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

[Hal14]

If Brad Stevens feels Dylan hopper could be another Cade Cunningham. Type player you absolutely attempt to trade brown for him.

Does it really matter if he's ready in his first or a second year too lead...You don't pass on great talent if you have a chance to get it.

I am not sure if I will put him equal to cade cunningham, but I certainly think he's on the same tier

Actually, no you don't. When you are a contending team, which is what you are with Tatum/Brown, you don't trade one of those guys for a high draft pick when both are still in their prime. Because even if you "feel" a guy will eventually be good the keys is he very well might not be, and almost definitely won't be immediately.

People treat these prospects as sure things; they very much are not. The first pick is usually very good, but once you get past that things drop of quickly. i looked up the outcomes of picks 2-5 for the 2006-2021 drafts (22-24 are too early to tell). But of those 18 years the and the 72 players picked 2-5 in those drafts only 28 went on to make at least one all-star team. Thats a 38% chance to get a guy who makes at least one all-star team.

Not all draft classes are equal.

I mentioned this the other day (in this thread, I believe) but Harper is a Cade/Paolo level prospect imo (meaning they're all roughly about as good as each other prior to being drafted). Cade and Paolo were both no. 1 picks. Harper goes 1st in a lot of drafts. Just not this one, because of how good Flagg is.

No, I'm not saying Harper is a sure thing. Nobody is. Not even Flagg. But there's levels to this. And you have to actually study these prospects, watch them play, etc. to identify how good they are, what their upside is, what the probability is that they reach various outcomes, etc. rather than just saying "oh, picks in the 2-5 range, a lot of them don't work out and only x% of them have become stars.." you have to dig deeper than that.

But again, it's likely a moot point because I highly doubt we trade for him..

[winsomme2]

If Brad Stevens feels Dylan hopper could be another Cade Cunningham. Type player you absolutely attempt to trade brown for him.

Does it really matter if he's ready in his first or a second year too lead...You don't pass on great talent if you have a chance to get it.

I am not sure if I will put him equal to cade cunningham, but I certainly think he's on the same tier

Actually, no you don't. When you are a contending team, which is what you are with Tatum/Brown, you don't trade one of those guys for a high draft pick when both are still in their prime. Because even if you "feel" a guy will eventually be good the keys is he very well might not be, and almost definitely won't be immediately.

People treat these prospects as sure things; they very much are not. The first pick is usually very good, but once you get past that things drop of quickly. i looked up the outcomes of picks 2-5 for the 2006-2021 drafts (22-24 are too early to tell). But of those 18 years the and the 72 players picked 2-5 in those drafts only 28 went on to make at least one all-star team. Thats a 38% chance to get a guy who makes at least one all-star team.

Not all draft classes are equal.

I mentioned this the other day (in this thread, I believe) but Harper is a Cade/Paolo level prospect imo. Harper goes 1st in a lot of drafts. Just not this one, because of how good Flagg is.

No, I'm not saying Harper is a sure thing. Nobody is. Not even Flagg. But there's levels to this. And you have to actually study these prospects, watch them play, etc. to identify how good they are, what their upside is, what the probability is that they reach various outcomes, etc. rather than just saying "oh, picks in the 2-5 range, a lot of them don't work out and only x% of them have become stars.." you have to dig deeper than that.

But again, it's likely a moot point because I highly doubt we trade for him..

Totally agree. Big fan of Harper especially with how important his skillset is. How good of a prospect Harper is is probably why SAS is so unlikely to trade him.

If I was a Spurs fan, I would definitely want to see Webamyama and Harper grow up together. Much in the same way that JB and Tatum did.

[Gant]

John Karalis‬

Austin Ainge, on Brad Stevens reaction to him getting the President of Basketball Operations job in Utah: "He tried to negotiate with me, like, immediately. It was great.”

https://bsky.app/profile/johnkaralis.com/post/3lqplckiycs2h

More from Karalis. I can't see the whole article, but there's this:

Austin Ainge's move to Utah makes the Jazz a much more interesting potential trade partner

No one in the NBA knows what Boston is facing quite like Austin Ainge. He knows everything Stevens has been thinking and the goals the Celtics are trying to accomplish. He knows the players on the team better than any rival executive or coach. He knows where they all are in life, where their medicals stand, and how they're perceived inside the locker room.

