The Boston Celtics are facing a gap year after Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles, having traded two key pieces from their 2024 championship roster.
To shed salary this summer, Boston traded both Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. The club acquired Anfernee Simons in the Holiday trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, though the team may look to reroute him this summer.
With Al Horford expected to leave in free agency and Luke Kornet now with the Spurs, the Celtics are in desperate need of a starting center. Their current options — Luka Garza, Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman — have yet to prove themselves in a long-term starting role.
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Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report recently compiled a blockbuster three-team mock trade that would land the Celtics a new big man while rerouting Simons in the process.
Here’s Pincus’ proposed trade:
Celtics receive: Walker Kessler, $27.7 million trade exception (Simons)
Jazz receive: Terry Rozier, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Neemias Queta, 2026 first-round pick (protected via BOS), 2026 second-round pick (via BOS), 2029 first-round pick swap (via MIA), $5.5 million (via BOS), $4.9 million trade exception (Kessler)
Heat receive: Anfernee Simons, John Tonje, $3.9 million trade exception (Jaquez)
The Celtics desperately need a center, and Kessler has been the subject of trade speculation for quite some time. He’s set to become a restricted free agent after this season, though Boston could negotiate an extension or play the restricted free agency game next offseason.
The 24-year-old center averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks across 30.0 minutes per game in 2024-25. He also shot 66.3 percent from the field over 58 regular-season appearances.
The 7-footer has averaged at least 2.3 blocks per game in each of his first three seasons in the league and would give the Celtics much-needed size in the paint. The Jazz have low expectations once again, and they could acquire a plethora of future assets by trading Kessler.
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