Over the offseason, the Boston Celtics lost three key members of their center rotation. Al Horford, Luke Kornet and Kristaps Porzingis all left the franchise either via trade or free agency. Luka Garza was added to the roster to provide some depth, while Neemias Queta was elevated into a starting role. So far, Queta has shone in the middle of the floor. He’s impacting games with size, strength and endless motor. Nevertheless, it still feels like he’s better suited to a role off the bench. With that in mind, here are three realistic trade targets the Celtics could look at, in a bid to improve the current center rotation. Nic Claxton Nic Claxton, 26, is currently suiting up for the 2-12 Brooklyn Nets. Over 14 games, he’s averaging 14.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. Claxton is currently in the second year of a four-year, $97 million contract. His salary is set to decline year over year, with him earning $25.3 million this season. As the Nets are a rebuilding team, Boston likely would need to include at least one of its younger players in any potential trade. Furthermore, draft picks would need to change hands. Nevertheless, Claxton would instantly improve Boston’s big-man rotation while giving them the type of lob-threat and rim-protector they lost when parting with Rob Williams in 2023. Daniel Gafford The Dallas Mavericks are in a tough spot right now. Their decision to trade Luka Doncic continues to haunt them, especially as Anthony Davis struggles to stay healthy, and the ownership group has fired Nico Harrison. Given the Mavericks’ current struggles, there’s a chance they could look to inject some fresh life into the roster via a trade. Story continues below advertisement That’s where Boston could come into play. Daniel Gafford would easily slot into the Celtics’ starting center position, providing verticality on both sides of the ball. He’s under contract until 2030, with his salary set to incrementally rise from $14.3 million this season to $18.9 million in 2029-2030. Much like Claxton, Gafford could fill a rim-running role for Boston. Nikola Vucevic Adding Nikola Vucevic would be more of a win-now move for the Celtics. He’s already 35 years old and doesn’t have a ton of time left in the NBA. However, he’s coming off an All-Star level season for the Chicago Bulls, where he averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists across 73 games. He also shot 40.2% from deep last season on 4.4 attempts per game. Unlike Claxton and Gafford, Vucevic’s style of play would allow Mazzulla to continue running his five-out, three-point-heavy system. The veteran big man would instantly solve the Celtics’ rebounding issues and give them a reliable presence to lean on in the half-court. Story continues below advertisement However, Vucevic is on an expiring contract. If the Celtics were to trade for him, they would need to re-sign him this summer, assuming they’re looking to contend immediately once Jayson Tatum returns from his Achilles tendon injury.