Boston Celtics

Walker Kessler could be Boston’s quiet win of the summer. With Jayson Tatum out for the year and the Celtics staring down nearly half a billion in payroll and taxes, Boston is pivoting. Shedding veterans like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis was just the start. The team now needs to duck under the tax line for two straight seasons to reset the brutal repeater penalties, making this the perfect time for a soft reset. That’s where Utah’s Walker Kessler comes in. Kessler, just 24, brings exactly what Boston needs: size, rim protection, and long-term potential at a bargain. In a three-team deal with the Jazz and Heat, the Celtics flip Anfernee Simons and Neemias Queta (plus picks and cash) to land the young center, while also generating a $27.7 million trade exception. It’s a financial and basketball win, solving their hole at center and slashing nearly $100 million in projected expenses. Even better? Kessler is extension-eligible now, but Boston can wait until next summer when he hits restricted free agency. With Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, and Tatum returning healthy down the line, the Celtics can keep their core intact, and retool with youth and flexibility while staying out of tax hell.

September 14, 2025 Name Deluxe 0

Walker Kessler could be Boston’s quiet win of the summer.   With Jayson Tatum out for the year and the Celtics staring down nearly half […]