Jordan Walsh Feels the Void as Celtics Navigate Midseason Shakeup
BOSTON - The NBA trade deadline always brings movement, but for young players like Jordan Walsh, it brings something deeper: change that hits beyond the hardwood.
Xavier Tillman’s time in Boston may have been short, but his impact was lasting - especially on the 19-year-old rookie. When Tillman arrived midseason, he quickly became a mentor to Walsh, the youngest player on the Celtics roster. From the start, Tillman was in Walsh’s ear, guiding him through the grind of an NBA season, even when Walsh wasn’t seeing much court time.
That mentorship didn’t fade when Walsh finally cracked the rotation this year. In fact, it grew stronger. Walsh started 20 straight games for the Celtics, and through it all, Tillman remained a steady voice in his corner.
But with the trade deadline now behind them, that voice is gone. Tillman was dealt to the Charlotte Hornets in the final hours before the buzzer, and for Walsh, it’s left a noticeable void.
“It used to be X - X is my guy,” Walsh said. “Now I’m trying to figure out who that is. Me and JB [Jaylen Brown] are really close, so it might just end up being him, but he just wants to put me in a headlock.”
That quote sums up the dynamic perfectly - a mix of humor and honesty that reflects both the camaraderie and the challenge of adjusting to life after a trade. For Walsh, losing Tillman wasn’t just about losing a teammate; it was about losing a sounding board, a big brother figure who helped him find his footing in the league.
Their bond was clear all season. One moment that stood out came after a win over the Orlando Magic, when Walsh hit a clutch three-pointer late in the game. As Walsh settled in for his postgame interview, Tillman crashed the scene, grinning from ear to ear.
“He’s the king of the lockdown,” Tillman said, hyping up the rookie. “He can guard anybody.
The bigs, the littles, the wings, they don’t matter. Call Jordan, he’s your guy.”
That kind of vocal, visible support isn’t easy to replace - especially for a young player still finding his role on a contending team.
Tillman’s leadership didn’t go unnoticed by the coaching staff, either.
“He’s almost become, quickly, a vet for us,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said earlier this season. “I’ve been very appreciative of how he’s handled just the trajectory of his role here.”
And Tillman wasn’t the only Celtic on the move. Boston also traded Anfernee Simons to the Chicago Bulls, Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz, and Josh Minott to the Brooklyn Nets. Each departure chipped away at the team’s chemistry - and for Walsh, it was personal.
“[All] those guys, I got close to while they were here,” he said.
Mazzulla, for his part, acknowledged the emotional toll that comes with this time of year.
“It’s the time of year where you spend time worrying about the person more than the player,” he said.
For Walsh, that adjustment is ongoing. The first game after the trades was especially tough.
“It’s tough. That first game back… me and X were like this,” Walsh said, crossing his fingers.
“And so that first game back, I’m always looking for somebody to talk to, for inspo, points, or whatever it may be, and he just wasn’t there. And I was like, dang it just feels different.
Everything feels different.”
Still, there’s a silver lining on the horizon. The Celtics will host the Bulls on Wednesday - their final game before the All-Star break - and that means a reunion with Simons, who’s already making an impact in Chicago, averaging 20 points over his first three games.
“Fortunately, I’ll see Ant [tomorrow],” Walsh said. “We’ll have to destroy him, though. But, it’ll be good to see him again, have him back in the Garden.”
That’s the reality of the league: business on the court, but bonds off of it. For Walsh, the path forward means adjusting to a new locker room dynamic while continuing to grow in his role.
But one thing’s clear - the relationships built during the grind of an NBA season don’t fade easily. And even as the roster changes, the impact of those connections lingers.