The Celtics have been linked to a handful of notable massive males forward of subsequent Thursday’s NBA commerce deadline.
Right here’s one other: Yves Missi.
HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto on Wednesday listed Boston as one of the “suitors” for the second-year New Orleans Pelicans heart, citing league sources.
Although Missi at the moment is a backup on one of many NBA’s worst groups, he’s “drawn vital commerce curiosity,” per Scotto’s report, from golf equipment together with the Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors.
The Pelicans reportedly “have signaled that they’d desire a first-round choose to contemplate parting with Missi.”
Drafted twenty first total out of Baylor in 2024, Missi began 67 video games as a rookie earlier than 2025 first-rounder Derik Queen leapfrogged him on the depth chart. Listed at 6-foot-11, the 21-year-old has averaged 11.8 factors, 11.0 rebounds and a pair of.0 blocks per 36 minutes in his profession.
Missi is an efficient shot-blocker and offensive rebounder — amongst gamers with a minimum of 500 minutes performed this season, solely Mitchell Robinson, Steven Adams, Andre Drummond and Donovan Clingan are averaging extra offensive boards per 36 than Missi’s 5.7 — and the 12-37 Pelicans are 9.7 factors higher per 100 possessions with him on the courtroom, per Cleansing the Glass. He’s additionally on an inexpensive rookie-scale contract ($3.4 million wage this season; $3.6 million subsequent season) and is underneath crew management by way of 2027-28.
Buying frontcourt assist seemed like a precedence for the Celtics getting into the season, however their low-cost steady of facilities has exceeded expectations, with Neemias Queta rising as a top quality starter and Luka Garza as a productive backup. Second-round rookie Amari Williams additionally has seen elevated enjoying time of late, although he struggled in Wednesday’s 117-106 loss to Atlanta.
Veteran reserves Chris Boucher and Xavier Tillman have hardly performed this season; each are potential pre-deadline commerce candidates. Scotto reported Boucher, 33, has drawn “exploratory interest” from multiple teams.
