Free Agent/Trade/Waiver Thread, 2025-26

[Fierce1]

Simons' Contract is killing us. He gotta go. Niang probably is off the roster, too.

Unloading Simons won't be easy. If it were, it would have happened already.

We gotta try and Trade him with no one coming back, or low salary.
Waiving him isn't ideal either, as he's making $27.6M/1 yr. We'd have to do a 3 year Stretch at $9.2M per.

Cs have until Feb. 2026 to solve the apron issue.

I think Brad does not want to include a pick or picks just to unload Simons.

Simons is a great offensive player.

If Simons gets a chance to play for the Cs this season, he will have the same impact as Kemba Walker during the 2019-20 season.

[Gant]

Gary Washburn:

According to NBA sources, Tatum has been active in recruiting Lillard to Boston, and the market for the point guard is limited because his injury will prevent him from likely playing most of next season. Lillard sustained his injury on April 27, 15 days prior to Tatum’s injury.

The Milwaukee Bucks waived and stretched Lillard’s contract for the purpose of signing Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers. Lillard is considering his options, but the Celtics have their taxpayer mid-level contract to offer.

And the consensus from talking to league executives here in Las Vegas is the Celtics do have a chance in the Lillard sweepstakes.

[Gant]

FROM SHAMS:

Sources: guard Cole Anthony agrees to buyout with Memphis, plans to join Bucks on one-year deal.

[Curmudgeon]

Lillard "sweepstakes?" You can buy a ticket, but I won't. He'll be 36 years old coming off an achilles tear, and he didn't play much defense even when he was healthy.

[GoCeltics123]

Gary Washburn:

According to NBA sources, Tatum has been active in recruiting Lillard to Boston, and the market for the point guard is limited because his injury will prevent him from likely playing most of next season. Lillard sustained his injury on April 27, 15 days prior to Tatum’s injury.

The Milwaukee Bucks waived and stretched Lillard’s contract for the purpose of signing Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers. Lillard is considering his options, but the Celtics have their taxpayer mid-level contract to offer.

And the consensus from talking to league executives here in Las Vegas is the Celtics do have a chance in the Lillard sweepstakes.

Man...it just makes sense for both sides. But will Dame get over his past feelings and actually come here? It's the best basketball situation for him.

I'm sure Brad wouldn't care much about rehabbing in Portland

[Fierce1]

Only reason Dame to Boston is a positive is if it makes Tatum happy.

There's a bigger chance that Dame will not be the same player, when he recovers, because of age.

[Celts17Pride]

Gary Washburn:

According to NBA sources, Tatum has been active in recruiting Lillard to Boston, and the market for the point guard is limited because his injury will prevent him from likely playing most of next season. Lillard sustained his injury on April 27, 15 days prior to Tatum’s injury.

The Milwaukee Bucks waived and stretched Lillard’s contract for the purpose of signing Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers. Lillard is considering his options, but the Celtics have their taxpayer mid-level contract to offer.

And the consensus from talking to league executives here in Las Vegas is the Celtics do have a chance in the Lillard sweepstakes.

Man...it just makes sense for both sides. But will Dame get over his past feelings and actually come here? It's the best basketball situation for him.

I'm sure Brad wouldn't care much about rehabbing in Portland

At this point it seems inevitable, probably just waiting for Brad to make another trade and free up cash.

[Celts17Pride]

Only reason Dame to Boston is a positive is if it makes Tatum happy.

There's a bigger chance that Dame will not be the same player, when he recovers, because of age.

Dame will still hit the 3 ball. Mazzulla will love him.

[colincb]

Simons' contract is not bad. Cap space is limited around the NBA, and Simons is a UFA next season. Pretty tough to expect teams to want to take the contract without picks attached or swapping their own unwanted players.

[Fierce1]

Only reason Dame to Boston is a positive is if it makes Tatum happy.

There's a bigger chance that Dame will not be the same player, when he recovers, because of age.

