Former Celtics center interested in joining Boston rival after buyout (report)

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Former Celtics center interested in joining Boston rival after buyout (report)

Brian Robb · MassLive

Sat, Feb 28, 2026 ·

2 min read

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Chris Boucher is still looking for a new home after the Celtics traded him away earlier this month and is hoping to join a familiar Eastern Conference foe. The free agent big man reportedly holds a desire to return to the Toronto Raptors , league sources told Brett Siegel of Clutchpoints .

Boucher spent seven seasons with the Raptors before leaving as a free agent this summer to sign with Boston on a veteran’s minimum deal. Boucher was unable to play his way into Joe Mazzulla’s rotation after the start of the season, which led the team to trade the big man along with a 2027 second-round pick in exchange for two-way forward John Tonje . The move was effectively a salary dump, which helped Boston clear a roster spot and get under the luxury tax line. The Celtics promoted Amari Williams to the 15-man roster after the deal, covering the rookie from a two-way deal to a standard roster spot.

The Jazz waived Boucher one day after acquiring the big man from Boston, leaving the 33-year-old looking for a new home since the first week of February. Boucher played just nine games for Boston this season, appearing just once since Nov. 23 after he fell behind Neemias Queta , Luka Garza and Xavier Tillman in the frontcourt rotation. He averaged 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in nine appearances but is a 33 percent career 3-point shooter and played regular minutes for the Raptors off the bench for the past several seasons.

Seven different players that have been waived or bought out have signed with teams on the free agent market over the last month. However, the market has been slow on the buyout front as teams weigh their options ahead of the March 1 deadline where players must be waived to become playoff eligible with a new team.

The Raptors currently do not have an open roster spot and also traded for a reserve big man in Trayce Jackson-Davis at the trade deadline for a 2026 second-round draft pick. With no obvious cuts to clear a roster spot for Boucher, the big man may need to hope he can latch on somewhere else after a disappointing stint in Boston.

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