Joe Mazzulla
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Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla during a game against the Detroit Pistons in October 2025
As the February 5 trade deadline approaches, the Boston Celtics appear well positioned to operate as buyers, with frontcourt help emerging as a clear area of focus.
ESPN’s Shams Charania has previously reported that Boston is aggressively canvassing the market for a “big-time starting center” capable of moving the needle in a genuine title push.
While a wide range of names have surfaced in recent weeks, including Ivica Zubac, Jaren Jackson Jr., Daniel Gafford, and Nic Claxton, there is growing belief that Brad Stevens may also be weighing a more complementary, cost-effective addition to bolster depth in the middle.
Boston Celtics Among Missi’s Growing List of Suitors
According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi has drawn significant leaguewide interest, with Boston firmly among a crowded group of potential suitors.
“New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi has drawn significant trade interest, including the Pacers, Hawks, Celtics, Knicks, Bulls, Lakers, and Raptors as suitors, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto reported.
Anfernee Simons’ $27.6 million expiring contract has consistently stood out as Boston’s most obvious trade chip, but its use may be complicated by the team’s financial position.
Moving Simons would likely be tied to efforts to fall back below the luxury tax, a maneuver that could come at an added cost.
Some scenarios have suggested that Boston might need to attach draft capital simply to shed salary, a path Scotto reports the Celtics are reluctant to take.
“While Boston is $12.1 million above the luxury tax, many executives around the league expected the Celtics to try to duck the tax by dangling the expiring $27.68 million contract of Anfernee Simons,” he added.
“However, Simons has been an efficient sixth man off the bench, and league sources told HoopsHype that Boston has also been unwilling to part with a future first-round pick to simply shed Simons’ salary and avoid the luxury tax.”
Against that backdrop, a move for Missi could represent a lower-cost, complementary option that does not hinge on Simons’ contract.
Celtics Weigh Upside and Cost in Frontcourt Search
Through 41 games this season, Missi is averaging 5.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.
His production has dipped from his rookie campaign in 2024-25, when he earned All-Rookie Second Team honors, largely due to a fluctuating role amid organizational changes in New Orleans.
Despite the unexpected emergence of Neemias Queta and Luka Garza, with the latter shooting 43.9% from three-point range, alongside two-way big Amari Williams, Boston’s frontcourt remains thin.
Adding a starting-caliber presence could prove critical if the Celtics hope to sustain a deep postseason run.
Missi’s value lies less in raw scoring and more in his activity on the glass. He is averaging 3.0 offensive rebounds per game, ranking 12th league-wide, a skill set that would translate immediately within Boston’s rotation.
Financially, he also checks key boxes. Missi remains on a four-year, $15.6 million rookie-scale deal, earning $3.3 million this season, with a $5.5 million team option through 2027-28.
That profile makes him a low-cost, long-term developmental piece rather than a cap-clogging commitment, appealing for a Celtics team balancing present contention with future flexibility.
However, Scotto added that the Pelicans are holding out for a first-round pick in any deal for Missi, while also noting that Boston could have additional outgoing moves before the deadline.
“Boston could explore the trade market for Chris Boucher and Xavier Tillman,” he said. “Boucher has drawn exploratory interest from the Hawks, 76ers, Suns, and other teams, league sources told HoopsHype.”
The Pelicans’ reported asking price of a first-round pick may ultimately prove too high.
Even so, Missi represents a more economically viable option than many of the higher-profile centers on the market, one the Celtics could realistically pursue while keeping Simons intact as an asset for potential follow-up moves or as part of the roster for a championship push.