Ranking Celtics' Top Trade Targets After 2026 NBA Playoff Loss

The Boston Celtics looked like heavyweight NBA title contenders until suddenly they didn't.

Their abrupt playoff exit following a Game 7 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers will sting for a while, but hopefully the franchise learns from this and fortifies itself against another premature departure.

The trade market can help with that, especially if they attack it with the following targets in mind.

3. Isaiah Joe, Oklahoma City Thunder

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Too often this postseason the Celtics found themselves desperately searching for—and ultimately failing to find—ignitable scoring and steady shotmaking from their support staff.

Joe could help simplify those searches. And there's a non-zero chance he finds his way to the trade market if the Thunder decide their climbing financial commitments are no longer tenable.

He's a net-shredding specialist of the highest order. This was his fourth season as a rotation regular and his fourth season with a better than 40 percent splash rate from the perimeter. His shot is pure whether spotting up or scampering to an open spot, and his constant off-ball movement acts as a release valve for everyone else.

The Celtics, of course, have some designated distance shooters already, so they might not be inclined to pay what it would take to pry him out of the Sooner State. That said, the cost is the only thing keeping him from ranking even higher.

2. Day'Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets

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Boston's financial cuts hit hardest on the interior, and despite Neemias Queta's best breakout effort, that absolutely showed at times.

The Celtics should be on the prowl for big-bodied reinforcements, and Sharpe could carve out a useful niche as a bully-ball bruiser and relentless hustler.

Sharpe plays a similar full-throttle sytle as Queta, only he's more active on the offensie glass, quicker with his passing reads and not as stingy with his rim protection. Having both on the roster would allow Boston to stay big as long as it wants.

If the Celtics are OK with trading five-out groups for more size and strength, Sharpe should be a priority target.

1. Daniel Gafford, Dallas Mavericks

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If the Celtics want more force and finishing at the 5 spot, Gafford should probably top the wish list.

He knows what's required to play winning basketball, and he's forever willing to play his role in making that happen. His skill tree might not have the most branches, but it's rooted around team-first abilities that help maximize his impact.

He forces absolutely nothing on the offensive end, as he's content to feast on the scoring chances his more crafty teammates create. He'll lean into the elbow-grease aspects of the center position, like rolling hard out of solid screens or motoring down the floor for easy looks, and maximize his chances when his effort is rewarded. That materializes in different ways, but it's most evident in his career 70.2 field-goal percentage.

He is, by ability and approach, your classic rim-runner—bouncy around the basket, active on the glass, disruptive on defense and low on utility outside of the painted area. If Boston could live with his limitations, his positives would make a consistent impact.