Brad Stevens has reportedly added some insurance to the Celtics’ frontcourt.

Twenty-four hours before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, the Celtics have traded for Grizzlies big man Xavier Tillman in exchange for two second-round picks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The C’s are also sending backup forward Lamar Stevens to the Grizzlies in the trade, according to Yahoo’s Jake Fischer, which helps them maintain an open roster spot.

The C’s, according to ESPN, are trading a 2027 second-round pick (via Atlanta) and 2030 second-round pick (via Dallas) to Memphis in the deal.

Brad Stevens said last month that any addition for the Celtics – who boast the league’s best record at 38-12 – would not be a game-changer given the team’s talent, depth, chemistry and financial limitations. But with an open roster spot available, he struck on a deal to add some solid depth to the Celtics’ frontcourt in their championship pursuit.

The 25-year-old Tillman, a second-round pick in the 2020 draft, has played all four seasons of his career in Memphis where he’s carved out a role off the bench. The 6-foot-7, 245-pound forward has a limited offensive game – he’s a career 26.4 shooter from 3-point range – but is a strong, versatile defender.

Tillman is on an expiring $1.9 million contract and the Celtics would maintain his Bird Rights as he hits free agency this summer. The C’s will also hold on to their $6.2 million traded player exception (via the Grant Williams trade) even after this trade because Tillman’s salary fits into a smaller exception, and there’s opportunity to use it with the open roster spot still available after trading Lamar Stevens.

More to come…