Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics have multiple tools at their disposal as they look to upgrade their roster this upcoming offseason.
The big one is the $27.7 million traded player exception (TPE) they gained from trading Anfernee Simons to the Chicago Bulls for Nikola Vucevic back in February. Another is the $15M non-taxpayer mid-level exception (MLE), which can be used to acquire a player via free agency or trade if the salary fits within the exception.
The non-taxpayer MLE allows NBA teams that are over the salary cap — but below the first luxury tax apron — to sign free agents for more than the minimum salary. That includes the Celtics, but they may not want to use the MLE because doing so would hard-cap them at the first tax apron for the league year. Boston must stay under the tax for one more year to reset the repeater tax, which penalizes teams with higher rates for every dollar spent over the tax threshold.
That said, there are a few intriguing possibilities for the C’s if they plan on utilizing the $15M MLE. Here are five of the best free-agent fits:
Coby White, G
2025-26 Stats: 44.6 FG%, 36.2 3P%, 17.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.0 apg (50 games)
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Brad Penner-Imagn Images Coby White excelled as a sixth man after being traded to Charlotte.
White is a prime candidate for the $15M MLE after a solid season split between the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets. White excelled as a sixth man in Charlotte, where he averaged 15.6 points and shot 39.1 percent from beyond the arc in 19.3 minutes per game.
Assuming the Celtics keep Derrick White and Jaylen Brown, White would play a similar role as a spark off Boston’s bench. Perhaps he’d be redundant with Payton Pritchard in the fold, but Boston could use another impactful guard, and White would give the C’s another consistent scoring option when superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown need a breather.
Anfernee Simons, G
2025-26 Stats: 44.0 FG%, 38.5 3P%, 14.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.4 apg (55 games)
Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Winslow Townson-Imagn Images Anfernee Simons shot 39.5 percent from 3 off Boston’s bench before being traded to Chicago.
Simons was great as a scorer off the Celtics’ bench before being traded to the Bulls for Vucevic at the deadline. The sharpshooter delivered 20-plus points for Boston on several occasions, including a 39-point outburst against the Miami Heat in January.
Although he made $27.7M last season, Simons is considered a potential MLE candidate in free agency. It’ll depend on whether a team with cap room is willing to go above and beyond to sign him.
Collin Gillespie, G
2025-26 Stats: 41.8 FG%, 40.1 3P%, 12.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.6 apg (80 games)
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Collin Gillespie shot over 40 percent from 3 in his breakout season with the Suns.
Gillespie is coming off a breakout season with the Phoenix Suns. The soon-to-be 27-year-old saw his minutes per game jump from 14.0 in 2024-25 to 28.5 in 2026-26. He stepped up as a lights-out shooter from deep and a solid playmaker, checking off two big boxes for Boston.
He’s projected to go for a few million under the $15M MLE, so Boston could use the remaining portion to add another bench contributor.
Mitchell Robinson, C
2025-26 Stats: 72.3 FG%, 5.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.2 bpg (60 games)
John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images A healthy Mitchell Robinson is exactly what the Celtics frontcourt needs.
Adding an impactful frontcourt presence is arguably the Celtics’ number one offseason priority. Robinson has been a defensive stalwart for the New York Knicks, and he’s exactly the kind of center Boston could use to protect the rim. That was a major issue for the C’s in the playoffs against Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid.
Splitting time with Neemias Queta, Robinson would turn Boston’s frontcourt from a weakness into a strength.
Robert Williams III, C
2025-26 Stats: 70.8 FG%, 6.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.5 bpg (59 games)
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Robert Williams III showed what he can do when healthy last season with Portland.
Will Brad Stevens be interested in a Time Lord reunion? Williams finally enjoyed a healthy season in Portland, with the most games he’s played in since his 2021-22 campaign with Boston (61). C’s fans know what he’s capable of when he can stay on the floor, and he showed it last season with rock-solid numbers off the Blazers bench.
Availability will always be a question mark with Williams, but his skill set fits what the Celtics need right now. Stevens should at least consider a reunion if he can’t land Robinson or one of the intriguing TPE frontcourt options.
