If you were hoping for the Celtics to get a big man ahead of the 2023 NBA trade deadline, you’ve gotten your wish.

As first reported by Shams Charania on Twitter, the Celtics have acquired big man Mike Muscala from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Shams quickly added that the C’s are sending Justin Jackson and two second-round picks to OKC.

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  DENVER, CO – OCTOBER 22: Mike Muscala #33 of the Oklahoma City Thunder defends Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets in the second quarter at Ball Arena on October 22, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)

• Muscala is primarily a sharpshooting big man, as opposed to the traditional type. He’s shooting 39.1 percent from three-point range this season, and has shot 37.9 percent from downtown in his career. He’s also a good-enough free-throw shooter for a center, at 79.5 percent this year and 81.4 percent in his career.

  So, don’t expect much in terms of rebounding or defense from Muscala. But he will be able to space the floor in a way that Robert Williams cannot, and he gives the C’s frontcourt an offensive dimension they lack off the bench, and could use behind Al Horford.

  Muscala won’t move the needle for anyone hoping for a big trade from Celtics President of Basketball Ops Brad Stevens. But the bright side is, this move doesn’t preclude them from making another one. Stevens reportedly offered Danilo Gallinari and Payton Pritchard as part of a package to acquire Jakob Poeltl, who was ultimately traded from the Spurs to the Raptors.

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  CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 13: Mike Muscala #33 of the Oklahoma City Thunder shoots over Patrick Williams #44 of the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center on January 13, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

• For now, it appears the Celtics have addressed the center position, as was expected for a long time. But Stevens may not be done just yet. He could still stand to close a deal for a scoring wing to come off the bench, which would give them the type of player they were hoping Gallinari would be before he suffered a torn ACL before the season.

  As of this writing, there are now less than three hours to go until the NBA trade deadline, which passes at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday. We’ll continue to keep you updated on the Celtics’ dealings, especially if they make another trade themselves.

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  Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt’s content here.

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