The Celtics have been one of the surprise stories of the 2025/26 season, boasting the 10th-best record in the league through their first 26 games despite seeing superstar forward Jayson Tatum tear his Achilles in last season’s playoffs and then losing most of their big man rotation in free agency and trades.
That success has given team president Brad Stevens more flexibility as he considers whether to push chips in or accumulate more assets at the trade deadline, Jay King writes for The Athletic.
“We will not put a ceiling on this group,” Stevens said. “If it makes sense for us to look for things that can help us, we certainly will. But it all has to be within good deals, and it all has to be within the ultimate goal, which is the North Star of retooling so we’re in a position to compete for what we want to compete for (a championship).”
King notes that Boston is currently around $12.1MM over the luxury tax line, so a move to shed salary could help the team’s financial situation. However, the Celtics have won 15 of their last 23 games, fueled in large part by Jaylen Brown, who is sixth in the league in scoring at 29.3 points per game, and may find themselves too good to compete for a high draft pick.
“I think everybody, or a lot of teams, are really still very much in, ‘Let’s see how everything looks as time goes on,'” Stevens said. “Everybody’s a work in progress. What’s the difference between third and ninth in the East right now? There’s hardly anything, right? And I think that we’re all still trying to figure out who we are and what we can be.”
Stevens declined to specify what areas he could target via trade, but King speculates that a move to shore up the frontcourt would make the most sense. Anfernee Simons, on an expiring $27.7MM contract, stands out as a trade candidate should the team seek to improve its roster.
One detail that will likely play a determining role in how the Celtics proceed this season is Tatum’s status as he looks to return from an Achilles tear that has kept him off the court since May.
Tatum has reportedly looked better than expected during his rehabilitation, but there are still no concrete expectations.
“We’re not putting a timeline on it as we haven’t the whole time,” Stevens said. “One of the things that everybody can see (is) that we didn’t apply for a (disabled player exception) this year, which was a conscious decision for a lot of reasons. But the reality is he’s not going to be back until he’s 110 percent healthy and he feels good about it.
“… Obviously, he’s itching to play. Obviously he hates watching. But he’s also very cognizant of the need to meet every threshold and why there are those things that are put in place. … There’s the strength thresholds he has to meet. And then, after that, several weeks of progressions, right, from the standpoint of scripted against small groups, scripted against bigger groups, scripted in 5-on-5, unscripted random, all the way up through those. But it’s a long progression, and it’s almost like, once you hit the strength, then you do your thresholds of a progression of play, and then you’re also reconditioning to play real minutes, whatever that looks like.”
Simons, this year’s first and second for Klay and Gafford.
Simons has sucked lowkey and he’s unlikely to hang around in the future.
This deal brings you in a quality big man which you need cause outside of Queta you’ve struggled. Klay although old and stuff still remains a quality shooter and would be a good locker room presence and offer plenty of experience. Celtics love to shoot threes and he’d do well in their system.
Next year run a line up of
White Klay Brown Tatum Gafford
Pritchard Hugo/Walsh Minnott Hauser Queta
2 star players, 2 quality starters and a good role player making up a strong starting 5. One of the best sixth men in the league in Payton, multiple good 3 and D wings/forwards and then a good back up big. You’ve got experience, some youth and athleticism, and an excellent head coach.
Klay can’t start for a contender, the falloff is real.
Think Celtics would be the best spot for him in terms of how they play and all the other defenders they have there.
Nets get. Simons, Exum and picks from both teams
Boston get. PJ Washington and Jalen Wilson
Dallas get. Hugo González, Highsmith and cash
Celtics hang up. No way they are trading Hugo for PJ Washington. …plus they gotta pay picks…definitely no.
Simons and Hugo and lose 14m in cap space which they want to do. Gives them a starting PF and backup PF when Tatum comes back plus cap space. All you lose is Hugo and some 2nds. Is Hugo going to save the Celtics? I’d rather have a championship
Simons and Hugo-30m. Washington and Wilson-16m Nets take the cap hit
It will take a season or two, but Hugo is a legit starter. Ceiling is higher than Washington. Celtics don’t need “saving”. A healthy Tatum puts them back in the mix for top of the east. Still need to fortify front court to get back to contender status. Washington would help but not at the price of Gonzalez.
Plus as Moga points out, this can’t happen anyway.
This can only happen in the offseason as Washington cannot be traded due to his extension. Also, Mavs dont have a luxury of picks to deal, they want to be the one getting picks.
Simons 2 firsts for Zubac or Simons Hauser 1st for Zubac and Batum
Simons + 5 firsts can get you Zubac. 2 picks won’t.
Five is a extreme price for a C who can only rebound
Even two is a overpay
For Zubac?
Yes, for Zubac. He’s a better more impactful player than Bridges and Bane, and on a lower salary. And those guys cost 4-5 1sts.
I had him in 3rd All-NBA team last season.
But anyway, this is all speculation. LAC don’t have their own picks, they are not going to tank or trade away their most impactful players.
5 firsts LOL
Yeap. 5 first to actually get him.
You can write imaginary deals where Patrick Williams + 2 picks or Simons + 1 will get you Zubac. But in reality, it won’t happen.
LAC are not going to trade him unless they are offered 5 unprotected 1sts like what NYK paid for Bridges.
Simmons, Hauser, Hugo, picks for Giannis… Lol
Simmons for Naz Reid= win/win
Keep playing the full roster. Get Garza and Harper in there with Jordan, Josh, Hugo and Baylor. Tillman and Boucher too. We need to see everyone. This is the Celtics one season, our one OPPORTUNITY, to do so while the pressure to win it all is off and trust in Stevens to get us under the tax and without giving up our youngsters and our future.
If Indy makes a trade for a center. Huff would be a good target. Hauser to me is redundant with Baylor. Hauser for the Time Lord.
Simons and Hauser to Atlanta for, if he’s healthy, and that’s a big if, Porzingas. It gives them a rebounder, rim protector, 3-point shooter, more importantly, an expiring contract.
I don’t think the rules let you trade back for a player you just traded. But I could be wrong.
KP is getting so stiff and without flexibility is easily stripped, probably from his sickness. His Boston smile and 3-pt zingers are sorely missed. At least he was here during our recent Celtics NBA title and got to celebrate. In that parade!