Free Agent/Trade/Waiver Thread, 2025-26

[He_Got_Game]

Why does anyone think that Simons will help the Celtics win games?

Because he's an explosive athlete and can score in all 3 levels.

He can't defend a traffic cone.

Good grief.

[He_Got_Game]

On another note, I have no expectations for wins and losses this year which is kind of great. It's good to take a year off from all the worry and anxiety and just watch your favorite team play.

[redslastlaugh]

good find

Jay King:

A league source told The Athletic the Jazz are getting the better of Cleveland’s or Boston’s 2031 second-round pick and the better of Boston’s or Orlando’s 2027 second-round pick in the deal.

The addition of Luis could be an ominous sign for the returning Miles Norris, though a team source said his future has yet to be determined.

[Gant]

It's clear there's more to come. If nothing else the two-way logjam needs to be addressed with Williams, Shulga, Luis and Norris vying for some sort of employment.

It would not be surprising if another center was added as the big man position still needs help. The Boucher acquisition looks like the opposite of a tanking move. If a center or two emerges, this could be a passably decent team.

[Dogen]

Are we still in cost cutting mode? Because Moody has a few years left.

I don't watch that much GSW being that they're on the west coast and being that they beat us in the Finals. but whenever I catch them, I always cant shake the comp of Josh Richardson for Moody. Based on limited watches, I see the comparison in terms of an adequate NBA 2/3 who does some nice things but is fundamentally fungible and whose destiny is probably as a salary match for a more memorable player

No one's pitched any fake trades in awhile so how about Niang/Walsh/Tillman for Moses Moody.

Don't want to get too rusty on the ol' trade fabrication creation.

I've coveted Moody for a couple years. Interesting trade idea, but now Georges is gone. Mostly 2 seconds for a salary dump and didn't get much in return... unless RJ Luis is the next Moses Moody.

[jfs1000d]

The suckitude of this off-season is breathtaking to behold.

But good news, the Patriots start up Friday and the Red Sox may win the World Series and are absolutely stacked with young talent.

So if Corporal Chisholm and the other Venture Capitalists wannabees want to gut this team, there are sports alternatives....

It is for sure he year. Foolish to go over second apron. Duck all taxes if you can. Reset the penalties.

[31to6]

It's clear there's more to come. If nothing else the two-way logjam needs to be addressed with Williams, Shulga, Luis and Norris vying for some sort of employment.

It would not be surprising if another center was added as the big man position still needs help. The Boucher acquisition looks like the opposite of a tanking move. If a center or two emerges, this could be a passably decent team.

Much as I love drama though -- the two-way 'battle' could just be everyone comes to camp, and three of those guys leave with jobs and one an offer to (exclusively) play in Maine. I say this because my understanding is that two-way contracts are not guaranteed/protected. Otherwise Amari is the guy currently without one, and off the island -- I hope that's not the outcome, but I will try not to get worked up about it because he looked a ways away from being ready to contribute to the NBA during summer league.

Other than the rare situation where someone is trying to salary dump Georges Niang, it seems two-way guys aren't traded, right?

[Hal14]

On another note, I have no expectations for wins and losses this year which is kind of great. It's good to take a year off from all the worry and anxiety and just watch your favorite team play.

Yup. A nice stress free, 1 year break from expectations.

Then back to chasing titles in 26-27..

[31to6]

The suckitude of this off-season is breathtaking to behold.

But good news, the Patriots start up Friday and the Red Sox may win the World Series and are absolutely stacked with young talent.

So if Corporal Chisholm and the other Venture Capitalists wannabees want to gut this team, there are sports alternatives....

It is for sure he year. Foolish to go over second apron. Duck all taxes if you can. Reset the penalties.

I'm a broken record about this this summer, but want to make sure everyone remembers that luxury tax penalties are purely financial, and not tied up with draft picks and trade restrictions, like the aprons. So if the goal becomes getting under the luxury tax (especially for the next two seasons), then the goal is just for the new owners to save $$, likely at the expense of competitiveness in 2026-27 and beyond.

[brackdan70]

Hmm. A lot happened today when I wasn’t paying attention.
That seems like a lot of draft capital to move Niang, but I am not too offended.
Love adding Boucher. He is really a positive impact player. That wasn’t on my radar.
The tank just threw a track.

I think it's one 2nd to dump Niang, the other to get RJ Luis. I don't love sending them, but that's why Brad gets em.

I don't think the sidegrade really effects the tank one way or the other, tbh. Purely financial, with maybe the slightest on court improvement due to fit, than anything else.

Why sign Boucher though? He’s roughly equal to Niang but he’s better than an UDFA rookie or an empty roster spot.

Based on impact stats he is way better than Niang.
On a vet minimum why not? He is better than Simmons, Bassey or any of the other dudes we been talking about.

[Hal14]

The suckitude of this off-season is breathtaking to behold.

But good news, the Patriots start up Friday and the Red Sox may win the World Series and are absolutely stacked with young talent.

So if Corporal Chisholm and the other Venture Capitalists wannabees want to gut this team, there are sports alternatives....

It is for sure he year. Foolish to go over second apron. Duck all taxes if you can. Reset the penalties.

I'm a broken record about this this summer, but want to make sure everyone remembers that luxury tax penalties are purely financial, and not tied up with draft picks and trade restrictions, like the aprons. So if the goal becomes getting under the luxury tax (especially for the next two seasons), then the goal is just for the new owners to save $$, likely at the expense of competitiveness in 2026-27 and beyond.

