The Boston Celtics were expected to have a down year in 2025-26 without the services of Jayson Tatum available. Tatum suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the second round of the playoffs against the Knicks.
Not only did the Celtics come into the season without Tatum, but they had a new starting point guard and starting center. Boston has persevered, turning this rag-tag team into the third seed in the Eastern Conference standings. Now, they have a shot to actually do damage in the playoffs.
While Neemias Queta has done an adequate job as the starter, he is the weakest link in the lineup. Tatum might return in a couple of months, putting pressure on the Celtics to win in the playoffs. One trade proposal from Bleacher Report has the Celtics address that spot.
GettyBucks center Myles Turner shoots the ball. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Celtics Add New Starting Center in Trade Proposal
Here is the full trade proposal:
Anfernee Simons, Josh Minott, 2026 second-round pick (via DET, MIL or ORL) and 2031 first-round pick (top-3 protected) to the Milwaukee Bucks for Myles Turner.
Simons is someone that the Celtics were looking to try unload before the season started so they could slide under the luxury tax. They weren’t able to find anyone to take him, even though he’s on an expiring contract. Instead, they have been using him off the bench.
Adding Turner would give the Bucks an established starting center who can stretch the floor and protect the rim. It hasn’t worked for Turner so far in Milwaukee, as he is shooting the worst percentage of his career. If Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the way out, trading Turner would make sense for the Bucks.
Bringing Turner to Boston would give them a trade target that they have been interested in for quite a while. Boston was interested in Turner for multiple years while he was with the Indiana Pacers. Trading a first-round pick for a player of Turner’s age might be a bit too much, though.
GettyBucks center Myles Turner passes the ball. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Jayson Tatum’s Return Affects Celtics’ Aggressiveness at the Deadline
Boston won’t make any moves at the trade deadline unless they know that Tatum will be returning to the roster fully healthy. If he is not going to return this season with the same effectiveness that he had a year ago, it doesn’t make sense for them to make moves.
The Celtics have the third-best offense in the NBA without Tatum. If they make a move at the trade deadline, they have to make sure that they don’t mess with that efficiency. Turner’s archetype is exactly what this team would need, not only this season, but the next few years.
Brad Stevens will not be afraid to make moves if they get the Celtics closer to the title. Staying out of the second apron of the luxury tax is going to be the top priority in the offseason, so any moves made this season will be executed with that in mind.
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