The Boston Celtics have made initial moves ahead of the upcoming trade deadline, but more changes may be on the horizon. Among the players potentially on the move is reserve forward Chris Boucher, who has not seen much playing time under head coach Joe Mazzulla since November.
Boucher, who was not included in the lineup for Tuesday’s victory over the Mavericks due to personal reasons, is also sidelined for Wednesday’s game against the Rockets. The Celtics will be without key players, including Anfernee Simons—whose potential trade was hinted at—Sam Hauser (thumb injury), and Jayson Tatum (Achilles), while Jaylen Brown’s availability remains doubtful due to a hamstring issue.
Michael Scotto of Hoopshype mentioned that Boucher has generated interest from several teams, including the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Phoenix Suns. The 33-year-old forward signed a one-year contract with Boston in August for the veteran’s minimum but fell out of favor in the rotation, appearing only in garbage time lately. His performance thus far this season has been modest, averaging just 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds over nine games, with a career 3-point shooting percentage of 33%.
With the Celtics’ recent acquisition of Nikola Vucevic as part of the Simons trade, there could be an opportunity for the team to seek out another ball handler, whether through trade or the buyout market. Additionally, Boston remains $5.9 million over the luxury tax line, making it advantageous to potentially offload Boucher’s contract for financial relief and improved roster balance.
As the NBA trade deadline approaches on Thursday at 3 p.m., the Celtics are positioned to make strategic decisions that could reshape their lineup moving forward.