It's for the owners to save $ now (during a season we're punting) so they can use that money they save to spend more $ on improving the team in 26-27 and beyond when Tatum is back healthy and we're actually trying to win titles again.

[Shak_Celts]

I’m glad everyone feels they can relax through the next season, but my anxiety level would be high if we had the teams the pistons had before recently. Idc what people feel about the team, my mind is going to say we can win games until we lose them! I remember when we dropped to 5th place and all the people mad at some of us happy about a W!

Edit: when are the people who cheered and wanted that win going to get credit for us winning the chip?! We traded Smart, that 5th pick, for KP and the rest is history!

[Hal14]

I think it's one 2nd to dump Niang, the other to get RJ Luis. I don't love sending them, but that's why Brad gets em.

I don't think the sidegrade really effects the tank one way or the other, tbh. Purely financial, with maybe the slightest on court improvement due to fit, than anything else.

Why sign Boucher though? He’s roughly equal to Niang but he’s better than an UDFA rookie or an empty roster spot.

Based on impact stats he is way better than Niang.

You have to take impact stats with a grain of salt when it comes to role players..they matter but not very much..they also are dependent on external factors, like how good their teammates were, the system/scheme they were in, the way their coach used them, etc.

Also, we have to factor context in here. For example, Boucher was on the same team for the past 7 years. Niang meanwhile has bounced around from team to team. That makes a difference. When you're brand new to a team, it typically takes awhile like a half a season, if not more) to get used to your new team, to get fully ramp'd up, learn the system, learn how your new teammates like to play, etc.

Last season Niang was on a new team (CLE) and just when he was getting used to it, he gets moved to ATL, where he has to start all over again and learn another new team..that impacts your numbers. Much easier for a guy to have good stats when he stays on the same team for 7 years, as Boucher did.

Bottom line, they're both bench players..both a decent 8th man in the rotation..both 32 yrs old..overall ability-wise, they're in the same ballpark..which one is better is a matter of preference, it's basically splitting hairs.

But Boucher has a much cheaper contract, so he's here.

[redslastlaugh]

Also, Chris Boucher on a minimum could be appealing at the deadline to a contender in need of affordable frontcourt reinforcements. And Brad sends Boucher out for a couple of seconds as a Mike Muscla special. And we replenish the 2nd rounders we sent out to clear Niang's cash.

Why sign Boucher though? He’s roughly equal to Niang but he’s better than an UDFA rookie or an empty roster spot.

[Shak_Celts]

Some say Brad is a bad drafter, why do I care about seconds he’s yet to hit on? He’ll get them back anyway, he always does. Late first into a billion 2nds is his MO.

[31to6]

It is for sure he year. Foolish to go over second apron. Duck all taxes if you can. Reset the penalties.

I'm a broken record about this this summer, but want to make sure everyone remembers that luxury tax penalties are purely financial, and not tied up with draft picks and trade restrictions, like the aprons. So if the goal becomes getting under the luxury tax (especially for the next two seasons), then the goal is just for the new owners to save $$, likely at the expense of competitiveness in 2026-27 and beyond.

It's for the owners to save $ now (during a season we're punting) so they can use that money they save to spend more $ on improving the team in 26-27 and beyond when Tatum is back healthy and we're actually trying to win titles again.

I understand that, but it can sometimes be hard to find ways to spend that money when you (like the rest of the league) are over the cap. The way to duck the tax is to let Simons expire. I won't be surprised or that mad if they do it. But then the salary slot that was Smart then Jrue then Simons is gone and you can't sign a starting-level player in its place. You're at JT, JB, DW, PP, SH, and the flotsam/jetsam crew going forward. (Then, likely, IF you've been fortunate enough that JT has recovered to be a star again, the reasonable thing to try to do is trade JB for two rotation players -- one star-adjacent -- but aprons might interfere with that)

[Fierce1]

I can probably go lower. Gimme a few days.

I think MIL owes a pick here, but they just don't have any. I like a secondary swap on the 28 first round pick, tbh. We should be good again, so upgrading from 28-30 to something slightly higher isn't nothing.

I would agree with you if Ainge is still calling the shots for the Cs.

But Brad apparently does not care about picks.

Guess we'll just have to wait for Sep. 7.

I still think Simons will end up playing for the Celtics.

Raise Simons' trade value then trade him for something significant.

I think the last part is what I don't get. Even if he plays a lot better in BOS than he has the rest of his career and scores more efficiently, shows progress on D, you've used up even more of his contract as an expiring. Any value he's added is offset by that. At the deadline, someone would need to:

a) be so much more enamored with Simons than they are now
b) feel like that's worth giving up something significant rather than wait for FA in the summer - where more teams will have space than this summer.
c) negotiate an extension at the time of the trade, or feel very confident they could resign him.

It's possible but pretty unlikely, imo.

It doesn't have to be February.

Cs can move him in December or January.

[playa-hater]

So now that we signed Chris Boucher, I am wondering if that leaves us out of the great Ben Simmons race???

Other than straight tanking and playing the young guys I'm not even sure what I want anymore.

[celtxman]

So. let me get this Straight.
Did we just Trade for a Two-Way player, in Luis, Jr.?

This is a money saving trade that we can live with. Niang is solid, but not spectacular. Boucher gives a solid NBA player at a position of real need.

[31to6]

So now that we signed Chris Boucher, I am wondering if that leaves us out of the great Ben Simmons race???

Other than straight tanking and playing the young guys I'm not even sure what I want anymore.

God imagine if they'd signed Simmons instead of Boucher today, we'd be in shambles
NYK deserves him
https://www.gq.com/story/ben-simmons-clock-briefcase-met-gala-2024