The Boston Celtics frontcourt was enough of a question mark entering this season that team president Brad Stevens, the man who built it, could not anticipate how the depth chart would materialize.
“I don’t know how the frontcourt’s gonna play itself out right now,” Stevens said in September. “I can’t predict it.”
The Boston big men have answered plenty of questions since then. Neemias Queta has emerged as a quality starter. Luka Garza has proven himself as a dependable backup. Even so, the Celtics will aim to fortify their frontcourt further before Thursday’s trade deadline, according to league sources.
In their search for another option at center, the possibilities range from short-term stopgaps to potential long-term fits. Veterans like 35-year-old Nikola Vučević ($21.5 million this season) and 31-year-old Jusuf Nurkić ($19.4 million) would fit into the former category. Both players are on expiring contracts. Daniel Gafford, Nicolas Claxton and Myles Turner would all be more expensive options with multiple seasons left on their deals. Among less-established players, Day’Ron Sharpe, Yves Missi, Jay Huff, Jalen Smith, Goga Bitadze, Karlo Matković and Marvin Bagley could be targets. Sharpe, 24, has been one of the NBA’s best offensive rebounders. Making $6.3 million this season, he has a team option for the same price next season. Huff, who leads the league in block percentage, will make $2.3 million this season, $2.7 million next season and $3 million the following season.
Though career seasons from Queta and Garza have contributed to the Celtics’ success, the team has reason to hunt for more depth at center. Head coach Joe Mazzulla has shown little faith in his other veteran big men, Xavier Tillman and Chris Boucher. When Queta and Garza fouled out of a recent win against the Brooklyn Nets, Mazzulla closed the game with two-way rookie Amari Williams at center. Recently, Mazzulla has also used Williams over Tillman and Boucher when the Celtics have been short-handed. If Mazzulla isn’t confident in Tillman or Boucher, one poorly-timed injury to Queta or Garza would leave the frontcourt in rough shape. Williams will not be eligible to play in the postseason unless Boston converts his contract to a standard deal.
In any trade for significant salary, the Celtics would be likely to part ways with Anfernee Simons, according to league sources. That wouldn’t be an easy loss for the team to stomach, as he has acclimated himself well in Boston. Based on all indications, the Celtics have appreciated Simons’ approach this season. After leading the Portland Trail Blazers in scoring last season, he has fully bought into a bench role. Several times, Mazzulla has raved about Simons’ mindset and defensive commitment. The guard’s ability to ignite has been a big deal for the Celtics’ offense, which entered Monday ranked second despite Jayson Tatum’s season-long absence.
“That’s kind of been his role,” Mazzulla said Sunday after Simons scored 27 points in a big win against the Milwaukee Bucks. “And he’s done a great job buying into it, really, on both ends of the floor. But just to have another guy that could take pressure off the others and really just kind of score seamlessly, whether it’s catch-and-shoot shots, whether it’s off the dribble, whether it’s driving to the basket, he’s played his role for us tremendously, and he’s just another guy that makes us better.”
Simons has created plenty of fans within the organization over his short time with the Celtics. Still, his $27.7 million expiring contract has made him a trade candidate since he arrived in Boston. As much as the Celtics value Simons and the way he has fit in, the reality is that his role would also change if Tatum returns this season. In that scenario, Boston would have less of a need for Simons’ scoring. The team is exploring paths to swap Simons and potentially draft capital for a big man, according to league sources.
Though the Celtics made some big offseason moves to shed salary, they will not aggressively look to get under the luxury tax threshold at the deadline, according to league sources. That echoes what Stevens indicated in September when he said the team has “no tax goal” from the new ownership group led by Bill Chisholm. However, given how much money Simons makes, the Celtics could end up taking back less salary if they do include him in a trade. To reset the repeater tax, they would need to get under the luxury tax threshold this season and stay under it next season. They are currently $12.1 million over the tax line.
The Celtics could also be active on the fringes of their roster, with Boucher’s situation one to watch. Including luxury taxes, the Celtics could potentially save several million dollars by trading the veteran, who has appeared in just one game since Nov. 23. Considering how minimal a role Boucher has played in Boston, he could be the player most likely to be moved before the deadline, according to league sources. If the Celtics do trade him, they could potentially sign another big man to replace him.
Tillman has a similar contract situation, but while he has also fallen out of the rotation, the Celtics value everything he brings off the court. Several players have praised Tillman’s locker room presence and leadership. He hasn’t played significant minutes since Nov. 30, but he was solid that day while playing 30 minutes in a 117-115 road win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In mid-December, Stevens said he would take more time to evaluate his team before deciding what path to take at the deadline. Since those comments from Stevens, the Celtics have gone 16-7 with the league’s second-best net rating (plus-9.6). Tied for second in the Eastern Conference entering Monday, they have played like a contender even without Tatum. With a proven core surrounded by quickly developing young players, they don’t have many holes on their roster. Even their frontcourt now looks stronger than it did in September, but they would like to give it some help.
