have on their roster.

From discussions here with team execs in recent days, the names that come up most often are, in no particular order, Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, Isaiah Thomas and, to a bit lesser degree, Kelly Olynyk. Clubs are aware that Thomas certainly isn’t going anywhere unless he’s involved in a multi-player blockbuster transaction, but they haven’t shied away from mentioning him and the others.

According to sources, the Celts are willing to discuss everyone in their employ, but aren’t necessarily willing to part with anyone from the rotation unless the trade offers more than just a marginal improvement.

As stated here numerous times, whereas last season C’s management was probably more desirous of their draft pick being in the lottery, it is important this season that the team be portrayed to free agents and possible trade targets as a place they’d want to play.

Judging from the comments of players during All-Star Weekend, that appears to have been accomplished at least thus far. Therefore, it is hard to imagine Ainge making a move that would hinder the present club’s ability to make a good showing the rest of this regular season and into the playoffs.

“Players want to go where they can get paid and where they can win,” said one general manager. “And most every team will be able to pay a free agent this summer. You’re going to have to look for other ways to recruit guys or make them want to re-sign if you trade for them. The next best way is having a place where they think they can fit in and where they can win. Nobody wants to go to a dead-end situation, unless that’s the only place they can get paid.”

All of that would seem to indicate there is even less chance the Celtics will make a trade by the deadline. But there is no doubt they will continue to work the phones in their star search.