Free Agent, Trade, Buyout, Extension & Conversion Thread, 2025 con't

[brackdan70]

I'm not asking for a rebuild.

Like I said, if you don't want to trade JB then let go of White.

Jrue can be traded for PJ Washington and Gafford, if the Mavs want Jrue.

The point is instead of being top heavy, get players who are cheaper and will complement Tatum and Brown or Tatum and White.

Just like SGA and Ja. Williams being surrounded by quality vets.

Which you can do by hitting on draft picks and making a deal like the one you mentioned for Jrue or a similar deal for KP. Another way to do that is to make enough savings on those two in a trade (probably about 10 million each) and then deal Hauser to a team that can take the entire deal and get picks in return. Getting Washington and Gafford (or Lively) back for Jrue would make sense. I could honestly see a trade where Dallas engages the Celtics for both Jrue and Hauser but because of the apron it would probably be two separate deals.

I'm just going to make a trade proposal.

Out - White, Jrue, and KP

In - KD and Gafford

C - Gafford/Luke
F - Tatum
F - KD
SG - JB
PG - PP

What’s the savings there for 2026/27 and next year. I’m not yet in math mode this morning.

[Cricket23]

Tim Bontemps expects Luke Kornet to stay in Boston on a minimum or minimal contract. Says he doesn't want to leave even for more money.

[ThePigeon]

Tim Bontemps expects Luke Kornet to stay in Boston on a minimum or minimal contract. Says he doesn't want to leave even for more money.

Great news if it is true
This solves one issue
I am sure he is guaranteed a position in Boston Media after he retires

[Cricket23]

Tim Bontemps expects Luke Kornet to stay in Boston on a minimum or minimal contract. Says he doesn't want to leave even for more money.

Great news if it is true
This solves one issue
I am sure he is guaranteed a position in Boston Media after he retires

Good call, that was a big part of his reasoning.

[Fierce1]

Which you can do by hitting on draft picks and making a deal like the one you mentioned for Jrue or a similar deal for KP. Another way to do that is to make enough savings on those two in a trade (probably about 10 million each) and then deal Hauser to a team that can take the entire deal and get picks in return. Getting Washington and Gafford (or Lively) back for Jrue would make sense. I could honestly see a trade where Dallas engages the Celtics for both Jrue and Hauser but because of the apron it would probably be two separate deals.

I'm just going to make a trade proposal.

Out - White, Jrue, and KP

In - KD and Gafford

C - Gafford/Luke
F - Tatum
F - KD
SG - JB
PG - PP

What’s the savings there for 2026/27 and next year. I’m not yet in math mode this morning.

Not sure for 2026-27, but for next season, 90m goes out and 68m comes in.

Just a rough estimate because there will be other moves made.

[darrendaye]

Tim Bontemps expects Luke Kornet to stay in Boston on a minimum or minimal contract. Says he doesn't want to leave even for more money.

Great news if it is true
This solves one issue
I am sure he is guaranteed a position in Boston Media after he retires

Good call, that was a big part of his reasoning.

Scal needs to watch his back.

[chrisab123]

Tim Bontemps expects Luke Kornet to stay in Boston on a minimum or minimal contract. Says he doesn't want to leave even for more money.

That’s really good news, honestly.

[RickyDizzle]

Orlando really didn't play Cole Anthony enough and could use a veteran culture setter to take them another level.

Would they do Anthony and WCJ for Jrue? Or bigger version of Anthony, WCJ, and Isaac for Jrue and Porzingis? Orlando also has 2 firsts.

[gammajamma]

Would hawks consider something around
Jalen Johnson, okongwu for Jaylen?

[chrisab123]

Would hawks consider something around
Jalen Johnson, okongwu for Jaylen?

They’d do that in a heartbeat. Would be a bad deal for the Celtics.

[GoCeltics123]

Orlando really didn't play Cole Anthony enough and could use a veteran culture setter to take them another level.

Would they do Anthony and WCJ for Jrue? Or bigger version of Anthony, WCJ, and Isaac for Jrue and Porzingis? Orlando also has 2 firsts.

I could see them salary dumping KCP to Brooklyn and taking Jrue, while we get WCJ

[brackdan70]

Tim Bontemps expects Luke Kornet to stay in Boston on a minimum or minimal contract. Says he doesn't want to leave even for more money.

That’s really good news, honestly.

Wow. Really. Yes great news if true.

I mean he knows he will get legit PT and doesn’t have to move so I get it. He could get Hauser money elsewhere though I think.

[ConstableGeneva]

Would hawks consider something around
Jalen Johnson, okongwu for Jaylen?

Jalen Johnson might be their most untouchable guy.

[chrisab123]

Orlando really didn't play Cole Anthony enough and could use a veteran culture setter to take them another level.

Would they do Anthony and WCJ for Jrue? Or bigger version of Anthony, WCJ, and Isaac for Jrue and Porzingis? Orlando also has 2 firsts.

I could see them salary dumping KCP to Brooklyn and taking Jrue, while we get WCJ

None of these deals really help Boston. A deal that would help them would be some combination of Mortiz Wagner Suggs Issac Anthony or Black for Jrue Hauser and maybe KP.

