Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has been active this trade deadline. Stevens swapped Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vucevic on Tuesday, and on Thursday, Stevens made another move.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Celtics have dealt big man Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz.
As of Shams’s initial reporting, it wasn’t clear what Boston is getting back in the trade, but seeing as its being talked about as a $2.3 million salary dump for the Celtics, there likely aren’t any players coming to Boston in exchange, only second-round draft capital.
In August Boucher signed a one-year minimum contract with the Celtics, seeking a fresh start. However, his 2025-26 season has been quiet so far, limited to nine games.
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Averaging just 10.4 minutes in his appearances, he has managed 2.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, and 0.6 steals per outing, with shooting splits of 32% from the field and 13.3% from three. His production reflects a reduced role on a deep Celtics roster, with sporadic bursts like a seven-rebound effort against Memphis in November. Recently, personal reasons have kept him sidelined.
Boucher, 33, entered the NBA as an undrafted free agent after a college stint at Oregon, where he averaged 12 points and nearly seven rebounds per game. His professional journey began with a two-way contract for the Golden State Warriors in 2017-18, though he saw minimal action in one game. Released shortly after, he joined the Toronto Raptors in 2018, converting an Exhibit 10 deal into a standard contract and contributing to their 2019 NBA championship run.
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Over eight seasons with Toronto, Boucher developed into a reliable bench big, known for his shot-blocking and energy. He earned Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2020-21 and posted career averages of 8.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and nearly a block per game across 416 appearances, shooting 48.7% from the field.
Featured image via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
