The Celtics acquired Jordan Crawford from the Wizards, as first reported by David Aldridge.

Despite speculation that the C’s would send Fab Melo in return, team president Danny Ainge instead dealt little used backup center Jason Collins and the injured Leandro Barbosa — both on expiring veteran minimum contracts — according to Yahoo! Sports columnist Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 6-foot-4, 195-pound shooting guard averaged 13.2 points , 3.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 26.2 minutes a night for the woeful Wizards. His field goal (41.5%) and 3-point (34.5%) percentages are both career-highs. Over three NBA seasons, Crawford has shot 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc.

Here’s former ESPN.com analyst and current Grizzlies vice president of basketball operations John Hollinger‘s scouting report on the 24-year-old:

• Shoot-happy guard who takes terrible shots. Capable passer when mood strikes.
• Very quick and has a good handle. Can finish, but poor long-range shooter.
• Abysmal defender. Undersized for 2. Must add strength and dial up effort.

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As Yahoo! Sports columnist Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Thursday, the Celtics are offering Fab Melo to any NBA team that can provide sufficient backcourt help, and ESPN.com senior writer Chris Broussard claimed Wizards shooting guard Jordan Crawford is “on their radar.”

The 24-year-old Crawford has averaged 13.2 points, 3.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 26.2 minutes for a bad Wizards team. Here’s former ESPN.com analyst and current Grizzlies vice president of basketball operations John Hollinger‘s scouting report on Crawford (WARNING: Don’t get too excited.):

• Shoot-happy guard who takes terrible shots. Capable passer when mood strikes.
• Very quick and has a good handle. Can finish, but poor long-range shooter.
• Abysmal defender. Undersized for 2. Must add strength and dial up effort.

Crawford and newly signed Terrence Williams — at least for the remainder of his 10-day deal — would battle for the fourth spot in Celtics coach Doc Rivers‘ point guard-less backcourt behind Avery Bradley, Courtney Lee and Jason Terry. Crawford has shot 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from 3-point range in two-plus seasons.
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Fab Melo

Celtics president Danny Ainge has placed rookie center Fab Melo on the trade market in hopes of adding depth to his backcourt and bolstering the current roster, according to Yahoo! Sports columnist Adrian Wojnarowski.

Considering Melo has scored all of two points in eight minutes for the Celtics this season, making more headlines when he collapsed inside a folding chair and suffered a concussion upon walking into a doorframe, his addition to the long list of available Celtics comes as no surprise.

After all, Rajon Rondo (for Dwight Howard), Paul Pierce (for Josh Smith), Kevin Garnett (for Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan), Jeff Green and Brandon Bass (for Smith) have all been involved in various trade scenarios.

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The Celtics announced Sunday that they have recalled center Fab Melo from their NBA Development League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. The 7-foot center will be dressed and available for duty against the Nuggets in the 6 p.m. contest at TD Garden.

In his one game on assignment to the Red Claws, Melo scored six points, grabbed five rebounds and had one assist in just under 23 minutes against the Bakersfield Jam on February 8. He is averaging 11.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.45 blocks in 27.4 minutes per game in his 20 contests with Maine this season.

For more, visit the Celtics team page at weei.com/celtics.

Fab Melo

Celtics announced Friday that they have assigned center Fab Melo to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws.

Since returning from his last assignment to the Claws, Melo, a 7-foot center, appeared in two games with the Celtics. Melo played three minutes against the Magic before playing the final five minutes Thursday night against the Lakers.

Melo recorded his first two career points in the blowout win, to go along with a steal and a block.

In 19 games (17 starts) for the Red Claws, Melo is averaging 11.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.6 blocks a game while averaging 27.7 minutes.

WALTHAM — If you needed any proof that Fab Melo still has a lot to learn (and prove) to make it in the NBA, and that D-League stats don’t carry over to the NBA, we submit for your review the following evidence.

Celtics captain Paul Pierce took the opportunity Tuesday before practice began to teach the rookie big man out of Syracuse a thing or two about playing on the low post.

With Jared Sullinger out with season-ending back surgery, Melo was called up from D-League and played just three minutes against the Magic with a steal on Friday but did not seen any action Sunday.

Tuesday we saw a small reason why. Pierce noticed Melo working by himself on low-post moves and came over to give him some real resistance.

Melo missed a shot, double-dribbled and then, while defending Pierce forced a fadeaway that was off-target. But Pierce objected, calling a foul. The next two drives to the basket were baby hooks that found the bottom of the basket. Pierce walked away triumphantly, shouting “all day” to Melo, Celtics coaches and anyone within earshot.

Over his last two NBA Development League games, Fab Melo averaged 23.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.5 blocks. The Celtics rookie amassed 32 points, nine boards and nine rejections for the Red Claws on Wednesday, which, if nothing else, proved his 16 rebounds, 15 points and 14 blocks in Maine last week were no fluke.

After being selected No. 22 overall — one slot behind Jared Sullinger — in this past June’s NBA draft, Melo hasn’t seen action on the C’s, but has produced respectable numbers over 10 games for their D-League affiliate: 10.4 points (51.1 FG%, 66.7 FT%), 6.7 rebounds and 3.9 blocks in just 25.5 minutes a night. Of course, he’s playing against teams from South Dakota and Idaho, so those numbers should be taken with a heaping helping of salt.

Still, there’s always a spot on an NBA roster for bigs who defend the rim, especially on this Celtics team, which allows an atrocious 42.6 points in the paint per game and suffers worse when Kevin Garnett‘s not on the floor.

Exhibit A: Greg Stiemsma.

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