“I was in a meeting with new Celtics ownership for two hours planning their entire off-season,” Ainge said, explaining when he got a text from Jazz owner Ryan Smith about the job in Utah. That means he is the only rival team boss who knows exactly what team ownership has tasked the team with doing at a critical juncture.

https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2025/06/03/karalis-austin-ainges-move-to-utah-makes-the-jazz-a-much-more-interesting-potential-trade-partner

[Celts17Pride]

John Karalis‬

Austin Ainge, on Brad Stevens reaction to him getting the President of Basketball Operations job in Utah: "He tried to negotiate with me, like, immediately. It was great.”

https://bsky.app/profile/johnkaralis.com/post/3lqplckiycs2h

More from Karalis. I can't see the whole article, but there's this:

Karalis: Austin Ainge's move to Utah makes the Jazz a much more interesting potential trade partner

No one in the NBA knows what Boston is facing quite like Austin Ainge. He knows everything Stevens has been thinking and the goals the Celtics are trying to accomplish. He knows the players on the team better than any rival executive or coach. He knows where they all are in life, where their medicals stand, and how they're perceived inside the locker room.

“I was in a meeting with new Celtics ownership for two hours planning their entire off-season,” Ainge said, explaining when he got a text from Jazz owner Ryan Smith about the job in Utah. That means he is the only rival team boss who knows exactly what team ownership has tasked the team with doing at a critical juncture.

https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2025/06/03/karalis-austin-ainges-move-to-utah-makes-the-jazz-a-much-more-interesting-potential-trade-partner

Boston: Collins, Sexton, Mykhailiuk, Sensabaugh, #21 pick
Utah: Holiday, Porzingis

Celtics cut $11 million.

Seriously, I wouldn't be shocked if there was some kind of a Boston/Utah deal this off-season.

[Hal14]

Actually, no you don't. When you are a contending team, which is what you are with Tatum/Brown, you don't trade one of those guys for a high draft pick when both are still in their prime. Because even if you "feel" a guy will eventually be good the keys is he very well might not be, and almost definitely won't be immediately.

People treat these prospects as sure things; they very much are not. The first pick is usually very good, but once you get past that things drop of quickly. i looked up the outcomes of picks 2-5 for the 2006-2021 drafts (22-24 are too early to tell). But of those 18 years the and the 72 players picked 2-5 in those drafts only 28 went on to make at least one all-star team. Thats a 38% chance to get a guy who makes at least one all-star team.

Not all draft classes are equal.

I mentioned this the other day (in this thread, I believe) but Harper is a Cade/Paolo level prospect imo. Harper goes 1st in a lot of drafts. Just not this one, because of how good Flagg is.

No, I'm not saying Harper is a sure thing. Nobody is. Not even Flagg. But there's levels to this. And you have to actually study these prospects, watch them play, etc. to identify how good they are, what their upside is, what the probability is that they reach various outcomes, etc. rather than just saying "oh, picks in the 2-5 range, a lot of them don't work out and only x% of them have become stars.." you have to dig deeper than that.

But again, it's likely a moot point because I highly doubt we trade for him..

Totally agree. Big fan of Harper especially with how important his skillset is. How good of a prospect Harper is is probably why SAS is so unlikely to trade him.

If I was a Spurs fan, I would definitely want to see Webamyama and Harper grow up together. Much in the same way that JB and Tatum did.

Yup. Wemby/Harper could end up being a scary good duo when they're both in their prime. They could complement each other very nicely.

If I'm the spurs I draft Harper..try and see it goes and if Harper/Castle/Fox on the same team isn't working after 1-2 years, then trade 1 of them - but the 1 getting traded would probably be Fox, maybe Castle..almost definitely would not be Harper (if it was me)..

