Free Agent/Trade/Waiver Thread, 2025-26

[165bows]

Tatum, Brown, White and PP cost nearly $154 mil. in 2026-27 and the luxury tax is $200 mil. So they're $46 mil. from the luxury tax with 10 spots to fill and no solid big man. Can't see them keeping Simons considering next year's biggest need.

What if Simons agrees to an 18m per year contract?

They'd likely invest that for a big.

If Simons really wanted to stay I think his number is more like $8M.

[chrisab123]

With 12 guys, they're at nearly $184 mil. in 2026-2027 when assuming the #20 pick and guys with club options. Just can't see Simons returning next year and Hauser might get dealt too.

Jaylen Brown $57,078,728
Jayson Tatum $58,456,566
Derrick White $30,348,000
Sam Hauser $10,848,215
Payton Pritchard $7,767,857
Hugo Gonzalez $2,923,560
Baylor Scheierman $2,744,040
Luka Garza $2,801,345
Neemias Queta $2,584,539
Josh Minott $2,667,944
Jordan Walsh $2,406,205
20th Pick $3,000,000
Team Totals $183,626,999

Yeah if they’re cutting salary in 2026-2027 then I think Tatum and maybe JB asks for a trade. They’re going to have to go back into contention mode again. Plus the draft in 2027 is supposed to be awful.

[Fierce1]

That's why with too many unknowns, it's better to wait and see what happens with Simons playing for the Cs.

Trading Simons now just to trim payroll is being cheap.

Let Simons prove he's worthy of his next contract.

Like I said, this is the perfect season to go all in on the NBA Cup in Vegas.

[brackdan70]

With 12 guys, they're at nearly $184 mil. in 2026-2027 when assuming the #20 pick and guys with club options. Just can't see Simons returning next year and Hauser might get dealt too.

Jaylen Brown $57,078,728
Jayson Tatum $58,456,566
Derrick White $30,348,000
Sam Hauser $10,848,215
Payton Pritchard $7,767,857
Hugo Gonzalez $2,923,560
Baylor Scheierman $2,744,040
Luka Garza $2,801,345
Neemias Queta $2,584,539
Josh Minott $2,667,944
Jordan Walsh $2,406,205
20th Pick $3,000,000
Team Totals $183,626,999

Yeah if they’re cutting salary in 2026-2027 then I think Tatum and maybe JB asks for a trade. They’re going to have to go back into contention mode again. Plus the draft in 2027 is supposed to be awful.

Yeah that’s still way under the tax. 16 million under. I wouldn’t expect more cuts.

[fallguy]

That's why with too many unknowns, it's better to wait and see what happens with Simons playing for the Cs.

Trading Simons now just to trim payroll is being cheap.

Let Simons prove he's worthy of his next contract.

Like I said, this is the perfect season to go all in on the NBA Cup in Vegas.

LOL. Nobody cares about the NBA Cup and you certainly don't make roster decisions for it. Even the worst GM in the league wouldn't optimize for that.

[fallguy]

What if Simons agrees to an 18m per year contract?

They'd likely invest that for a big.

If Simons really wanted to stay I think his number is more like $8M.

He'll get double that for sure. He can score and there's value in that.

[Curmudgeon]

They'd likely invest that for a big.

If Simons really wanted to stay I think his number is more like $8M.

He'll get double that for sure. He can score and there's value in that.

No he won't. Jay Scrubb can score. The issue is, can you win? Scoring without more is for tank commanders. No one is giving Simons Jordan Poole money. Poole has the worst contract in the league that is being tossed around like a hot potato. GMs may learn slowly, but they learn.

[Fierce1]

That's why with too many unknowns, it's better to wait and see what happens with Simons playing for the Cs.

Trading Simons now just to trim payroll is being cheap.

Let Simons prove he's worthy of his next contract.

Like I said, this is the perfect season to go all in on the NBA Cup in Vegas.

LOL. Nobody cares about the NBA Cup and you certainly don't make roster decisions for it. Even the worst GM in the league wouldn't optimize for that.

It's the little things.

Celtic fans are very competitive and love winning.

Why not go for the NBA Cup when some consider this a bridge year or a year the Cs are not contenders.

The new owner wants revenue and they're not achieving that if they don't give Celtic fans something to be excited about.

If the majority of Celtic fans are not expecting a championship this season, the Celtics could at least give us entertainment.

I never said prepare your roster for the NBA Cup.

Just try to win it because it will give Celtic fans something to cheer about.

[Fierce1]

If Simons really wanted to stay I think his number is more like $8M.

He'll get double that for sure. He can score and there's value in that.

