Welcome to Boston, Jaden Springer!

[ConstableGeneva]

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[ConstableGeneva]

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Disclaimer: This is NOT a rumor, not even speculation. Just a blogger who knows ins and outs of CBA/cap dreaming up fiction/suggestion.

Status: Approximately $25.8 million over tax ($65.6 million penalty)
Potentially available: Jaden Springer

After the 2023-24 championship, the Celtics retained nearly their entire squad. If healthy, the team doesn't need much, and any added players may not make the rotation.

Instead, the goal may be more of a simple cost-cutting move, like trading Jaden Springer without any salary in return. That could enable the team to keep Lonnie Walker IV as the 14th player while reducing its tax bill by $7.2 million.

Maybe that's not a traditional "dream" target, but Boston may already have the roster to repeat.

[165bows]

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Defense obviously defense but he’s an outlier compared to the others age wise.

[Hal14]

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Defense obviously defense but he’s an outlier compared to the others age wise.

And yet even at age 21, this chart is saying he's the best defender there. If his offense can coming along more as he gets older and develops more, he could be *really* good.

[Fencer reregistered]

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Defense obviously defense but he’s an outlier compared to the others age wise.

And yet even at age 21, this chart is saying he's the best defender there. If his offense can coming along more as he gets older and develops more, he could be *really* good.

Very different charts for the two stats. What are the differences between them?

[Hal14]

Defense obviously defense but he’s an outlier compared to the others age wise.

And yet even at age 21, this chart is saying he's the best defender there. If his offense can coming along more as he gets older and develops more, he could be *really* good.

Very different charts for the two stats. What are the differences between them?

First one factors in both offense and defense. Second one factors in just defense.

[redslastlaugh]

And yet even at age 21, this chart is saying he's the best defender there. If his offense can coming along more as he gets older and develops more, he could be *really* good.

Very different charts for the two stats. What are the differences between them?

First one factors in both offense and defense. Second one factors in just defense.

Man, in light of financial concerns come to light about trying to build a team with JT, JB, & D White guaranteed $140 million a year… just staying at #41, drafting Bona and getting him four years at second round pick exception, starts at $1.1 million this year, seems like it would have made better business sense given how bloody crushing these taxes are gonna be.

[Hal14]

Man, in light of financial concerns come to light about trying to build a team with JT, JB, & D White guaranteed $140 million a year… just staying at #41, drafting Bona and getting him four years at second round pick exception, starts at $1.1 million this year, seems like it would have made better business sense given how bloody crushing these taxes are gonna be.

Well, clearly Brad thinks highly of Springer so to him it was worth it to paying the extra taxes (clearly ownership is onboard with the agenda of prioritizing winning over tax savings) . He said when we traded for him that they had been interested in him for awhile and watched him closely leading up to the draft 3 years ago.

Bona would have 5 bigs ahead of him on the depth chart so wouldn't like play much, if at all. Watson is probably a better fit for our system here anyways (better shooter. Has the versatility to play the 4 or the 5, whereas Bona is just a 5, Watson is more of a threat as a ball handler and passer, more of a cerebral, high IQ player, like having a coach on the floor) and we got him like 13 picks later.

We worked out 40 guys before the 2024 draft and Bona wasn't one of them. Seems like he wasn't on the team's radar..

Plus, during Brad's first 3 years as POBO, he only drafted 1 player in each draft. It would have been a pretty big shock if he stayed at 41 and made 3 picks in the same draft.

Lastly, Springer could also be used as a trade chip. If we drafted Bona, we could barely get anything back in a trade for him. But Springer with his $4 mil contract, that could get us a pretty useful player down the road.

[Dogen]

Man, in light of financial concerns come to light about trying to build a team with JT, JB, & D White guaranteed $140 million a year… just staying at #41, drafting Bona and getting him four years at second round pick exception, starts at $1.1 million this year, seems like it would have made better business sense given how bloody crushing these taxes are gonna be.

Well, clearly Brad thinks highly of Springer so to him it was worth it to paying the extra taxes (clearly ownership is onboard with the agenda of prioritizing winning over tax savings) . He said when we traded for him that they had been interested in him for awhile and watched him closely leading up to the draft 3 years ago.

Bona would have 5 bigs ahead of him on the depth chart so wouldn't like play much, if at all. Watson is probably a better fit for our system here anyways (better shooter. Has the versatility to play the 4 or the 5, whereas Bona is just a 5, Watson is more of a threat as a ball handler and passer, more of a cerebral, high IQ player, like having a coach on the floor) and we got him like 13 picks later.

We worked out 40 guys before the 2024 draft and Bona wasn't one of them. Seems like he wasn't on the team's radar..

Plus, during Brad's first 3 years as POBO, he only drafted 1 player in each draft. It would have been a pretty big shot if he stayed at 41 and made 3 picks in the same draft.

Lastly, Springer could also be used as a trade chip. If we drafted Bona, we could barely get anything back in a trade for him. But Springer with his $4 mil contract, that could get us a pretty useful player down the road.

While I like Bona and he would have been nice (albeit undersize) center insurance at #41, he's going to be pretty raw for a coule years, and Watson -- as Hal writes -- probably fits the team better.

I don't know why the trade Springer talk has come up, beside a couple of articles and the fact that the team signed Lonnie and the team is already stacked with linited PT for these bench guys.

