Free Agent/Trade/Waiver Thread, 2025-26

[Hal14]

The more I think about it, the more I feel like we're building towards a 2 year window to try and win another title.

We're building around 3 guys right now:

Tatum (age 27)
Brown (age 28)
White (age 31)

We're punting this season. 26-27 and 27-28 are gonna be pretty much the last years of D-white's prime..and probably the last 2 years where he could be considered a top 3 player on a championship team.

What am I getting at?

Mainly 2 things:

1) We've got all these young guys we are developing and we're giving them a chance to see what they can do. Walsh, Baylor, Minott, Hugo, Amari, Shulga, etc. But I don't think it's a very long leash for these guys. I know JD was here on a 2-way for 3 years but that is the exception - not the rule. For the most part, Brad likes to cycle lots of different guys in and out of those end of bench spots on the roster, and 2-way spots..bring a guy in, have a look at him, see if he can crack the rotation (and be the next Hauser/Pritchard/Kornet) and if not, then quickly move on and give someone else a try.

2) I've mentioned that I think we could find our starting big of the future in the 2026 draft, especially since if we lose a lot of games this season we'll get a better draft pick..possibly in the lottery.

I'm re-thinking that now.

I'm now thinking that if we draft a big in the 2026 draft, chances are they are not going to be ready to start at center for an NBA championship team as a rookie. Unless we get lucky in the lottery and are able to get Boozer (that's the dream but obviously low probability of actually happening)

Let's see what Queta and Garza can do this season and see if maybe there's a chance that 1 of them could be our starting big when we're back in title contention in 26-27. But more likely, our starting center the next time we compete for a title is not yet on the roster..chances are it's someone we will acquire at some point via trade/free agency who's currently age 25+..

Until proven otherwise, I'm going with Horford re-signing in summer of 26 and reacquiring Porzingis via sign and trade using a salary slot player (because can't use his TPE) acquired by this year's trade deadline.

Eh. I'd rather not bring KP back. Too unreliable. Same thing with Time Lord. I'm fine with neither of them coming back. I'd rather have players we can count on to actually play.

Rumor has it, Horford is gonna sign a 2 year deal with Golden State. If that happens, he probably plays there for 2 years and then retires.

Even if he's back to being a FA again in 2026, I'm not sure I would want him back. He's already been declining for awhile now (couldn't hit a shot in the 2023 playoffs), has been sitting out back to backs for basically the past 4 years.

When we're hoping to be back in the NBA finals in 2027, Al is gonna be 41 years old then. Chances are, he's not going to be that good at that point. He was already considering retirement this summer..and still could retire this summer..he hasn't signed yet with GS, so who knows, we might get a Shams bomb this afternoon that he's announcing his retirement.

I'm sure Brad will be other options at center besides Al and KP..

[Parliament10]

We continue to see more and more of these fringe NBA guys head overseas:

Read on Twitter

At this point, if you're a vet who's been in the league a few years, you better be a guy who is damn good and a clear cut rotation player on a good team.

Otherwise, NBA teams would rather fill those end of bench spots with guys who are younger which means a) they have more upside and can develop them, mold them into a player who could fit their system and reach a higher ceiling and b) they can pay them less $ because the more years experience a guy has in the league, they more $ they make on a minimum deal.

NBA expansion will help this.

But you also can't fault a player for going overseas where they can play 20+ mins in ever single game, rather than bouncing around from team to team in the NBA, getting traded/waived randomly without any notice and getting DNP's..

It's unfortunate that the G League is so behind. They need to pick up the play, talent level, and sponsoring/advertising.

Well part of the reason why the G league is behind is that it's not a true minor league. A true minor league would mean that *all* of the best pro basketball players in the world who aren't on an NBA roster would play in the g league. But that's far from the case..The top 100 players in the world who aren't on a 15 man NBA roster, a large % of those guys are playing overseas, rather than the G league.

Other sports like hockey, football and baseball don't have such heavy competition from overseas pro leagues..

But I think that's part of the reason why we are now hearing more rumors about the NBA looking to partner with overseas teams/leagues, put on some events, maybe do some expansion and stuff over there.

