Trade rumor season is in full swing around the NBA and it’s no secret that the Celtics are in the market for another big man. Names such as Ivica Zubac and Daniel Gafford have circulated as potential targets in the last week but a more prominent name emerged in rumors on Tuesday. NBA reporter Matt Moore wrote that the Celtics ‘would love to trade’ for Jaren Jackson Jr. and they are the team he’s heard that has the most interest in the Grizzlies big man.
On one hand, there’s nothing wrong with this report in theory. The Celtics would love to have Jackson Jr., just like 28 other teams around the NBA. Whether Jackson Jr. is available via trade is certainly an interesting question. Memphis is currently shopping Ja Morant per multiple reports, and could elect to blow up their core entirely if a major offer comes in for Jackson Jr., in theory.
However, it’s very safe to say that offer won’t be coming from the Celtics at this point for a very simple reason: money.
Jackson’s contract
Jackson Jr. currently makes just $35 million for this season. However, he signed a five-year extension this summer worth $240 million that will bump up his salary to $49 million for the 2026-27 season. Here are his cap hits for the next four seasons:
2026-27: $49 million
2027-28: $50.5 million
2028-29: $52 million
2029-30: $53.5 million (player option)
Celtics cap commitments
The math for a hypothetical trade for Jackson Jr. with the Celtics for this season is fairly simple since he’s only making $35 million now. Boston could offer up some matching salary (Simons, Hauser, etc.), young prospects and multiple future first round picks to make a competitive offer on paper.
However, that trade package would ignore the challenges of team building the Celtics would face in adding a mammoth contract like that to their books beyond this season.
Boston currently has $180.6 million committed to 11 players for next season. That includes $146 million in salary owed to three players (Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White). If you add Jackson Jr. to that mix, that lifts that total to $195 million for four players.
That type of commitment is simply not sustainable for Boston under the new CBA. It would leave Brad Stevens very little financial wiggle room to stay under the second apron ($223 million) and fill out the rest of the roster, essentially leaving the team with $28 million to fill out the remaining 10 roster spots.
There is also the issue of the repeater tax. The Celtics dodged a record-breaking tax bill this past season by getting under the second apron. If the Celtics were to try to acquire Jackson Jr. to put themselves back in contention, that would require a $100 million luxury tax bill and all the penalties that come with being above the second apron (frozen draft picks, limited to signing minimum contracts in free agency, stricter trade rules, etc.). Jackson Jr. is not good enough for Boston to invite back those restrictions with that kind of spending.
The only solution to this issue for the Celtics in a Jackson Jr. pursuit would be moving one of the team’s current big salaries in exchange for the Grizzlies forward. Would Boston trade Jaylen Brown or Derrick White for Jackson Jr.? Multiple league sources cast great doubt on that possibility to MassLive.
Jackson Jr. may be a great fit for Boston on the floor in theory. However, his contract will prevent him from being a realistic trade target for the Celtics unless far more significant changes to this core are made.