[gammajamma]

Would hawks consider something around
Jalen Johnson, okongwu for Jaylen?

Jalen Johnson might be their most untouchable guy.

I was told they’d do in a heartbeat and now he’s untouchable. I don’t know what to believe

[chrisab123]

Would hawks consider something around
Jalen Johnson, okongwu for Jaylen?

Jalen Johnson might be their most untouchable guy.

And they should still hang up if that’s offered. Atlanta would send a private charter to Logan to pick up Jaylen for that deal. It’s not like Johnson is cheap either.

[stretch]

Here’s what many people miss when they propose moves and trades.

First, our payroll is projected around $225–$227 million, far above the second apron threshold of $207.8 million
The Celtics have to reduce at least $25-27 million in payroll, if they want to resign Luke and Al.

Until they get below the second apron, they can only make one for one trades.
They can’t package players and do two for three or three for two deals. It may work in your trade checker, but not in reality with the second apron.

The simplest way to do that may be to trade Holiday to the Rockets or the Spurs for their 10th or 12th picks, since those teams have the cap space to absorb his salary. Holiday is owed ~$32–37 million per year. He should remain an effective and high-level starting point guard for the next 2 to 4 seasons, due to his elite defense, leadership, and adaptability, even as his offensive numbers decline. The incoming lottery pick should be in the $4 to 5 million salary range. That gets you below the second apron and allows you to do more transactions.

[gammajamma]

Here’s what many people miss when they propose moves and trades.

First, our payroll is projected around $225–$227 million, far above the second apron threshold of $207.8 million
The Celtics have to reduce at least $25-27 million in payroll, if they want to resign Luke and Al.

Until they get below the second apron, they can only make one for one trades.
They can’t package players and do two for three or three for two deals. It may work in your trade checker, but not in reality with the second apron.

The simplest way to do that may be to trade Holiday to the Rockets or the Spurs for their 10th or 12th picks, since those teams have the cap space to absorb his salary. Holiday is owed ~$32–37 million per year. He should remain an effective and high-level starting point guard for the next 2 to 4 seasons, due to his elite defense, leadership, and adaptability, even as his offensive numbers decline. The incoming lottery pick should be in the $4 to 5 million salary range. That gets you below the second apron and allows you to do more transactions.

My understanding is they can’t aggregate salary or trade two guys in one deal but they can trade one of their players for multiple players

[Celts17Pride]

Celtics were just lucky they got Jrue and KP before the new CBA kicked in.

If you look at all the top teams in the NBA, there's really no team with the possibility of having 2 supermax players.

JB is an aberration because he had his best season, to date, back in 2023.

Even Luka, considered a generational talent, will not be getting a supermax.

So as long as this new CBA is in effect, you will not be able to put together a balanced team that will be sustainable if 2 players eat up close to 70% of the cap space.

It's a given Jrue must go, KP to follow, but I think the Cs will have to choose between JB and White.

Next season the Cs need to stay below 189m so that they will not be a repeater.

I think as early as the draft in June, we'll start seeing some moves from the Cs.

The only reason Luka isn’t getting a supermax is because Dallas traded him. Dallas traded him because Nico is an idiot although if you want to believe the league forced him to move Luka to the most lucrative market then that’s your call. He’s going to get the maximum contract possible from the Lakers. Again if you trade Brown you’re probably not going to have to worry about being a tax team for long. You’ll probably have to worry about Tatum dropping 30 on you wearing a Heat or Warriors jersey though after he asks to go to a contender. Boston is not a destination so while you’re looking at this like an accountant the viability of the team is tied to how much they’re willing to go over the cap.

Boston is an inferior basketball (funny to say that when you’ve won the most titles) market to Miami LA and NY and they’ll lose the majority of the time they try to battle it out with those teams for FAs. Not saying that a Hayward situation can’t occur but FAs will pick those places 9 times out of 10. You can’t beat exposure, weather, branding, and all of the other stuff that comes with those markets. NY has **** weather but you can be seen and endorsements are endless. Miami has amazing weather but doesn’t have the endorsements NY does. LA is kind of the full package but they have a pretty **** tax situation.

What I’m getting at is don’t be so quick to make decisions for billionaires when they have something here. If you just dump players to get under 189 you might not get this back. But there’s certain markets that can pull this off and get whoever they want for the next year.

You're forgetting that the new CBA not only has financial penalties, it also has basketball penalties.

Like being an apron team restricts your ability to make trades.

It's not like the Cs are not going over the cap.

189m is 34m over the cap.

The cap next season is 155m.

So if the Cs spend 188m on salaries, that's going over the cap but not reaching repeater status.

Like I said, choose between White and Brown.

But keeping JT, JB, and White is just not sustainable because that will be 135m for 3 players, for next season.

That's 87% of the cap consumed by 3 players.

So how can you improve the roster if for the next 4 years 3 players will be eating up 87% of the cap space?

Drafting young players and developing them like the Celtics have done for the last three quarters of a century

[phincsfan]

Would hawks consider something around
Jalen Johnson, okongwu for Jaylen?

Jalen Johnson might be their most untouchable guy.

I was told they’d do in a heartbeat and now he’s untouchable. I don’t know what to believe

Jalen Johnson is untouchable. I concur. His contract is very good.