LeBron is looking into stuff on a global level too now:

Read on Twitter

Then there's Silver talking with European Leaders on an NBA Europe mix.

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[Parliament10]

We have yet to hear from the Horford camp. So, when it's all said and done, I believe that Al will re-sign with the Celtics.
I think that Horford will express surprise, that the media even hinted otherwise.

[CelticFaninLBC]

Problem is I would do Dosunmu and Collins for Simons and Walsh, Bulls would want to do Simons for Vucevic. Decent chance Celtics could move Dosunmu and Collins again. Celtics won't be able to move Vucevic.

I think Simons to Chicago along with Tillman, then Chicago sends Huerter and Phillips elsewhere for something to Boston.

Would love it to be Memphis with Brandon Clarke coming to Boston is it gives some solid front court depth and gets them all the way out of the tax but MEM pretty sure already moved on from Huerter. Maybe they'd want him back with Bane gone and more front court depth idk.

I think they are somewhat prioritizing trade returns now over $ for the time being (may be different by the trade deadline) so I don't see Zach Collins being the move unless they are out of time and nothing better is available - then it becomes purely cost cutting. But that's a pretty big down grade as Collins seems to have sort of flamed ot.

I will be surprised if Brad Stevens takes on any salary for 2026/2027.

I can see them taking on 2026/2027 salary, if they move Hauser, as part of a deal involving Simons.

[GreenBlooded]

With the changes to the Kuminga situation, most notable that he's willing to accept a 4 year deal starting at $20m and GS getting weak offers, I hope the Celtics are checking in. A deal centered around Simons for Kuminga could be a big win.

[Hal14]

We have yet to hear from the Horford camp. So, when it's all said and done, I believe that Al will re-sign with the Celtics.
I think that Horford will express surprise, that the media even hinted otherwise.

We don't know that for sure. Al's "camp" could have leaked info..there's been tons of rumors floating around regarding him all offseason. There'a decent chance some of them were leaked by his "camp".

Sure, we haven't heard from Al himself, but that's to be expected. You pretty much never hear from an unsigned FA, until after they sign somewhere.

It's a slow time of the summer. Not much is going on. I think people on here are reading too deeply into a lot of different things and grasping at straws since there's nothing else to talk about.

Why would Al come back? This might be the last year of his career. I doubt he wants to spend it on a team that isn't competing for a title.

Not to mention other teams can offer him more $ than we can.

[Larry_Russell]

With the changes to the Kuminga situation, most notable that he's willing to accept a 4 year deal starting at $20m and GS getting weak offers, I hope the Celtics are checking in. A deal centered around Simons for Kuminga could be a big win.

would make that deal 10 out of 10 times personally.

Kuminga has warts but has tools more valuable to the team than Simons.

[Celts17Pride]

With the changes to the Kuminga situation, most notable that he's willing to accept a 4 year deal starting at $20m and GS getting weak offers, I hope the Celtics are checking in. A deal centered around Simons for Kuminga could be a big win.

Celtics would be capped at the 1st apron in a sign and trade for Kuminga. Celtics are at about $10.0 million above the 1st apron right now. Deal for Kuminga highly unlikely.

[Celts17Pride]

I think Simons to Chicago along with Tillman, then Chicago sends Huerter and Phillips elsewhere for something to Boston.

Would love it to be Memphis with Brandon Clarke coming to Boston is it gives some solid front court depth and gets them all the way out of the tax but MEM pretty sure already moved on from Huerter. Maybe they'd want him back with Bane gone and more front court depth idk.

I think they are somewhat prioritizing trade returns now over $ for the time being (may be different by the trade deadline) so I don't see Zach Collins being the move unless they are out of time and nothing better is available - then it becomes purely cost cutting. But that's a pretty big down grade as Collins seems to have sort of flamed ot.

I will be surprised if Brad Stevens takes on any salary for 2026/2027.

I can see them taking on 2026/2027 salary, if they move Hauser, as part of a deal involving Simons.

I mean who knows? Celtics eventually have to solve their center situation for 2026/2027. Queta, Garza, A Williams and Tillman are not championship level big men. Will be interesting to see who the Celtics big man target is over the next few years.

