On Dec. 15, NBA players who signed deals in free agency this summer will be eligible to be traded. This will open up a ton of options for teams trying to be active on the trade market. It is not clear whether the Boston Celtics will be buyers or sellers ahead of the deadline, but two things are certain. One, general manager Brad Stevens will leave no stone unturned. Two, the Celtics will try to position themselves to contend in the 2026-27 season when Jayson Tatum is fully healthy.
Any in-season move the Celtics make will be more about the future than the present. With that in mind, there are some expendable members of the roster, who are the most likely Celtics to be moved.
1. Xavier Tillman Sr., C
The Celtics don't have great quality in their center rotation, but they have a ton of depth. Xavier Tillman has largely been an afterthought among that depth and is firmly behind the likes of Neemias Queta, Chris Boucher, and Luka Garza in the rotation.
The 26-year-old hasn't been able to carve out a role for himself ever since his arrival during the 2023-24 campaign. His defensive versatility has always been intriguing, but his offense is so limited that he can't get on the floor. Eventually, something has to give.
Tillman's contract expires at the end of the season. The Celtics could either use him as a matching salary in a trade or dump him to open up a roster spot to sign a player who can be part of the long-term vision. Whatever they do, it's clear that he doesn't have much of a future in Boston.
2. Anfernee Simons, PG/SG
Simons may be the most likely Celtic to be traded during the season. He has an expiring $27.6 million contract, and the Celtics are presumably not interested in extending his contract for a multitude of reasons:
- Simons is not a great fit next to Payton Pritchard as another offense-first, undersized guard.
- The Celtics don't need his shot creation when Tatum returns.
- The Celtics can't afford his next contract.
- Simons already has a smaller-than-expected role this season, playing only 24.9 minutes per game as of Wednesday.
Instead of letting him walk for nothing in the 2026 offseason, the Celtics would be wise to move on from Simons before the deadline. This would allow them to use Simons' salary slot to bring in a longer-term piece or add draft capital in the trade. The Celtics need more depth and quality in the frontcourt, and Simons is the best way to add that.
3. Sam Hauser, PF/SF
Another player who found himself surprisingly marginalized in Boston is Sam Hauser. During Tatum's absence, many thought that Hauser would see an uptick in his minutes and playing time. Instead, the sharpshooting forward's minutes and usage rate have both stayed the same. The 27-year-old is shooting a career-low 34.0% from downtown, only averaging 6.6 points per game.
Hauser is one of the best shooters in the league, so he should start shooting better and get back to being a 40% shooter. But the fact that he has been behind Jordan Walsh and Josh Minott in the rotation at times should be concerning.
Hauser makes $10 million this season and is under contract for three more seasons. Shooting is a premium skill, and Hauser should have suitors on the trade market. If the Celtics are no longer high on him, he could very well be gone for tax relief or draft capital in return.