Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley is doing some NBA trade brainstorming these days. In a new article published Wednesday entitled, “1 Trade Every NBA Team Would Make If the Deadline Was Today”, Buckley envisioned the Boston Celtics acquiring a 26-year-old center from the Brooklyn Nets. “The trade: Anfernee Simons and a 2027 first-round pick (top-five protected) to the Brooklyn Nets for Nic Claxton,” Buckley wrote. “The Celtics are clearly (and predictably) feeling the effects of their financially driven summer subtractions, but there’s a reason they stopped short of a full-scale fire sale. At some point late this season or next, they’ll get Jayson Tatum back from his torn Achilles and have a real shot to rejoin the East’s elites as soon as that happens.” “It could make sense, then, to address their interior deficiencies before that happens,” Buckley continued. “Because as good as the Tatum-Jaylen Brown-Derrick White trio is, even it can’t overcome such an underwhelming group of centers.” Story continues below advertisement “Claxton could immediately address that problem,” Buckley added. “His above-the-rim finishing and underrated playmaking would be assets in this offense, and his ability to both protect the paint and survive perimeter switches could help transform the Celtics back into being the proverbial immovable object.” While Buckley has identified a good basketball fit for the Celtics in Claxton, there are financial barriers to this deal happening. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens is still in the process of cutting — or at least minimizing — costs, and Claxton’s $69.4 million owed through the 2027-28 season doesn’t exactly align with that plan (he signed a four-year, $97 million deal in 2024). The beauty of Simons for Boston is that he’s helping them stay afloat in 2025-26, and his expiring contract creates breathing room for Stevens following the season. By turning Simons into Claxton, Stevens would take away most of the oxygen from that breathing room. Story continues below advertisement Stevens wouldn’t be too crazy about throwing in a 2027 first-rounder, either, especially after using his last first-round pick to snag a very valuable player in Hugo González. Claxton in Boston is a tempting idea for fans to entertain, but it’s not going to happen.