[GreenBlooded]

With the changes to the Kuminga situation, most notable that he's willing to accept a 4 year deal starting at $20m and GS getting weak offers, I hope the Celtics are checking in. A deal centered around Simons for Kuminga could be a big win.

Celtics would be capped at the 1st apron in a sign and trade for Kuminga. Celtics are at about $10.0 million above the 1st apron right now. Deal for Kuminga highly unlikely.

True. There are financial considerations but something simple like Hauser into an MLE for draft assets gets them under the 1st apron and able to make a S&T. Then package those draft assets with Simons for Kuminga leaves the C's 7 million under the 1st apron. The net result would be it cost Holiday to turn Hauser into Kuminga.

Not staying it's likely but it's possible with just a little creativity...

[Celts17Pride]

With the changes to the Kuminga situation, most notable that he's willing to accept a 4 year deal starting at $20m and GS getting weak offers, I hope the Celtics are checking in. A deal centered around Simons for Kuminga could be a big win.

Celtics would be capped at the 1st apron in a sign and trade for Kuminga. Celtics are at about $10.0 million above the 1st apron right now. Deal for Kuminga highly unlikely.

True. There are financial considerations but something simple like Hauser into an MLE for draft assets gets them under the 1st apron and able to make a S&T. Then package those draft assets with Simons for Kuminga leaves the C's 7 million under the 1st apron. The net result would be it cost Holiday to turn Hauser into Kuminga.

Not staying it's likely but it's possible with just a little creativity...

Possible but I'm not sure why the Celtics do this when they have 69% of their salary cap tied up in Tatum & Brown and Kuminga plays the same position as they do. Celtics would be better off spending their resources on trying to find their new championship caliber center.

[Hal14]

Read on Twitter

[phincsfan]

We continue to see more and more of these fringe NBA guys head overseas:

Read on Twitter

At this point, if you're a vet who's been in the league a few years, you better be a guy who is damn good and a clear cut rotation player on a good team.

Otherwise, NBA teams would rather fill those end of bench spots with guys who are younger which means a) they have more upside and can develop them, mold them into a player who could fit their system and reach a higher ceiling and b) they can pay them less $ because the more years experience a guy has in the league, they more $ they make on a minimum deal.

NBA expansion will help this.

But you also can't fault a player for going overseas where they can play 20+ mins in ever single game, rather than bouncing around from team to team in the NBA, getting traded/waived randomly without any notice and getting DNP's..

It's unfortunate that the G League is so behind. They need to pick up the play, talent level, and sponsoring/advertising.

Well part of the reason why the G league is behind is that it's not a true minor league. A true minor league would mean that *all* of the best pro basketball players in the world who aren't on an NBA roster would play in the g league. But that's far from the case..The top 100 players in the world who aren't on a 15 man NBA roster, a large % of those guys are playing overseas, rather than the G league.

Other sports like hockey, football and baseball don't have such heavy competition from overseas pro leagues..

But I think that's part of the reason why we are now hearing more rumors about the NBA looking to partner with overseas teams/leagues, put on some events, maybe do some expansion and stuff over there.

LeBron is looking into stuff on a global level too now:

Read on Twitter

Also, the NBA is such a tough business to crack for these guys. GLeague starts off the season like SL and then it hits a little stride. Guys are trying to impress, which is inevitable. Hockey and especially baseball have big enough rosters that a minor league is expected and at the same time an intricate part of the entire organization. They are true pipelines. IMO, the GLeague still hasn't reached that pipeline stage yet.

There's also always a coach turnover every season, so there's no set program.

I'm glad they did away with the GLeague ignite team though. That was terrible.

IMO, with the NIL, guys will stay in school longer which will make them "old", but at the same time they will adjust the best to the GLeague because they are much more mature.

The guys who will be left behind are those vets that you had a post showing Davis going overseas.

I'm just using his name as an example, but a player like Shulga age wise but with lots of college experience will benefit from the GLeague vs if Davis stays and gives the GLeague another shot.

[Hal14]

I will be surprised if Brad Stevens takes on any salary for 2026/2027.

I can see them taking on 2026/2027 salary, if they move Hauser, as part of a deal involving Simons.