Dame will still hit the 3 ball. Mazzulla will love him.

Ugh!

[Fierce1]

Simons' contract is not bad. Cap space is limited around the NBA, and Simons is a UFA next season. Pretty tough to expect teams to want to take the contract without picks attached or swapping their own unwanted players.

I'm seeing a similar impact to what Kemba did for the Cs in 2019-20.

Simons will be a force on offense.

[Hal14]

Simons' Contract is killing us. He gotta go. Niang probably is off the roster, too.

Simons is our 4th best player (3rd best while Tatum is out).

Niang gives basically everything Hauser does, but on a cheaper contract and without the nagging back injury..and with more playoff experience/production.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hauser is moved, rather than Niang..I could see it going either way, though..maybe Niang is moved, maybe Hauser is moved, maybe they both stay for the whole season..maybe 1 is moved at the deadline..

[Celts17Pride]

Simons' Contract is killing us. He gotta go. Niang probably is off the roster, too.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hauser is moved, rather than Niang..I could see it going either way, though..maybe Niang is moved, maybe Hauser is moved, maybe they both stay for the whole season..maybe 1 is moved at the deadline..

Hard to disagree with this, you covered every scenario except they both are moved. I like your odds.

[Bill Lumbergh]

Only reason Dame to Boston is a positive is if it makes Tatum happy.

There's a bigger chance that Dame will not be the same player, when he recovers, because of age.

I'm just happy nobody is talking about signing Harry Giles because he's Tatum's friend. I thought we'd never hear the last of that.

[RickyDizzle]

Only reason Dame to Boston is a positive is if it makes Tatum happy.

There's a bigger chance that Dame will not be the same player, when he recovers, because of age.

I'm just happy nobody is talking about signing Harry Giles because he's Tatum's friend. I thought we'd never hear the last of that.

We could use a big... just saying...

[Fierce1]

Celts need rebounding and rim protection.

What can't happen is the Cs not having both.

At least with Bassey you get the rebounding part.

The rim protection part will really be a work in progress.

[keevsnick1]

Simons' Contract is killing us. He gotta go. Niang probably is off the roster, too.

Simons is our 4th best player (3rd best while Tatum is out).

Niang gives basically everything Hauser does, but on a cheaper contract and without the nagging back injury..and with more playoff experience/production.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hauser is moved, rather than Niang..I could see it going either way, though..maybe Niang is moved, maybe Hauser is moved, maybe they both stay for the whole season..maybe 1 is moved at the deadline..

There is 0% chance that if the choice is keeping Niang or keep Hauser that they keep Niang. The two may be somewhat similar offensive players (+.9 offensive EPM for Hauser vs +.4 for Niang, both elite shooters) but Hauser is a much, much better defender (-2.2 Def EPM for Niang vs -.5 for Hauser), 5 years younger and under team control on a reasonable deal. Hauser is a player you likely get an asset for in a trade; Niang probably costs you a second to dump.

[celtxman]

I have never been a Lillard fan. But we have lost a lot of talent with few choices to improve it. Lillard at $5 million per(or hopefully less) has become a risk that may be worth taking.

[cloverleaf]

Lillard "sweepstakes?" You can buy a ticket, but I won't. He'll be 36 years old coming off an achilles tear, and he didn't play much defense even when he was healthy.

I'm with ya, Curm. Expecting a recovering, old Dame to suddenly play differently than he has his whole life is even worse than expecting Simons to do the same.

[playa-hater]

FROM SHAMS:

Sources: guard Cole Anthony agrees to buyout with Memphis, plans to join Bucks on one-year deal.

And this is why trading Simons will be hard. any team needing a scoring guard can sign someone like Cole, who isn't quite as good, but for a fraction of Simons' contract without giving up an asset. Now a mid-season injury to a guard on a contender may change that. Either way, I still want to see what Simons can do. So at minimum keep him till the Trade deadline works for me.