NBA insider: Celtics going to be ‘aggressive’ on trade market, looking to possibly add a ‘big-time’ center

Boston Celtics

Multiple reports have recently indicated that the Celtics could be buyers ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

By Conor Roche

January 24, 2026 | 12:10 PM

2 minutes to read

The Celtics seem set to at least pursue making a notable addition ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

Boston not only “could be a team looking to make a move ahead of the trade deadline,” but ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania also believes the Celtics will be “aggressive” in trying to get a deal done.

“They’ve been in the marketplace, trying to go get a big-time starting center potentially,” Charania said on the “Pat McAfee Show.” “They’re going to be aggressive in moving the needle. They’ve got assets. They’ve got contracts to play with.”

Of course, who a “big-time center” might be is up for interpretation. However, the Celtics have been linked to a pair of notable centers in recent weeks. The Celtics “would love” to land Grizzlies center Jaren Jackson Jr., long-time NBA insider Matt Moore reported earlier in January. The Celtics have also expressed interest in Clippers center Ivica Zubac, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported this month.

Adding either player would certainly be a big swing by the Celtics. Jackson’s a two-time All-Star who won Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and is averaging 18.9 points per game this season. Jackson also has a bit of range as a scorer, shooting 36.3 percent from beyond the arc this year.

Zubac, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the NBA’s top centers over the last couple of seasons. He was named All-Defensive second team in 2024-25, when he averaged 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game. The 28-year-old is averaging 14.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game this season.

Certainly, either player would help fill an obvious need for a Celtics team that’s second in the Eastern Conference standings and possibly positioned to make a run this postseason if star Jayson Tatum returns. In Friday’s win over the Nets, the Celtics had to play second-round rookie Amari Williams for the entirety of the second overtime due to foul trouble to their primary big men.

But trading for either Jackson or Zubac likely won’t come easily, if they’re moved at all. Jackson has been a face of the franchise for Memphis and is under contract through at least the end of the 2028-29 season. Zubac has been a key contributor for a Clippers team that’s been one of the best in basketball as of late, potentially making it tougher for them to want to trade him as they seek to make a playoff push.

If both players are available, though, the Celtics have a handful of potential assets they could use to make a deal. They have all but one of their first-round picks between now and 2032. They also own six second-round picks in the next seven drafts.

In terms of players, guard Anfernee Simons would seem like a logical candidate to get moved for either player. Simons is on an expiring deal worth $27.7 million, giving the Celtics a salary necessary to facilitate a trade. Payton Pritchard might also be viewed as an asset to get a deal done as he’s scoring 16.8 points per game while making $7.2 million this season.

Charania’s report is just the latest that’s indicated that the Celtics are more likely to buy than sell ahead of the trade deadline. The Ringer’s Zach Lowe said earlier this week that “all the rumblings” he’s heard are that the Celtics are likely to take a buyer’s approach ahead of the deadline.