I mean who knows? Celtics eventually have to solve their center situation for 2026/2027. Queta, Garza, A Williams and Tillman are not championship level big men. Will be interesting to see who the Celtics big man target is over the next few years.

Let's keep in mind that Kevon Looney and Udonis Haslem (averaging like 4 PPG) were starting centers for championship teams.

I think it's possible that Queta could develop into a guy who can at least be in the ballpark of what guys like Looney and Haslem brought the table for those teams.

If Garza hits, he could be like a Vucevic/Olynyk type..odds are low, but he hasn't really gotten the opportunity yet..he will here. It's a non-zero chance that he hits.

Tillman I'm pretty much over him and want us to trade dump him but there's also a non-zero chance he could return to his old form when he was starting games and playing well in the playoffs for Memphis and locking up Luka and hitting 3's in the finals for us.

Amari, who knows. He's yet to play an NBA game so I wouldn't write him off yet. He was a 2nd round pick but so was Mitchell Robinson, Hartenstein, Zubac, etc. Naz Reid was undrafted. It's a non-zero chance he could end up being the guy.

This season will certainly tell us more about how good these guys will end up being in a Celtic uniform. If by the end of the season, it's clear that none of them can be a starter for a title team, you can always go find someone else next summer.

[CelticFaninLBC]

I will be surprised if Brad Stevens takes on any salary for 2026/2027.

I can see them taking on 2026/2027 salary, if they move Hauser, as part of a deal involving Simons.

I mean who knows? Celtics eventually have to solve their center situation for 2026/2027. Queta, Garza, A Williams and Tillman are not championship level big men. Will be interesting to see who the Celtics big man target is over the next few years.

Yep, they need a big upgrade at the 5 to contend in the future and perhaps they attain that upgrade in 2025/2026 by dealing Simons, Hauser, etc...

[CelticFaninLBC]

I can see them taking on 2026/2027 salary, if they move Hauser, as part of a deal involving Simons.

I mean who knows? Celtics eventually have to solve their center situation for 2026/2027. Queta, Garza, A Williams and Tillman are not championship level big men. Will be interesting to see who the Celtics big man target is over the next few years.

Let's keep in mind that Kevon Looney and Udonis Haslem (averaging like 4 PPG) were starting centers for championship teams.

I think it's possible that Queta could develop into a guy who can at least be in the ballpark of what guys like Looney and Haslem brought the table for those teams.

If Garza hits, he could be like a Vucevic/Olynyk type..odds are low, but he hasn't really gotten the opportunity yet..he will here. It's a non-zero chance that he hits.

Tillman I'm pretty much over him and want us to trade dump him but there's also a non-zero chance he could return to his old form when he was starting games and playing well in the playoffs for Memphis and locking up Luka and hitting 3's in the finals for us.

Amari, who knows. He's yet to play an NBA game so I wouldn't write him off yet. He was a 2nd round pick but so was Mitchell Robinson, Hartenstein, Zubac, etc. Naz Reid was undrafted. It's a non-zero chance he could end up being the guy.

This season will certainly tell us more about how good these guys will end up being in a Celtic uniform. If by the end of the season, it's clear that none of them can be a starter for a title team, you can always go find someone else next summer.

The Celtics don't have Steph Curry, LeBron or DWade... They need a good center.

[phincsfan]

I can see them taking on 2026/2027 salary, if they move Hauser, as part of a deal involving Simons.

I mean who knows? Celtics eventually have to solve their center situation for 2026/2027. Queta, Garza, A Williams and Tillman are not championship level big men. Will be interesting to see who the Celtics big man target is over the next few years.

Yep, they need a big upgrade at the 5 to contend in the future and perhaps they attain that upgrade in 2025/2026 by dealing Simons, Hauser, etc...

Not necessarily true if you have multiple scoring threats. OKC, Pacers, Mavs, GSW, Suns, Raps, Bucks, Cavs didn't have dominant bigs to either win or contend for a championship. Those teams are the one's the last decade who made it. Denver had the big that everybody dreams of.

[darrendaye]

The more I think about it, the more I feel like we're building towards a 2 year window to try and win another title.

