The Celtics have been linked to their latest big man on the trade market ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline. Pelicans big man Yves Missi has drawn interest from around the league, including the Celtics, per HoopHype’s Michael Scotto.
Other teams who are linked to Missi include the Knicks, Bulls, Pacers, Lakers, Raptors and Hawks. Scotto reported the Pelicans want a potential first-round pick in a trade.
Missi, 21, was a promising rookie last year, but he hasn’t played much for New Orleans this season. The 6-foot-11 big is averaging 5.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in 41 games (seven starts) this year. That’s compared to 9.1 points and 8.2 rebounds in 73 games (67 starts) last year.
From the Celtics’ side, they could look to move their 2026 first-round pick in a potential deal for the right big. That pick won’t be very high considering where they are in the standings.
Backup big man is an obvious upgrade spot for the Celtics. They’ve been rumored to be interested in bigs all over the league. Neemias Queta has solidified the starter role well with Luka Garza also emerging in recent games. However, getting another backup for the rest of the regular season and beyond would round out the roster well.
The trade deadline is next week, so there should be more movement across the NBA. While the C’s have also been connected to starter-quality guys like the Clippers’ Ivica Zubac, it makes more sense to target backup bigs from a price standpoint.