With almost three weeks left until the 2026 NBA Trade Deadline, the Celtics are among the top-seeded teams in the league with holes to fill in their rotation.
Neemias Queta has been a big step-up player for the Celtics, but I'm sure Boston would like to add more depth to their list of centers, especially if they can add a bona fide star without giving up a major top-3 player on the team.
On Tuesday, social media began to discuss the possibility of a trade between the Celtics and the Grizzlies where Jaren Jackson Jr. Could be traded away without the Celtics having to give up Tatum, Brown or White.
How could the Celtics trade for Jaren Jackson Jr. Without giving up a star?
Celtics reporter Dan Greenberg posted a mock trade on X that showed how the Celtics could financially work out a realistic deal to bring over Jaren Jackson Jr. Without giving up any major core players.
Financially, it would work if the Celtics gave up Anfernee Simons, Sam Hauser and Jordan Walsh/Hugo Gonzalez for Jaren Jackson Jr. And Jaylen Wells.
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Of course, more could be added to this trade, such as additional players and draft compensation, but it's a good start to see that the finances are pretty close.
Adding Jackson would mean that the Celtics could have a starting lineup of Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Jaren Jackson Jr.
This would immediately elevate the Celtics to a contender if they weren't viewed as one already.
It would deplete their bench a bit, but giving up Hauser wouldn't be the biggest blow, considering he's had an off year.
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Anfernee Simons is on an expiring contract, and there's no guarantee he will return with the team next year.
It would be tough to lose a player like Walsh or Gonzalez, but the team would have to give up a quality young player with potential if they want to bring in someone as good as Jackson Jr.
The Grizzlies are looking to become a youth-oriented roster, so they could value those players the most in a trade, even over Simons or Hauser.
Of course, this is all hypothetical, and we don't know if the Grizzlies would actually shop Jackson Jr. Before the deadline, but they certainly could look at offers if they move on from Ja Morant in the coming weeks.
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