The Boston Celtics didn’t make a blockbuster move at the NBA trade deadline, but don’t let the lack of fireworks fool you-this was a savvy day of business. Boston checked off two important boxes: they added frontcourt depth with a proven veteran in Nikola Vucevic, and they trimmed enough salary to duck under the luxury tax line. That’s a win-win for a team eyeing both the postseason and long-term roster flexibility.
Sure, Vucevic might not be the All-Star centerpiece some fans were dreaming about, but he brings a reliable offensive skill set and veteran presence to a team that needed help in the middle. The Celtics moved Anfernee Simons to land Vucevic, then flipped Josh Minott, Xavier Tillman Sr., and Chris Boucher in a flurry of cost-cutting deals that got them under the tax threshold. That’s not just cap wizardry-it’s a front office playing the long game.
Right now, the Celtics are sitting with 12 players on standard contracts and three more on two-way deals. That leaves them a bit thin, and they’ll need to get creative to fill out the roster without tipping back over the tax line. But even with the current group, there’s a lot to like.
Projected Celtics Depth Chart Post-Deadline
PG: Payton Pritchard
SG: Derrick White
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jayson Tatum (?)
C: Nikola Vucevic
Bench/Reserves:
- Baylor Scheierman
- Hugo Gonzalez
- Jordan Walsh
- Sam Hauser
- Neemias Queta
- Max Shulga
- Ron Harper Jr.
- Amari Williams
- Luka Garza
Let’s start with the obvious caveat: Jayson Tatum’s status looms large. If he’s back in the lineup this season, Boston suddenly looks like a serious threat in the Eastern Conference. Without him, they’re still a scrappy, competitive group-but their ceiling takes a hit.
Among the sure things, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, and Jaylen Brown are locked in as starters. That trio gives Boston a strong backcourt foundation, with White continuing to prove himself as one of the most underrated two-way guards in the league.
The center spot is where things get interesting. Neemias Queta has been the starter for much of the year, and he’s made a strong case with his physical presence and defensive versatility.
But Vucevic brings a different flavor-he’s a polished scorer with playoff experience, and that could give him the edge for now. Still, don’t be surprised if Queta earns more minutes as the season wears on, especially in tight, defensive-minded playoff games.
He may not start, but he could very well finish.
As for the fifth starter, that’s been a revolving door all season. Head coach Joe Mazzulla has been playing the matchups, giving opportunities to Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh, and even Ron Harper Jr. in recent games. Until Tatum returns, Hauser seems like the frontrunner-his shooting opens up the floor and complements the core well-but don’t rule out any of those wings getting a shot depending on who’s hot.
Scheierman, Gonzalez, and Walsh will be key rotation pieces off the bench, offering energy, defense, and some shooting punch. Luka Garza is a bit of a wildcard.
He’s logged minutes alongside Queta, but it’s unclear how he’ll fit next to Vucevic. If the Celtics lean into two-big lineups, Garza could carve out a role.
If not, he may be more of a situational piece.
For now, the Celtics are likely to roll with a ten-man rotation built around the starting group of Pritchard, White, Brown, Hauser, and Vucevic. Off the bench, expect consistent minutes from Gonzalez, Scheierman, Walsh, Queta, and Garza. Once Tatum returns and Hauser slides back to the bench, the depth chart tightens up nicely.
Bottom line: Boston didn’t chase headlines at the deadline-they made moves with purpose. They added a skilled veteran center, stayed under the tax, and preserved roster flexibility.
If Tatum suits up again this season, this team has the pieces to make a real run. And even if he doesn’t, they’re built to compete.