[celtxman]

There is much talk about the Celtics approach to who will be their centers. It seems like the most sure thing is keeping Queta. That shows how unsettled everything is.
A couple of thoughts : I think the Celtics move on from Porzingis. It seems like most everybody wants him gone, with few legitimate plans to replace him. I don't personally love Mark Williams. We moved on from Robert Williams because of injuries. It appears we will move on from Porzingis because of unavailability in the playoffs. It doesn't appear to be a fit to get another center with injury issues with Mark Williams.
So the if the Celtics are fortunate enough to hold on to Kornet and Horford, then they are still
obviously behind with no KP. And the cherry on the cake would be Horford going to NY as Tim Bontemps floated out there.
It still feels like Holiday and KP out. One of there salaries mostly for expiring contracts ( probably Jrue) to get under the 2nd apron, the other to get back smart assets. Unless they go big with Brown.

[djFan71]

John Karalis‬

Austin Ainge, on Brad Stevens reaction to him getting the President of Basketball Operations job in Utah: "He tried to negotiate with me, like, immediately. It was great.”

https://bsky.app/profile/johnkaralis.com/post/3lqplckiycs2h

More from Karalis. I can't see the whole article, but there's this:

Karalis: Austin Ainge's move to Utah makes the Jazz a much more interesting potential trade partner

No one in the NBA knows what Boston is facing quite like Austin Ainge. He knows everything Stevens has been thinking and the goals the Celtics are trying to accomplish. He knows the players on the team better than any rival executive or coach. He knows where they all are in life, where their medicals stand, and how they're perceived inside the locker room.

“I was in a meeting with new Celtics ownership for two hours planning their entire off-season,” Ainge said, explaining when he got a text from Jazz owner Ryan Smith about the job in Utah. That means he is the only rival team boss who knows exactly what team ownership has tasked the team with doing at a critical juncture.

https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2025/06/03/karalis-austin-ainges-move-to-utah-makes-the-jazz-a-much-more-interesting-potential-trade-partner

Boston: Collins, Sexton, Mykhailiuk, Sensabaugh, #21 pick
Utah: Holiday, Porzingis

Celtics cut $11 million.

Seriously, I wouldn't be shocked if there was some kind of a Boston/Utah deal this off-season.

I just wished they either had stuff I liked a little more, or the ability to eat a little more $. But:

BOS: Collins, J Smith, N Marshall
UTA: Jrue, KP
DAL: Sexton
CHI: Hendricks, Hardy
Team X: Powell, 53 (from UTA)

Cs save $18.5M.
Do the Hauser for a few 2nds deal and you're under the 2nd apron with enough wiggle room to sign Al & Luke to non-min deals.

EDIT: originally had 21 coming from UTA to BOS, but that's probably unlikely, so I removed it.

[Celts17Pride]

There is much talk about the Celtics approach to who will be their centers. It seems like the most sure thing is keeping Queta. That shows how unsettled everything is.
A couple of thoughts : I think the Celtics move on from Porzingis. It seems like most everybody wants him gone, with few legitimate plans to replace him. I don't personally love Mark Williams. We moved on from Robert Williams because of injuries. It appears we will move on from Porzingis because of unavailability in the playoffs. It doesn't appear to be a fit to get another center with injury issues with Mark Williams.
So the if the Celtics are fortunate enough to hold on to Kornet and Horford, then they are still
obviously behind with no KP. And the cherry on the cake would be Horford going to NY as Tim Bontemps floated out there.
It still feels like Holiday and KP out. One of there salaries mostly for expiring contracts ( probably Jrue) to get under the 2nd apron, the other to get back smart assets. Unless they go big with Brown.

It's not that Queta is the most sure thing, it's that Queta is the only one under contract other than Porzingis.

[phincsfan]

John Karalis‬

Austin Ainge, on Brad Stevens reaction to him getting the President of Basketball Operations job in Utah: "He tried to negotiate with me, like, immediately. It was great.”

https://bsky.app/profile/johnkaralis.com/post/3lqplckiycs2h

More from Karalis. I can't see the whole article, but there's this:

Austin Ainge's move to Utah makes the Jazz a much more interesting potential trade partner

No one in the NBA knows what Boston is facing quite like Austin Ainge. He knows everything Stevens has been thinking and the goals the Celtics are trying to accomplish. He knows the players on the team better than any rival executive or coach. He knows where they all are in life, where their medicals stand, and how they're perceived inside the locker room.