Don't sleep on Jaden! Dude is really good and will be a better asset than Bona, imo. He just needs to learn the offense and get that corner three down, for starters. This is the year for him to prove himself (if Joe will play him) and he actually compliments Walker as a goto bench guys for defense or offense.

White and Holiday will also need some downtime this season, and Jaden can be that dawg to come in and remind opponents that the Celtics defense is NOT to be trifled with. Some one to fight through screens and make sure the guards in Miami, Philly, New York, Cleveland don't think it's going to be a cakewalk when the Celtics go to their bench.

[redslastlaugh]

Man, in light of financial concerns come to light about trying to build a team with JT, JB, & D White guaranteed $140 million a year… just staying at #41, drafting Bona and getting him four years at second round pick exception, starts at $1.1 million this year, seems like it would have made better business sense given how bloody crushing these taxes are gonna be.

Well, clearly Brad thinks highly of Springer so to him it was worth it to paying the extra taxes (clearly ownership is onboard with the agenda of prioritizing winning over tax savings) . He said when we traded for him that they had been interested in him for awhile and watched him closely leading up to the draft 3 years ago.

Bona would have 5 bigs ahead of him on the depth chart so wouldn't like play much, if at all. Watson is probably a better fit for our system here anyways (better shooter. Has the versatility to play the 4 or the 5, whereas Bona is just a 5, Watson is more of a threat as a ball handler and passer, more of a cerebral, high IQ player, like having a coach on the floor) and we got him like 13 picks later.

We worked out 40 guys before the 2024 draft and Bona wasn't one of them. Seems like he wasn't on the team's radar..

Plus, during Brad's first 3 years as POBO, he only drafted 1 player in each draft. It would have been a pretty big shock if he stayed at 41 and made 3 picks in the same draft.

Lastly, Springer could also be used as a trade chip. If we drafted Bona, we could barely get anything back in a trade for him. But Springer with his $4 mil contract, that could get us a pretty useful player down the road.

Yea, I was just using Bona as an example. It could be any draft pick available at 41. I just meant financially, a 41 pick is next four years at $5 million and the cheapest rookie extension, Miles McBride was 3 yrs, $13 million. I just don’t know how that’s going to work under the budget and if we don’t extend Springer, and we lose him after the season, then keeping 41 and drafting a guy would have been a better idea because we’d have him for several cost-controlled seasons. Unless the plan is to move Jrue Holiday into cap space and then extend Springer, then it seems like … I don’t know what the front office was trying to do.

And just saying Brad doesn’t like to make draft picks, who are players making between $1 and $4 million on rookie deals, he’d rather trade them for proven NBA talent making between $20 and $35 million … well no duh, but at some point the rubber meets the road, ie THE BUDGET

And not to be argumentative, but Wyc & Irv Grousbeck are closing out their position in the team. They are not prioritizing winning over losing money.

[ConstableGeneva]

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[brackdan70]

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Sheeet, dudes older than Tatum.

[Hal14]

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You look at these highlights as well as some of the other film of Springer since he's been in the league and I don't think people realize just how good he is on defense and what his potential on defense really is.

The potential is to be a Jrue-esque on-ball defender mixed with White-esque ability to block shots near the rim, athleticism that's as good (if not better) than both of them, strength is potentially better than White level, close to Jrue level.

And still very early in his development (just turning 22 today).

He could potentially end up being a stud - at least on the defensive end, like potentially all-NBA level defender.

Obviously limited on offense but all he has to do is bring enough value on offense to be playable. Just hit the occasional open 3, get out in transition sometimes and finish some dunks, crash the offensive glass a little bit, attack some closeouts here and there - kick it to the open man if the defense collapses. Basic stuff that he should be able to do at a decent level in his 4th year in the league..and we saw intriguing glimpses of his offensive potential in summer league.

[avi623]

Shocked he didn’t play tonight. I’ve always been a huge fan of his and his defensive numbers are off the charts. I’m surprised to see Davison getting so many more minutes.

Do we think he’s getting cut/traded? I hope not bc I still think he’s a better prospect than Davison and Walker, but if he’s not out there, I guess there’s a reason?

[darrendaye]

Think you'll see plenty of him tomorrow.

[avi623]

I’m good with that!

[Hal14]

I think there's another Springer thread already. Perhaps we should merge them..

[playa-hater]

Shocked he didn’t play tonight. I’ve always been a huge fan of his and his defensive numbers are off the charts. I’m surprised to see Davison getting so many more minutes.

Do we think he’s getting cut/traded? I hope not bc I still think he’s a better prospect than Davison and Walker, but if he’s not out there, I guess there’s a reason?

definitely plays "big minutes" tomorrow (20+) and I think he needs to play well.

Between Springer - L Walker - Peterson - Baylor, it's all wide open to who backs up Hauser. I think J Walsh took a big step ahead of the other 4 at this time.

[brackdan70]

Just the back to back situation I think . Got a good look at Walker yesterday, probably more springer tomorrow.

[31to6]

I still want to buy in on this guy's potential, but for as strong a defender as Springer is, he's so unnatural on offense. Always feels like he's fighting the ball, and his body, and his position on the court relative to others/relative to what's happening.

I could see them try to trade him with a 2nd to shed his $4M and clear a roster spot for Lonnie instead