Celtics Could Bolster Frontcourt by Swapping Anfernee Simons for Jazz's Young Center

Of course, these moves allowed Boston to get under the second apron and while Tatum is set to miss the entire 2025-26 season due to a torn Achilles, the Celtics are still expected to a be playoff team this season with Jaylen Brown and Derrick White leading the way.

Celtics Could Look to Upgrade Frontcourt

For Boston, they could also look to make more trades ahead of the trade deadline to upgrade their roster for not only this season, but also next season for when Tatum returns.

One area that they desperately need to upgrade is their frontcourt, especially after trading Porzingis and allowing Horford and Kornet to leave in free agency.

Due to this, the Celtics may look to add a key big man to their roster this season via trade and one player they could target is Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler.

Mock Trade Sends Walker Kessler to Celtics for Anfernee Simons

In a potential trade, the Celtics could send Simons to the Jazz for both Kessler and Jusuf Nurkic.

Of course, Boston may also have to throw in draft capital in this trade due to Utah’s high asking price for Kessler, though they may not have to due to them taking on Nurkic’s contract.

For the Celtics, adding Kessler gives them a major upgrade at the center position while also giving them a young player who could play a key role in the future.

Last season, the 24-year-old center averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 66.3% from the field.

Kessler is a solid inside scorer but he is better known for his rebounding and defense, especially his rim protection which is something the Celtics need.

This trade would also land Boston another big man in Nurkic to further upgrade their frontcourt as the veteran center would give them a solid backup big behind Kessler.

While this move may not make the Celtics a contender this season due to Tatum’s injury, it could benefit them later down the road once their star forward returns.