{"id":439355,"date":"2026-01-26T21:56:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T21:56:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/439355\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T21:56:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T21:56:08","slug":"three-low-cost-trade-options-for-the-boston-celtics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/439355\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Low Cost Trade Options For The Boston Celtics"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t\t\t<img width=\"780\" height=\"439\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2237751488_d00590-e1769425842485.jpg\" class=\"attachment-featured-image size-featured-image wp-post-image\" alt=\"Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics\"   decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics<\/p>\n<p>The Feb. 5 trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and the <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nba\/boston-celtics\/\" title=\"Boston Celtics\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"152514\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Boston Celtics<\/a> are expected to be active in seeking out an upgrade at the center position.<\/p>\n<p>Brad Stevens has been linked with interest in both Ivica Zubac and Jaren Jackson Jr. in recent weeks. However, both veteran centers would likely come at a sizeable price point.\u00a0 As such, there\u2019s a chance Stevens could look elsewhere, with younger, cheaper talent at the forefront of his search.<\/p>\n<p>With that in mind, here are three low-cost trade options the Celtics could explore in the hope of adding more talent to the center rotation.<\/p>\n<p>Celtics Option 1: Yves Missi | New Orleans Pelicans<\/p>\n<p>Missi is reportedly disgruntled with the <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nba\/new-orleans-pelicans\/\" title=\"New Orleans Pelicans\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"152513\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">New Orleans Pelicans<\/a> and is expected to be moved before the trade deadline passes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe 21-year-old big man and his camp feel disrespected by the Pelicans for his major decrease in minutes, and tension has formed between the two sides, sources say,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/clutchpoints.com\/nba\/new-orleans-pelicans\/pelicans-rumors-yves-missi-disrespected-trade-talks-heat-up\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\">Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints recently reported.<\/a> \u201cNot only does Missi want an elevated role, but the organization is fielding a ton of interest in him, making him one of the most likely players to be on the move before this year\u2019s trade deadline.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Missi is on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotrac.com\/nba\/player\/_\/id\/91761\/yvesmissi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\">team-friendly contract,<\/a> earning $15.6 million throughout his four-year deal. This season, he will pocket $3.3 million. The Celtics have more than enough trade pieces to match such a modest salary. Furthermore, bringing him to Boston would improve the roster without giving up a key rotation player such as Anfernee Simons or Sam Hauser.<\/p>\n<p>Missi has played in 40 games this season, averaging 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists on 53.3% shooting.<\/p>\n<p>Celtics Option 2: Day\u2019Ron Sharpe | Brooklyn Nets<\/p>\n<p>The Athletic\u2019s Jay King recently suggested a move for Day\u2019Ron Sharpe could be a low-cost addition to the Celtics big-man rotation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Nets might not want to give up a promising young big man, but Sharpe is at least worth a call from Boston,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6967765\/2026\/01\/14\/celtics-anfernee-simons-nba-trade-deadline\/?referrer=grok.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\">King wrote.<\/a> \u201cThe 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 <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nba\/\" title=\"NBA\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"152515\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NBA<\/a> season, he just turned 24 a couple of months ago. \u2026 He might just be beginning to realize his potential.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sharpe is an advanced analytics darling. His all-around numbers highlight a player who could thrive in a larger role. His ability to guard multiple positions, control the glass and score in multiple ways on offense would fit Joe Mazzulla\u2019s system. The only drawback is that Sharpe is 6\u201910\u201d and doesn\u2019t possess \u201cjump out of the gym\u201d athleticism.<\/p>\n<p>Still, if Boston believes that Sharpe can grow into a true defensive anchor, his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotrac.com\/nba\/player\/_\/id\/74136\/dayron-sharpe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\">$6.25 million<\/a> yearly salary is easy enough to match in a trade.<\/p>\n<p>Celtics Option 3: Onyeka Okongwu | Atlanta Hawks<\/p>\n<p>Onyeka Okongwu is another 6\u201910\u201d candidate. He\u2019s a defense-first big man who can anchor a team. According to NBA Insider Evan Sidery of Forbes, Boston has some interest in acquiring Okongwu ahead of the trade deadline.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Celtics are shopping Anfernee Simons\u2019 $27.6 million expiring contract for an impact starting center,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/esidery\/status\/2015566706526072994\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\">Sidery wrote on X.<\/a> \u201cBoston has inquired on Ivica Zubac, Nic Claxton, Onyeka Okongwu, and Daniel Gafford during trade season.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Okongwu is certainly the most expensive player on this list, earning <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotrac.com\/nba\/player\/_\/id\/70648\/onyeka-okongwu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\">$15 million this season.<\/a> Still, his contract is low enough that it\u2019s still possible to acquire him without gutting the rotation.<\/p>\n<p>Okongwu is also the most proven talent on this list. He\u2019s currently averaging 16.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists on 48.4% shooting and 36.9% from deep.<\/p>\n<p>So, if Stevens isn\u2019t sold on a high-cost addition but still wants a starting-level big with long-term upside, there are options available to him.<\/p>\n<p>Only time will tell how he chooses to proceed.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/author\/adamtaylornba\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Adam Taylor<\/a> is a basketball reporter covering the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Miami Heat for Heavy. He holds bylines for CelticsBlog, USA Today and Yardbarker. Adam also covers the WWE and AEW. He has a bachelor\u2019s degree in creative writing from Open University.  <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/author\/adamtaylornba\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">More about Adam Taylor<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Celtics\n\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics The Feb. 5 trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and the Boston Celtics are&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":439356,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":["post-439355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=439355"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439355\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/439356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=439355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=439355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=439355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}