“I was in a meeting with new Celtics ownership for two hours planning their entire off-season,” Ainge said, explaining when he got a text from Jazz owner Ryan Smith about the job in Utah. That means he is the only rival team boss who knows exactly what team ownership has tasked the team with doing at a critical juncture.

https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2025/06/03/karalis-austin-ainges-move-to-utah-makes-the-jazz-a-much-more-interesting-potential-trade-partner

His dad hooked him up because there very well may be big changes all throughout the C’s organization.

As far as being a trade partner. I highly doubt DA takes any of those BIG contracts.

Austin’s gonna love all those 2nd round picks in the 2040’s his dad worked hard for

He would love Pritchard though

[Jellybeans]

LOL now we talking about damn M.Williams of all people

[hugepatsfan]

Any team that acquires Giannis obviously is in a serious win now window and would want to do anything to improve themselves in the short term while probably working with limited assets left over after a Giannis trade. Giannis had a great relationship with Jrue Holiday in MIL and his on court value is still good despite weak trade value due to age/contract. Could be a good match, depending on where Giannis goes and what they have left contracts wise, for that team to get a really good player without dipping into their suddenly limited asset pool. I could see that being a good fit for a trade with BOS where they find someone valuing Jrue the player enough that BOS doesn't have to pay much/anything asset wise to trade Jrue the contract.

[165bows]

Any team that acquires Giannis obviously is in a serious win now window and would want to do anything to improve themselves in the short term while probably working with limited assets left over after a Giannis trade. Giannis had a great relationship with Jrue Holiday in MIL and his on court value is still good despite weak trade value due to age/contract. Could be a good match, depending on where Giannis goes and what they have left contracts wise, for that team to get a really good player without dipping into their suddenly limited asset pool. I could see that being a good fit for a trade with BOS where they find someone valuing Jrue the player enough that BOS doesn't have to pay much/anything asset wise to trade Jrue the contract.

I actually think just as much with KP. Obviously the personal relationship isn't the same but Giannis has been paired with one of the few available stretch fives out there in Brook Lopez. Take eg the Toronto rumor, is he a great fit with Poeltl? Not dying to have Poeltl on this team but there's a world where Tatum/Poeltl makes more sense and Giannis/KP makes more sense as well than vice versa. Though Toronto would not have jack squat to negotiate with after a trade like that so there's that.

[hugepatsfan]

Any team that acquires Giannis obviously is in a serious win now window and would want to do anything to improve themselves in the short term while probably working with limited assets left over after a Giannis trade. Giannis had a great relationship with Jrue Holiday in MIL and his on court value is still good despite weak trade value due to age/contract. Could be a good match, depending on where Giannis goes and what they have left contracts wise, for that team to get a really good player without dipping into their suddenly limited asset pool. I could see that being a good fit for a trade with BOS where they find someone valuing Jrue the player enough that BOS doesn't have to pay much/anything asset wise to trade Jrue the contract.

I actually think just as much with KP. Obviously the personal relationship isn't the same but Giannis has been paired with one of the few available stretch fives out there in Brook Lopez. Take eg the Toronto rumor, is he a great fit with Poeltl? Not dying to have Poeltl on this team but there's a world where Tatum/Poeltl makes more sense and Giannis/KP makes more sense as well than vice versa. Though Toronto would not have jack squat to negotiate with after a trade like that so there's that.

That makes sense too. Problem with Poeltl is that I'm not sure the contract really works. Expiring for Porzingis for multi year Poeltl adds long term payroll that I wouldn't think we want to add and even though it saves a good chunk of money in 25-26, even if you followed that swap up with a Hauser dump you still need to move someone else (Jrue) to duck the 2nd apron.

[Curmudgeon]

John Collins is even worse than Kyle Kuzma.

