NBA Rumors: The three-team trade that could give the Boston Celtics their new starting center

The Boston Celtics have spent this summer adjusting their salary cap to escape the dreaded luxury tax. In the process, they have parted ways with two key pieces from the 2024 championship team: center Kristaps Porzingis and point guard Jrue Holiday. Although they still have Derrick White and Payton Pritchard to handle the playmaking duties, the gap at the starting center position is evident.

In this context, Eric Pincus from Bleacher Report has proposed a surprising trade involving three franchises that would send defensive specialist Walker Kessler from Utah Jazz to Boston. It would not be surprising to see the Celtics and executive Danny Ainge, currently in Utah, closing a new deal.

According to the proposal, the trade would be as follows:

• Boston Celtics would receive Walker Kessler and a 27.7 million trade exception from Anfernee Simons.

• Utah Jazz would acquire Terry Rozier and Jaime Jaquez Jr. from Miami, Neemias Queta from Boston, a protected 2026 first-round pick and a 2026 second-round pick from the Celtics, along with a protected 2029 swap with the Heat, 5.5 million from Boston, and a 4.9 million trade exception.

• Miami Heat would add Anfernee Simons from Boston, the rights to the 53rd pick John Tonje from Utah, and a 3.9 million exception generated by Jaquez.

What each team gains

For the Celtics, Kessler's arrival would fill the void left by Porzingis and also allow them to offload the 27 million that Simons will earn in the final year of his contract. Utah, on the other hand, would receive a promising young talent in Jaquez Jr., a rotational center in Queta, and their usual haul of draft picks.

As for the Heat, they would add Simons as an additional scorer alongside Norman Powell, bolstering their offense after the departure of Jimmy Butler. Moreover, the trade would not jeopardize their future, as both players have contracts expiring at the end of the season.

A tempting proposal on paper... but the big question remains: who would say no?

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rumores NBA: El intercambio a tres bandas que podría dar a Boston Celtics su nuevo pívot titular