Holy Offseason I Can’t Believe it’s July FA/Trade/Waiver Thread

[Larry_Russell]

I am doing the best I can to convince myself that it makes some sense to keep brown this season, rest him TONS and then trade him in this upcoming draft for a top 3 guy.

Ideally this offseason and this season will make a couple things happen

1) a 1 year tank
2) completely clean the books for this upcoming offseason
3) let tatum recover
4) let some youngs guys get loads of burn to see if you have another Hauser or Pritchard.
5) Sign dame and let him recover with Tatum
6) trade brown for a top 3 pick in offseason
6) earn a top 5 pick


Come into next season with the following

1) Tatum
2) a young guy that has developed during this season
3) a rejuvinated and healthy Dame
4) AJ Dobantsa/Boozer
5) Chris Cenac
6) Big named free agent allstar.

2026-27 roster

Dame/Pritchard
White/Scheierman
Tatum/Hauser
AJ or Boozer / ??
Cenac/???

[Fierce1]

Every year that passes, JB's salary becomes less and less of a concern because the salary cap increases every year.

[winsomme2]

They'll win around 40.

This is 1988-89

Too early.

We don't even know the final roster.

We also don't know what the ownership position is. And of course Tatum.

If Brad makes moves to go below the first apron, I think we need to worry that our ownership is going to be a problem because the only reason to drop that low is to save money.

If we stay in between, I think we can at least have hope that this is mostly about avoiding the basketball penalties of the second apron (while saving money too).

I know we want to have a hard answer on Tatum, but the reality is none of us knows what is going to happen to him this year. I would bet that he doesn't want to completely lose a year of his prime if he rehab goes well. I mean can't you see those "Tatum is playing pickup games" videos being posted in like January?

[Fierce1]

They'll win around 40.

This is 1988-89

Too early.

We don't even know the final roster.

We also don't know what the ownership position is. And of course Tatum.

If Brad makes moves to go below the first apron, I think we need to worry that our ownership is going to be a problem because the only reason to drop that low is to save money.

If we stay in between, I think we can at least have hope that this is mostly about avoiding the basketball penalties of the second apron (while saving money too).

I know we want to have a hard answer on Tatum, but the reality is none of us knows what is going to happen to him this year. I would bet that he doesn't want to completely lose a year of his prime if he rehab goes well. I mean can't you see those "Tatum is playing pickup games" videos being posted in like January?

Agree.

We're basically thinking the same scenario.

[Curmudgeon]

Dosunmu and Vucevic for Simons and Niang. Get it done Brad!

Dosunmu and Jalen Smith for Simons and two second rounders.

[Fierce1]

Dosunmu and Vucevic for Simons and Niang. Get it done Brad!

Dosunmu and Jalen Smith for Simons and two second rounders.

Simon says...

No way!

[bigfoot_cryptozoology]

GS wants to add Al, because their 35+ starting lineup needs an older player coming off the bench...

[Fierce1]

GS wants to add Al, because their 35+ starting lineup needs an older player coming off the bench...

[flintsky21]

Gary Washburn was on one of the sports shows saying that he doesn't think Al is a fit on this team and wants to be on a contender.

He also says he thinks as currently constructed, the Cs are a 45 win team and a 6/7 seed in the East.

I have the Knicks, Magic, and Cavs as the only teams clearly better than us. 76ers and Bucks are too dysfunctional. We have a better 1-2 than Pistons and Hawks. It depends how much the team "load-manages" Brown and White, but if we get Horford back, I believe we're still good enough to be a 4/5 team.

[fallguy]

Since the majority wants to tank, I hope for the sake of this board that the Celtics win 30 games next year because if they win closer to 50 the crash isn’t going to be pretty. This will get ugly much like it did in Brad’s second year when everyone thought it was going to be a hard tank and they made the playoffs.

That was a bad bad scene around here.