[redslastlaugh]

Celtics reddit listing tweets from an account -- I have not befor heard of -- called PerSources saying that sources are saying Al Horford is leaving the Celtics, that Brad is looking at all the options (including trade JB and tank) and Celts front office is prioritizing being in a position to compete in 3 yrs.

Read on Twitter

the thread on celtics reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/bostonceltics/comments/1l2sjah/thoughts_on_these_posts_this_accounts_sources_are/

[fallguy]

Celtics reddit listing tweets from an account -- I have not befor heard of -- called PerSources saying that sources are saying Al Horford is leaving the Celtics, that Brad is looking at all the options (including trade JB and tank) and Celts front office is prioritizing being in a position to compete in 3 yrs.

Read on Twitter

the thread on celtics reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/bostonceltics/comments/1l2sjah/thoughts_on_these_posts_this_accounts_sources_are/

Yes! We have entered random twitter account news sourcing season!

[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

Personally I'd prefer to keep JB and maybe Jrue, but if new ownership give the orders to get under the tax, here's a trade that would work but probably won't happen lol

• Celtics get under the tax with enough room to sign Horford and someone else (hopefully Kornet) to minimums. They get Markkanen back for long term and try out Gafford and Daniels on expirings.
• Jazz get Jalen Johnson that fits their timeline better than Markkanen.
• Mavericks get their defensive floor general in Jrue who can hold the fort until Kyrie comes back then play beside him. They also clear playing time for Flagg and clarify the centre spot between Lively and Davis.
• Spurs get a higher upside PG in Young after Fox didn't mesh so well, leaving them free to use #2 to trade for Giannis. Wemby, Giannis, Castle etc can cover for Trae's defensive weakness.
• Hawks bring home Jaylen Brown, while having Fox and Washington come in to create a fresh start.

Picks would go where they need.

Celtics (until JT comes back)
PP / Scheierman / JD
White / Peterson / Walsh
Daniels / Hauser
Markkanen / Tillman / Norris
Gafford / Horford / Kornet / Queta

Celtics (after JT comes back)
PP / Daniels / JD
White / Scheierman / Walsh
Tatum / Hauser / Peterson
Markkanen / Tillman / Norris
Gafford / Horford / Kornet / Queta

[Bill Lumbergh]

Celtics reddit listing tweets from an account -- I have not befor heard of -- called PerSources saying that sources are saying Al Horford is leaving the Celtics, that Brad is looking at all the options (including trade JB and tank) and Celts front office is prioritizing being in a position to compete in 3 yrs.

Read on Twitter

the thread on celtics reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/bostonceltics/comments/1l2sjah/thoughts_on_these_posts_this_accounts_sources_are/

Yes! We have entered random twitter account news sourcing season!

If it's not coming directly from CT, I'm just not believing it.

[Fierce1]

Going under the apron is legit.

But I don't think Cs will tank or wait 3 years to make a push at a chip.

[Gant]

Celtics reddit listing tweets from an account -- I have not befor heard of -- called PerSources saying that sources are saying Al Horford is leaving the Celtics, that Brad is looking at all the options (including trade JB and tank) and Celts front office is prioritizing being in a position to compete in 3 yrs.

Read on Twitter

the thread on celtics reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/bostonceltics/comments/1l2sjah/thoughts_on_these_posts_this_accounts_sources_are/

Who knows about this source, but there's nothing outrageous here.


Under the current CBA, trading Brown has to be explored to see what the potential return might be. Having two supermax contracts makes everything harder.

Horford retiring or playing for a contender is possible.

Dipping down one year for a better draft pick might happen.

Contending the year after next isn't a strange goal. They're not contending next season. (The tweet said "they want to be in a position to contend in 2 seasons.)

Going nuclear by trading all of Holiday, Porzingis, Brown, Hauser etc, and ducking under the tax line is unlikely and harsh, but it's a remote possibility depending on how it sets them up down the line.


At some point the draft-night/offseason/preseason/trade-deadline transactions are going to get pretty wild. Stevens/Zarren know what they're doing. Go Celtics!