No he won't. Jay Scrubb can score. The issue is, can you win? Scoring without more is for tank commanders like Jordan Poole.

You are mistaken if you believe Simons is a scrub.

[Curmudgeon]

He'll get double that for sure. He can score and there's value in that.

No he won't. Jay Scrubb can score. The issue is, can you win? Scoring without more is for tank commanders like Jordan Poole.

You are mistaken if you believe Simons is a scrub.

No, Scrubb is a scrub. Simons is a guy who averages 20 ppg on a 21 win team. Hope he proves me wrong if the Celtics are forced to keep him.

[Fierce1]

No he won't. Jay Scrubb can score. The issue is, can you win? Scoring without more is for tank commanders like Jordan Poole.

You are mistaken if you believe Simons is a scrub.

No, Scrubb is a scrub. Simons is a guy who averages 20 ppg on a 21 win team. Hope he proves me wrong if the Celtics are forced to keep him.

Good post.

[mmbird33]

So here is a question - why couldn't our well paid stars in JB and JT just give us a hometown discount (at least restructure their contracts) to help us out...just wondering if it could be possible....Luka did it...why not our guys

[Hal14]

So here is a question - why couldn't our well paid stars in JB and JT just give us a hometown discount (at least restructure their contracts) to help us out...just wondering if it could be possible....Luka did it...why not our guys

LUka didn't take a discount. He got less money because he was only eligible to sign a sueprmax with Dallas. He lost like $150mil by being traded to the Lakers.

[165bows]

If Simons really wanted to stay I think his number is more like $8M.

He'll get double that for sure. He can score and there's value in that.

No he won't. Jay Scrubb can score. The issue is, can you win? Scoring without more is for tank commanders. No one is giving Simons Jordan Poole money. Poole has the worst contract in the league that is being tossed around like a hot potato. GMs may learn slowly, but they learn.

I agree he’s not in line for a raise and likely a cut. The thing with scorers is they need to have some combo of size, defense or PG/playmaking, and elite efficiency scoring.

An average efficiency volume scorer is the group whose value has dropped the most the past few years.

But my point about the $8M is he will get more from some Chicago level team than he will in Boston so he’s not staying unless he accepts a deep cut which isn’t happening.

[mmbird33]

So here is a question - why couldn't our well paid stars in JB and JT just give us a hometown discount (at least restructure their contracts) to help us out...just wondering if it could be possible....Luka did it...why not our guys

LUka didn't take a discount. He got less money because he was only eligible to sign a sueprmax with Dallas. He lost like $150mil by being traded to the Lakers.

But is it possible that JT and JB could restructure - from the 5 year contract to say a 10 year

[mmbird33]

So here is a question - why couldn't our well paid stars in JB and JT just give us a hometown discount (at least restructure their contracts) to help us out...just wondering if it could be possible....Luka did it...why not our guys

LUka didn't take a discount. He got less money because he was only eligible to sign a sueprmax with Dallas. He lost like $150mil by being traded to the Lakers.

But is it possible that JT and JB could restructure - from the 5 year contract to say a 10 year

it just seems like it should be possible and would really help out our cap situation

[celtics543]

So here is a question - why couldn't our well paid stars in JB and JT just give us a hometown discount (at least restructure their contracts) to help us out...just wondering if it could be possible....Luka did it...why not our guys

LUka didn't take a discount. He got less money because he was only eligible to sign a sueprmax with Dallas. He lost like $150mil by being traded to the Lakers.

But is it possible that JT and JB could restructure - from the 5 year contract to say a 10 year

No. CBA doesn’t allow that. And the union would never go for that. Can’t have top stars taking less, that hurts the market for everyone else.

[mmbird33]

LUka didn't take a discount. He got less money because he was only eligible to sign a sueprmax with Dallas. He lost like $150mil by being traded to the Lakers.

But is it possible that JT and JB could restructure - from the 5 year contract to say a 10 year

it just seems like it should be possible and would really help out our cap situation

and in a sense Luka did take a discount - i am sure he was quite aware of how much he would be losing out on - so in essence he did take a paycut to play with the Lakers - but that is all semantics - i was just asking if it was possible to restructure our guys contracts - that all

[Celts17Pride]

LUka didn't take a discount. He got less money because he was only eligible to sign a sueprmax with Dallas. He lost like $150mil by being traded to the Lakers.

But is it possible that JT and JB could restructure - from the 5 year contract to say a 10 year

it just seems like it should be possible and would really help out our cap situation

NBA doesn't work like the NFL. There is no restructuring of contracts. They are all guaranteed.