What moves make the most sense for Celtics at the NBA trade deadline?

About a month ago, in his last public comments about the upcoming trade deadline, Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said he intended to take more time to evaluate his team before determining his approach.

Since those comments from Stevens, the Celtics have ripped off nine wins in their last 13 games with the NBA’s best net rating (plus-9.6). Their offense has ascended. Their bench has stepped up. They have even ranked fourth in defensive rebounding during this stretch, a shocking jump after they previously ranked last in that category.

So, have they done enough to convince Stevens to look for more help at the deadline? Here’s a look at the Celtics’ situation and five targets who would help fill their biggest need.

The situation

As the trade deadline approaches, the Celtics likely have two dueling objectives. Sitting about $12.1 million over the luxury tax threshold, it would make sense for them to trim more salary. Escaping the luxury tax entirely would save the new ownership about $41 million in tax payments and begin the process of resetting the harsh repeater tax. If they were a bad team, such a path would seem obvious. They could look to move players like Anfernee Simons (making $27.7 million on an expiring contract) or Sam Hauser (whose contract, which extends through 2028-29, will pay him $10 million this season).

However, they aren’t a bad team. In fact, even without the injured Jayson Tatum, the Celtics have built the statistical profile of a contender, with the NBA’s second-ranked offense and third-ranked net rating. As of Tuesday afternoon, they owned the Eastern Conference’s best net rating at plus-7.1. That’s a better net rating than the Celtics had during Joe Mazzulla’s first season, when they came back from a 3-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference finals before falling to the Miami Heat in Game 7. Outside of Tatum, the Celtics have enjoyed significant injury luck, with the trio of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard combining to miss just four games so far. Still, given how potent Boston has been without Tatum, the front office should view this roster as one worth bolstering. Though Luka Garza has made a positive impact since rejoining the rotation a few weeks ago, acquiring an upgrade at center should be at the top of Stevens’ wish list if he does add at least one more piece.

As well as Simons has played recently, keying runs consistently off the bench, his contract still makes him an obvious trade candidate given Boston’s luxury tax situation. The Celtics looked into his trade market after acquiring him from the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason, according to league sources. Though a lot has changed since then, with Simons buying into his sixth man role and the team exceeding expectations, the Celtics hierarchy will shift again when Tatum returns. Whenever that day comes, plenty of touches and shot attempts will be redirected to him, pushing everybody else down a spot in the pecking order. Simons’ strengths as a scorer and playmaker wouldn’t be as necessary in that landscape.

Could Hauser also be a trade candidate? After a slow start, he is right back near the 40-percent mark on 3-point attempts that he has hit in every season dating back at least to the beginning of his college career. He recently stepped back into the starting lineup and is averaging four made 3-pointers per game over his last five outings. The Celtics know they can trust him in the playoffs. Still, the combination of Hauser’s contract, Boston’s salary situation and the emergence of several talented young Celtics wings would be reason to consider moving him.

If the Celtics could acquire a starting-caliber center while shedding salary, that would be two wins in one for Stevens and the front office.

Keeping all of that in mind, here are some potential frontcourt targets for the Celtics.

The potential targets

Ivica Zubac: It’s unclear whether the Clippers’ big man will be available. If he is, he could be an ideal target. At 28, he fits Boston’s timeline alongside Tatum and Brown and should still have years of his prime left. Zubac was second-team All-Defense last season and is also an impactful offensive player with big offensive rebound numbers. On top of his basketball talent, his contract would be a positive for the Celtics. Zubac will make $18.1 million this season (more than $9 million less than Simons) with two more seasons left on a very reasonable deal. The problem? If Zubac is available, he would likely require the Celtics to part ways with significant draft capital. Still, if he’s the missing piece, he would be worth it.

Daniel Gafford: With Anthony Davis’ future uncertain and Derek Lively out for the season, the Dallas frontcourt isn’t overflowing with options like it appeared to be at the start of the season. Still, at 15-25, the Mavericks could sell off veteran players such as Gafford. He would offer the Celtics a new layer of rim protection while also serving as a lob threat. The big man’s three-year, $40 million contract extension begins next season.

Nic Claxton: With impressive court vision (4.1 assists per game), he would give the Celtics frontcourt a different dimension. But he’s also not as impactful on the offensive glass as the other options on this list and will make more money over the next few years. His descending contract will pay him $25.4 million this season, $23.1 million in 2026-27 and $20.9 million in 2027-28.

Robert Williams III: Wouldn’t that be something? A reunion could be far-fetched for various reasons, but Williams could certainly be on the move, with Portland hoping to clear the way for its young centers. On a $13.3 million expiring contract, he wouldn’t hurt the Celtics’ future cap sheet. When healthy, he has been productive for the Trail Blazers this season, but his durability has been a major problem. He has played fewer than 1,000 minutes since the Celtics traded him to Portland in the 2023 offseason. NBA rules would prevent Simons from returning to the Trail Blazers, his former team, in such a trade.

Day’Ron Sharpe: The Nets might not want to give up a promising young big man, but Sharpe is at least worth a call from Boston. The 24-year-old has been an advanced stats darling over limited minutes in Brooklyn and has a sky-high offensive rebound rate throughout his career. Though in his fifth NBA season, he just turned 24 a couple of months ago. While not as proven as the other players on this list, he might just be beginning to realize his potential.