We're building around 3 guys right now:

Tatum (age 27)
Brown (age 28)
White (age 31)

We're punting this season. 26-27 and 27-28 are gonna be pretty much the last years of D-white's prime..and probably the last 2 years where he could be considered a top 3 player on a championship team.

What am I getting at?

Mainly 2 things:

1) We've got all these young guys we are developing and we're giving them a chance to see what they can do. Walsh, Baylor, Minott, Hugo, Amari, Shulga, etc. But I don't think it's a very long leash for these guys. I know JD was here on a 2-way for 3 years but that is the exception - not the rule. For the most part, Brad likes to cycle lots of different guys in and out of those end of bench spots on the roster, and 2-way spots..bring a guy in, have a look at him, see if he can crack the rotation (and be the next Hauser/Pritchard/Kornet) and if not, then quickly move on and give someone else a try.

2) I've mentioned that I think we could find our starting big of the future in the 2026 draft, especially since if we lose a lot of games this season we'll get a better draft pick..possibly in the lottery.

I'm re-thinking that now.

I'm now thinking that if we draft a big in the 2026 draft, chances are they are not going to be ready to start at center for an NBA championship team as a rookie. Unless we get lucky in the lottery and are able to get Boozer (that's the dream but obviously low probability of actually happening)

Let's see what Queta and Garza can do this season and see if maybe there's a chance that 1 of them could be our starting big when we're back in title contention in 26-27. But more likely, our starting center the next time we compete for a title is not yet on the roster..chances are it's someone we will acquire at some point via trade/free agency who's currently age 25+..

Until proven otherwise, I'm going with Horford re-signing in summer of 26 and reacquiring Porzingis via sign and trade using a salary slot player (because can't use his TPE) acquired by this year's trade deadline.

Eh. I'd rather not bring KP back. Too unreliable. Same thing with Time Lord. I'm fine with neither of them coming back. I'd rather have players we can count on to actually play.

Rumor has it, Horford is gonna sign a 2 year deal with Golden State. If that happens, he probably plays there for 2 years and then retires.

Even if he's back to being a FA again in 2026, I'm not sure I would want him back. He's already been declining for awhile now (couldn't hit a shot in the 2023 playoffs), has been sitting out back to backs for basically the past 4 years.

When we're hoping to be back in the NBA finals in 2027, Al is gonna be 41 years old then. Chances are, he's not going to be that good at that point. He was already considering retirement this summer..and still could retire this summer..he hasn't signed yet with GS, so who knows, we might get a Shams bomb this afternoon that he's announcing his retirement.

I'm sure Brad will be other options at center besides Al and KP..

I hear that and sure, they likely have avenues to boost the position elsewhere. I just see this as a unique opportunity to bring in 2, 5 out centers for $ and 2nd rounders. "$" for KP in the way of the misc. placeholder player. Dice roll inherently of course with KP.

My scale of love for Horford tips the other way a bit if he does sign a 2 year, vs 1 year, deal with the Warriors.

I will say, looking past the center options specifically, if Tatum could be convinced to play at a more consistently higher pace, it changes some of the calculus on the traits to focus on for some supporting players.

[Celts17Pride]

Celtics and Timberwolves played a combined 26 playoff games last year and the Celtics top two centers for 2025/2026 (Queta, Garza) played a combined 32 minutes in those games. Queta and Garza are a very long way away from being meaningful contributors in the playoffs.

[redslastlaugh]

Celtics and Timberwolves played a combined 26 playoff games last year and the Celtics top two centers for 2025/2026 (Queta, Garza) played a combined 32 minutes in those games. Queta and Garza are a very long way away from being meaningful contributors in the playoffs.

Queta shouldve played though. Coach riding a breathless KP to the second worst (non first round) playoff upset without even trying Neemi was inexplicable.

Queta was effective against KAT when we played the Knicks in the regular season. But then coach didn't call his number in the playoffs which is hardly his fault. That's like saying Aaron Nesmith was a long way off from being meaningful contributor because Ime didn't play him at all in the 2022 playoffs. Nesmith didn't play, I'm not making a judgment either way if the dude literally didn't play.

Two years later, the first year Indy made the playoffs (2024), Nesmith was HUGE a playoff contributor, 17 games played and 33 minutes per game.