RealGM

Boston's salary cap situation is unsustainable long-term (probably beyond this summer). We're using this thread to post some ideas on how they could overcome this problem while remaining a strong contender.

I understand that Jrue due to his age, KP due to his lack of availability, Hauser due to his more secondary and replaceable role, seem like the most obvious options... (although, they probably won't return too much positive value on the court, beyond salary relief)...
Pritchard (due to his super-friendly contract), White (a contract below his value/performance), Tatum, their big star... Could Brown be on the table with the right offer? What offers could the Celtics receive? Would the Hawks make an offer to get the homegrown star and pair him with Daniels/Johnson/Trae? Something like Okongwu/Risacher/Mann + FRP? Thoughts?

I don’t think Brown has that much value on his contract and Boston knows this (and knew it when they offered the deal), so their intent is to keep the Js and move around the other pieces.

Brown’s one of many guys around the league that you could justify a max contract for when the only penalty was to the owner’s pockets. This new CBA changes things. Just my opinion, but I think the number of guys that actually produce appropriate or excess value on a max deal is now down to single digits, and Brown has never been that level of player. Tatum is.

I think they build whatever roster they can under second apron around Tatum, Brown, White. Keep as much as you can, just inch below the second apron… Whether that change happens this offseason or next, I’m not sure?

Would love if Brown were available though. Just don’t see it as a good option for Boston.

Jrue and/or KP feel like the best choices for cutting payroll.

LAC gets: Jrue Holiday
BOS gets: Norm Powell, Drew Eubanks

Clippers get an on court upgrade that aligns well with a Kawhi/Harden timeline for just money

Follow up trade #1: Celtics attach future 2nd rounder(s) to Eubanks to dump him into cap space or an exception somewhere

Follow up trade #2: Celtics attach some combo of #28, #32 and future pick(s) to Powell's expiring salary for a long term piece they like in the $15-20M range.

Dropping Holiday down to that $15-20M player saves a lot of tax in 25-26. More importantly, it puts them in solid position to duck the tax altogether in 2026-27:

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/boston-celtics/tax/_/year/2026/sort/tax_total

As of now, they're $430K over the tax with 9 players signed. Shed Jrue's $34.8M though and replace it with a guy making $15-20M less though and they're in fine position to duck the tax and reset repeater rates.

This does not include Porzingis. So presumably they'd want this mystery long term piece to be a big man. If they do want to keep Porzingis though, they can look into some combo of Pritchard/Hauser/mystery player being moved off the books to accommodate that.

With the old CBA you keep Tatum, Brown, Green. With the new CBA I think they are more inclined to trade Brown. Or at least they will take offers when they weren’t thinking about taking offers with the old CBA.

No idea where Brown would be traded or who makes sense…but they will do their best to secretly shop Brown just to see what they could get.

Now when you say cut payroll... isn't Brooklyn the only team with cap space?

KP is expiring after 25-26 so I think you look at moving Jrue and Hauser first. Part of me wishes they could aggregate Jrue and Prichard for Durant, but they just have way too much on the books.

NYG wrote:Now when you say cut payroll... isn't Brooklyn the only team with cap space?

You can cut payroll in a trade. For example, Jrue Holiday for a player making ~26 Million saves the Celtics 6 Million in raw cap.

Hauser into a teams MLE saves the Celtics his entire salary.

Unlikely Celtics/Lakers trade:
Jrue for Gabe Vincent
Celtics 25 1st for WAS to eat Vando and Maxi Kleber (into MLE + TPE)
This brings them right at the 2nd Apron, completing the roster with vet min will push them over.
Gabe + increasing Pritchard minutes gives them guard depth they lose with losing Jrue

To cut more:
Hauser into MLE for DET to replace THJ
Drops them below the 2nd Apron with TPMLE available and room to sign Horford if he wants to give it another go.
They rely on Scheierman (sp?) and Walsh for Hauser minutes

Additional option:
KP/2nds for Claxton drops another 5M, they lose the 5 out spacing but improves durability, switchability and defense.

NYG wrote:Now when you say cut payroll... isn't Brooklyn the only team with cap space?

Yes, as of right now, but smaller contracts could be dumped into TPE's or MLE's or whatnot to clear extra cap space.

Is there any scenario where they keep Holiday and sell high on Derrick White? Asking for a friend.

Maybe this could work

KP + pick 28 for Norman Powell


Then reroute Norman Powell to the Magic for the 25th pick/Wendell Carter/Anthony Black

And then reroute those assets in exchange for Nic Claxton


The Celtics cut salary, while also bringing in a defensive minded Center.

The Clippers become a bigger team with more shooting in the Frontcourt.They also get a very late 1st round pick back, which important for team that doesn't have a lot of draft capital like the Clippers.

The Magic bring in the offense that they need in order to take the next step with Norman Powell.

The Nets get back a guard with upside and have another pick in the 1st round in this year's draft. They also have Wendell Carter who could be be flipped for a minor asset.

Daddy 801 wrote:With the old CBA you keep Tatum, Brown, Green. With the new CBA I think they are more inclined to trade Brown. Or at least they will take offers when they weren’t thinking about taking offers with the old CBA.

No idea where Brown would be traded or who makes sense…but they will do their best to secretly shop Brown just to see what they could get.

Who is this agree you speak of?

Magic_Johnny12 wrote:Is there any scenario where they keep Holiday and sell high on Derrick White? Asking for a friend.

I doubt it. White is arguably their second best player, but I suppose it possible if a team came forward with an offer of a good young player that makes at least 10 million less per year and a future pick.

How about this two-step deal:

Step 1: Boston - Orlando - Portland

Boston trades KP, receives Jonathan Issac and the 25th pick
Orlando trades: Jonathan Issac and the 25th pick, receives Anfernee Simons
Portland trades: Anfernee Simons for KP

Step 2: In the new salary year Issac's salary drops from $25 to $15 million

Boston trades Jonathan Issac to Portland for Timelord and Kris Murray

This saves the Celtics $14.4 million in salary, brings back a guy who played well for them, adds another pick and more wing depth

Jalen Smith and Ayo Dosunmu to Boston

Jevon Carter and Julian Phillips to Team X with Non Tax MLE

Jrue to Chicago

What picks go where?

I know Holiday has been the most rumored, but he feels so important. KP played 3 games in the finals last year, 7 total playoff games, and they walked to a finals. I really think hes the most likely to be moved. Swapping him for a someone like Olynyk or Jalen Smith would be my goal if I was Boston. Keep running bigger C rotations to keep Horford fresh.

The next thing id do is see if I can find a taker for Hauser. They could cut 30 million without losing much on the floor.

NYG wrote:Jalen Smith and Ayo Dosunmu to Boston

Jevon Carter and Julian Phillips to Team X with Non Tax MLE

Jrue to Chicago

What picks go where?

If Chicago is able to add an actual star, sure? Jrue feels like an amazing fit with Giddey/White (like Ball except so much better)

But that roster would be going no where at all and is very expensive for the honor.

Boston would owe imo.