Lol yeah. There were many disappointing that the tank wasn’t hard enough his first year either.
Next years draft is so deep…a pick I. The teens should be a really good player…top 10 of course will be better.
But the fact is this team is pretty good without Tatum.
White, Brown, Pritchard are all top 50 impact guys, Simmons (assuming he is here) can score and brings a new wrinkle. Nothing flashy but Hauser, Niang, Queta, Tillman if he’s healthy are all solid players. Given the options expect Queta to take the next step. Scheierman should be ready for a rotation role. I hope Walsh shows something. I’ve been patient. I would be surprised to see Gonzalez make a spplashh and Williams as well.
The former T wolves are pretty interesting as well. Dudes could excel in a bigger role. Minot especially is young and has really had a positive impact when on the court.

It’s not really a tank roster unless Brown and White miss a bunch of games. 45 wins seems like the low end if healthy. Maybe they manage Browns knee slow and they start off slow…idk.

JB and DW have played a ton of basketball the last few years. Perfect season to load manage them and invent phantom injuries.

[chrisab123]

I am doing the best I can to convince myself that it makes some sense to keep brown this season, rest him TONS and then trade him in this upcoming draft for a top 3 guy.

Ideally this offseason and this season will make a couple things happen

1) a 1 year tank
2) completely clean the books for this upcoming offseason
3) let tatum recover
4) let some youngs guys get loads of burn to see if you have another Hauser or Pritchard.
5) Sign dame and let him recover with Tatum
6) trade brown for a top 3 pick in offseason
6) earn a top 5 pick


Come into next season with the following

1) Tatum
2) a young guy that has developed during this season
3) a rejuvinated and healthy Dame
4) AJ Dobantsa/Boozer
5) Chris Cenac
6) Big named free agent allstar.

2026-27 roster

Dame/Pritchard
White/Scheierman
Tatum/Hauser
AJ or Boozer / ??
Cenac/???

But trading Brown for picks would essentially mean you’re trading Tatum since he’s not sticking around for a long rebuild. So your scenario wouldn’t work because it wouldn’t be anything that would stick long term.

[playa-hater]

Inline poll: Vuc or Kuz if you had to take one. Neither is not an option in this scenario. Nor is “anyone else”. Just pick one.

Like choosing between death by gunshot or by poisoning. I'll take gunshot (Vucevic in this case).

LOL, that might depend on where the Gun is pointing to

[playa-hater]

Is it possible that Al hasn't signed because Brad asked him to wait to see if he could move a contract to free up money?

If they're waiting on another team to want to pick up Simons's contract, I hope Al's not getting his hopes up.

Simons would be perfect for BRK. Attach a pick, and I could see him going there.

Or better yet, trade him for rookie Wolf. Offer them multiple 2nd rd picks as well.

[cloverleaf]

They'll win around 40.

This is 1988-89

Too early.

We don't even know the final roster.

We also don't know what the ownership position is. And of course Tatum.

If Brad makes moves to go below the first apron, I think we need to worry that our ownership is going to be a problem because the only reason to drop that low is to save money.

If we stay in between, I think we can at least have hope that this is mostly about avoiding the basketball penalties of the second apron (while saving money too).

I know we want to have a hard answer on Tatum, but the reality is none of us knows what is going to happen to him this year. I would bet that he doesn't want to completely lose a year of his prime if he rehab goes well. I mean can't you see those "Tatum is playing pickup games" videos being posted in like January?

IMO we wouldn't have heard such rumors of dropping below the luxury tax for 2 years to save the most possible money going forward if it weren't coming to some degree from ownership.

[Curmudgeon]

If they're waiting on another team to want to pick up Simons's contract, I hope Al's not getting his hopes up.

Simons would be perfect for BRK. Attach a pick, and I could see him going there.

Or better yet, trade him for rookie Wolf. Offer them multiple 2nd rd picks as well.

Nah, Brooklyn drafted 4 guards, starting with the big Russian kid. I don't see them having interest in Simons. If they do, they can have him for a top 55 protected 2nd rounder if they have enough cap room. As for Wolf, I will be surprised if he can defend at the NBA level.

