The trade deadline is in the history books. As expected, the Boston Celtics moved on from Anfernee Simons, and they found a much better fit in Nikola Vucevic. They also moved on from Chris Boucher, Xavier Tillman, and Josh Minott, who will likely become buyout candidates.
Talking about buyouts, the trade deadline may be over, but that doesn't mean teams will stop making moves. If anything, this is the right time to make the most of solid veterans stuck in bad situations. Every year, we see veterans who were shipped to a new team at the deadline ultimately find their way onto the open market just to join a contender for the stretch run.
Given their place in the Eastern Conference standings, it would make sense for Brad Stevens and the Celtics to keep a close eye on which players receive buyouts and become free agents in the coming weeks.
With that in mind, we'll talk about three buyout candidates the Celtics should pursue if they become available.
1. Jusuf Nurkic - C, Utah Jazz
Danny Ainge has Boston Celtics DNA, so he essentially refuses to tank. That might make this move a bit tricky, given the possibility that he may not be interested in buying out Jusuf Nurkic from his current deal. That said, with Jaren Jackson Jr. in town and Nurkic missing several games, it's not entirely out of the question, either.
The Celtics already added a solid big man in Vucevic, but they don't have much depth at power forward. Joe Mazzulla can make the most of Vucevic's floor-spreading ability, move him to the four spot, and roll with Nurkic at the five in some jumbo sets.
While not an old-school, back-to-the-basket, rim-protecting big man, Nurkic is a solid rebounder who has added to his offensive arsenal. If he becomes available, he'd be an upgrade over Neemias Queta and Luka Garza.
2. Kyle Anderson - F, Memphis Grizzlies
While not the flashiest player by any means, which makes sense given his nickname of Slo-Mo, Kyle Anderson plays winning hoops. Joe Mazzulla would love him because he does all the little and scrappy things that rarely show up on the scoreboard but always help the team.
Again, the Celtics are thin at power forward, and Anderson can play and guard both forward spots. He's not going to provide much shooting or scoring, but he has a high basketball IQ and is an active cutter and passer.
He's also not the type of high-maintenance player who needs a lot of minutes or touches to make an impact. Anderson knows his role and understands what he needs to do to help his team be successful. Should he become available, Anderson could give this team yet another strong defensive presence in the wings.
3. Khris Middleton - SF, Dallas Mavericks
Khris Middleton's best years are behind him, and he might be better suited for a bench role at this stage of his career. Whatever the case, he can score from all over the court, can play smart defense, and is a winning player who doesn't mind taking a backseat to other superstars.
Even if Jayson Tatum can come back, which is a big if, the Celtics don't need to rush his return. The former Duke standout still has the best years of his career ahead of him, and Boston has proved it can compete at a high level with this current core.
Adding Middleton to the mix could allow them to move Derrick White to the second unit, giving them another three-level scorer and defensive player off the bench. It could also bump Jaylen Brown to the three or the four spots and play small-ball at times. Even if he's not in his prime, he still has championship experience.