5 Potential Trade Targets To Strengthen The Celtics Big Man Rotation

Some Tuesday Trade Talk

Yesterday, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints posted a trade idea involving the Boston Celtics. The deal centered on acquiring Ja Morant by the Sacramento Kings, with the Celtics acting as a third team to facilitate the move.

The mock trade looked like this:

Memphis Grizzlies receive: Anfernee Simons, Malik Monk, Jordan Walsh, SAS 2027 1st-round pick (if 1-16, via SAC, else two 2027 2nd-round picks), SAC 2029 1st-round pick (top-3 protected), ORL/DET/MIL 2026 2nd-round pick (most favorable from BOS → MEM)

Boston Celtics receive: DeMar DeRozan, Devin Carter, SAC 2026 2nd-round pick

Sacramento Kings receive: Ja Morant, Baylor Scheierman

For what it’s worth, I’m totally against this trade idea. DeRozan is 36, and there is a significant amount of crossover with what Jaylen Brown brings to the table, minus the athleticism and on-ball defense.

Sure, the move could make sense this season, but what happens when Jayson Tatum is back next season? And what about the development of Josh Minott and Hugo Gonzalez?

The only saving grace is that DeRozan’s contract is only partially guaranteed next season, so that could help soften any potential blow.

I went deeper into this in today’s podcast with Billy Calabrese — I’ll post the audio version here soon. The YouTube version is live…

Nevertheless, all this trade talk — whether based on a hypothetical proposal or not — has made me question who the Celtics could look to target between now and the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

I’m not going to throw out potential trade packages; that’s not my style, and certainly not one of my strengths. What I am going to do, though, is postulate some realistic targets who could improve the current front court and provide some runway to further development down the line.

The low-cost option: Onyeka Okongwu

Shoutout to Billy for this idea.

The Atlanta Hawks have a loaded front-court. They could be open to losing one of their rotational bigs, and if I’m the Celtics front office, Okongwu would be an enticing option. He’s currently playing a sizeable role off the Hawks bench, averaging 28.8 minutes per game and putting in some solid work on the glass (8.4 boards per night, 6.4 of them coming on the defensive glass).

Okongwu might not be a viable three-point threat, but he’s clearly working on improving that aspect of his game. His attempts from deep have trended north over the last three years, climbing from 1.3 to 2 to 3.3 this season. Joe Mazzulla would undoubtedly look to unlock that further.

The downside to Okongwu is his lack of size. At 6-foot-9, he doesn’t provide much rim protection/deterrence; however, he’s strong, can move well, is capable of guarding multiple positions and has a solid motor. He would be an upgrade on Xavier Tillman Sr. while also giving Neemias Queta and Luka Garza a run for their money.

If the price is right and the Hawks are amenable to a trade discussion, Okongwu could be a viable addition to the rotation.

The veteran presence: Kevon Looney

How long until the New Orleans Pelicans accept their fate and blow it up?

They added Kevon Looney during the summer, likely in search of some additional veteran leadership and competitive know-how. They’re 2-8 right now and looking good value for high odds in next year’s draft lottery.

It’s unlikely Looney will hit the market so soon after joining the franchise, but if the front office finally wakes up and realizes a rebuild is needed, Looney could be one of the first names on the trade block. The Celtics have the young guys and future draft assets to piece together an enticing package.

Looney, 29, is a two-time champion and fierce defender. He can produce on the glass, set solid screens and work as a roll man with regularity. He doesn’t have the size to deter drives or offer vertical spacing, but his IQ, movement and low center of gravity would allow him to thrive in Mazzulla’s current defensive system.

At $8 million a year, Looney is on a reasonable deal, with a team option for next season. Ideally, the Celtics can get him to agree to a lower contract moving forward if there are some guaranteed years thrown into the negotiations.

The “they need to make a move” option: Daniel Gafford

There’s a reason “fire Nico” chants continue to ring throughout the American Airlines Center. Dallas is 3-8 to start the season, and that’s despite the addition of Cooper Flagg this summer.

Sooner or later, Nico Harrison will need to dip back into the trade market, and that could be the perfect time for the Celtics to try and exploit any hint of desperation the Mavericks are displaying.

Gafford would be a great fit on this Celtics team. He’s a lob threat, can defend and most importantly, is a viable glass-eater against starting-level bigs. Neemias Queta would move into a bench role, and Garza is then forced to fight for minutes as a third big in the rotation.

The Mavericks are unlikely to part with their starting center willingly, but with the position they’re currently in, they may be willing to negotiate, especially if a scorer like Anfernee Simons is on the agenda.

Something needs to change in Dallas, and Brad Stevens will likely be monitoring developments with the idea of poaching some high-level talent at or near the trade deadline.

The low-cost dice roll: Trayce Jackson-Davis

The arrival of Al Horford (I miss you, Al) has limited Trayce Jackson-Davis’ playing time this season. He’s suited up for six games, averaging 9 minutes per outing. During his first two years in the league, the former second-round draft pick was a staple in Steve Kerr’s rotation, starting 53 of his 109 games between his rookie and sophomore years.

He’s not as polished as Okongwu, and would certainly not solve all of Boston’s rebounding issues, but his work rate, offensive rebounding and playmaking chops could give the rotation a different look. Last season, when on the court, he accounted for 16.6% of the Warriors’ assisted shots. The Celtics have missed a reliable passer at the center position, especially in the short-roll.

Jackson-Davis isn’t a solve-all addition, but his ability to take care of the rock, play a switchable style of defense and operate as a hand-off and short-roll creation threat could unlock some of the Celtics’ off-ball movements.

Final Thoughts

I’m aware I’ve chosen undersized bigs as potential options. The idea here is adding defensive versatility, rebounding and options for running double-big lineups in the future, especially if the Celtics locate a new floor-spacing five.

I don’t see the need to add another forward to the rotation, not with Brown, Minott, Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh all making the most of their minutes — And that’s before the Celtics’ top-five All-NBA forward comes back from injury.

The center position, at least to me, is still the area of the floor in need of reinforcements.

Would you go for any of these guys? Who is missing from the list? Let me know in the comments!