Celtics Send Away Fan-Favorite Bench Player In Third Deadline Trade

The Boston Celtics were once again busy at the NBA trade deadline, but this time around felt… different.

The biggest move of the week came in the much-anticipated trade of Anfernee Simons.

Although the guard was playing great, paying $27 million for a bench piece was not feasible.

He was flipped into a scoring big, Nikola Vucevic, who will be a day-one starter.

Then Boston sent away veteran flyer Chris Boucher. Boucher had only played 6 minutes in 2026, but the move saved the Celtics a little money and gave the 33-year-old a chance to play elsewhere.

Thursday, in the final hours of the deadline, Boston made a third move in a minimally covered deal that traded away fan-favorite bench player Josh Minott.

Minott has played in just five games in 2026 after starting the season as a 20-minute-per-game type of player. The turnaround in his usage was neck-breaking.

At the end of the day, head coach Joe Mazzulla has settled into a rotation that utilizes players like Bailey Scheierman and Luka Garza in a similar role.

This deal sends the young player to a team that will likely play him much more. When paired with Boucher’s contract, the two moves shed $5.2 million in cap space.

This is more than just a money-saving tactic. The two moves put the Celtics under the first apron, which means they can now sign any buyout candidates that make themselves available.

The Celtics did not receive a player in return for either Minott or Boucher.