[GreenBlooded]

Since the majority wants to tank, I hope for the sake of this board that the Celtics win 30 games next year because if they win closer to 50 the crash isn’t going to be pretty. This will get ugly much like it did in Brad’s second year when everyone thought it was going to be a hard tank and they made the playoffs.

That was a bad bad scene around here.

Fans want to tank.

Brad does not want to tank.

Who do you think wins?

We compromise on a 'developmental year'

[165bows]

Every year that passes, JB's salary becomes less and less of a concern because the salary cap increases every year.

Except for this year.

[phincsfan]

Hopefully they can fastrack Neems, Garza's and The Brit's development because the center position 26' free agency is pretty non-existent.

[redslastlaugh]

This a pretty small piece of business, but I just learned that Memphis owns swap rights on our 2026 2nd round pick.
If we are going into a mini-tank we are not going to own our own 2nd rounder outright.

This is from a 2021 trade:
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32140333/sources-memphis-grizzlies-trade-juancho-hernangomez-boston-celtics-kris-dunn-carsen-edwards-pick-swap

"The Memphis Grizzlies agreed to trade forward Juancho Hernangomez to the Boston Celtics on Friday in exchange for guards Carsen Edwards and Kris Dunn, as well as a swap of 2026 second-round picks, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski."

Additionally, we *had* a "best of" NYK/MIN/NOP/POR 2026 second rounder, but it appears this is the pick we sent out with Kristaps Porzingis to bring back Georges Niang's money and a 2031 second. So we don't have this one anymore.

EDIT: At this point, it's not clear to me what is the 2026 second we sent to Atlanta. I don't think the trade is finalized and the reporting isn't entirely clear, one source said it may be a swap. ESPN says it's the "least of" Boston's 2026 2nds.

We have three 2nds in 2026 at present:
- "best of" NYK/MIN/NOP/POR
- "best of" ORL/DET/MIL
- "lesser of" MEM/BOS

It may be that Atlanta receives whatever pick winds up worst of those three and Boston keeps the two best. It's just a little confusing which 2nd goes to Atlanta until the KP->ATL trade is finalized.

"Also, as part of the deal, Boston will receive Cleveland's 2031 second-round pick, which the Hawks previously had the rights to, and Atlanta will take Boston's least favorable 2026 second-round choice, sources told ESPN."
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45577808/celtics-send-porzingis-hawks-3-team-deal

[Bill Lumbergh]

Every year that passes, JB's salary becomes less and less of a concern because the salary cap increases every year.

Except for this year.

As I understand it, Brown's supermax salary increases 8% a year, so whether his salary becomes less of a concern depends on how much the salary cap increases in any given year relative to that 8%. According to what I just saw about projected salary cap increases, the difference between JB's annual increases and the salary cap increases is so slight that if you think he's overpaid now, you'll probably still think so going forward.

To be fair, his salary as a percentage of the salary cap will go from 34.36% in 25-26 to 31.56% in 28-29 (according to Spotrac fwiw).

Here's a breakdown of the NBA salary cap increases:
This Year (2024-2025 Season vs. 2023-2024 Season):
The NBA salary cap went up by 3.36% from the 2023-24 season ($136.021 million) to the 2024-25 season ($140.588 million).
Projected Year-Over-Year Increases for the Next 4 Years:
* 2025-26 Season: Expected to increase by 10% (to $154.647 million). This is the maximum allowed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and is in line with previous projections due to new TV deals.
* 2026-27 Season: Projected to increase by 7% (to $165.472 million). While earlier projections had it at 10%, recent reports suggest a more conservative 7%.
* 2027-28 Season: Projected to increase by 10% (to $182.019 million).
* 2028-29 Season: Projected to increase by 9% (to $198.401 million).
* 2029-30 Season: Projected to increase by 9% (to $216.257 million).
It's important to note that these are projections and the final figures can be subject to change.