Free Agent/Trade/Waiver Thread, 2025-26, part 2

[MaxwellSmart]

Simons will be The C's leading scorer this season....And C's will sign him long term.

[Dogen]

Simons will be The C's leading scorer this season....And C's will sign him long term.

If the team can get JB (and White to some extent) to accept being the defacto team leaders while also supporting Simons as the main offensive threat, I can see this happening. We really haven't seen the Celtics with a pure bucket-getter since... Kyrie? IT? Yeah, it may not work out, but if you have a guy like that you need to take advantage of it.

Simons isn't a SGA/Trae tier guy, but he's more gifted as an iso player than JB. When JT returns Simons could be that second/third option, with the ability to step up when the other guys are struggling... as was the case in the playoffs this year.

It's up to Anfernee. If he's ready to come intp camp with real "No Days Off" mentality and take that next step, he'll quickly be accepted by Celtic Nation.

Watch on YouTube

[bucknersrevenge]

Simons will be The C's leading scorer this season....And C's will sign him long term.

Bold take. I respect it. People know that I've been in the Simons camp for a while now, but just to try to be even handed, the one thing that could get in the way would be how quickly he grasps the defensive rotations. I have ZERO doubt that no matter what, Simons will be a better defender than he was in Portland (the bar is set that low). But it may still take time to get to a place where Joe trusts him, certainly late in games. I could certainly envision a scenario where we break camp with Pritchard starting at least in part, because Pritchard already knows the deal on defense and has earned Joe's trust there.

Some beat guys have suggested that Joe will have to soften his stance this year on playing young guys and perhaps letting them play through mistakes more. I would dare any of them to make this comment to Joe's face and watch what happens. Joe doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who will change on THIS kind of thing. Playing through stuff is what tanking teams do and this team's stance is pretty clear on that. Practice will be more important than ever this season as Joe will have to do a ton of experimentation and mixing of lineups in search of groups that fit well. I expect a more considerable trial and error stage of the season while guys who have never played together figure out how to work together.

We may start this year slow because of that. But what I don't expect Joe to do is compromise on how guys earn minutes. Those who execute at both ends in practice and then prove that they will be in the right spots consistently during games will play, and when guys don't they will get hooked. Simons, like many players could struggle early as they find their place in a new system with new teammates and new responsibilities, but later on as the season goes on, find their stride after some time settling in.Knowing this board, there's probably going to be a lot of hand-wringing over Joe's rotations early on as he figures this out, but part of what makes Joe Joe is that he just flat out doesn't care what other people think he should do nor who he should play.

[bucknersrevenge]

Simons will be The C's leading scorer this season....And C's will sign him long term.

If the team can get JB (and White to some extent) to accept being the defacto team leaders while also supporting Simons as the main offensive threat, I can see this happening. We really haven't seen the Celtics with a pure bucket-getter since... Kyrie? IT? Yeah, it may not work out, but if you have a guy like that you need to take advantage of it.

Simons isn't a SGA/Trae tier guy, but he's more gifted as an iso player than JB. When JT returns Simons could be that second/third option, with the ability to step up when the other guys are struggling... as was the case in the playoffs this year.

It's up to Anfernee. If he's ready to come intp camp with real "No Days Off" mentality and take that next step, he'll quickly be accepted by Celtic Nation.

Watch on YouTube

Last year, being thrown into the position of having to be Portland's #1 playmaker, he did so, with no real passing talent around him and no spacing anywhere else on the floor. Every single night he drew every team's best perimeter defender(s) while creating the most gravity. As such, he turned in a season where he finished among the league leaders in worst quality of shots taken. He forced a lot. His finishing at the rim cratered to 51% where it had been 66% just the year before. All that and he still put up 19/5 on respectable shooting numbers. Just imagine for a second, him drawing a team's 2nd or even 3rd best defender playing alongside guys like PP, White, Hauser, while JB draws the toughest assignments. Then include effective rim runners and finishers to play with. How might that look? Do you one better. Imagine him with all that




...then throw in Tatum.

[Fierce1]

Celtics start the season 14-6 or even 13-7, a lot of opinions are going to change.

Not because of Simons alone.

It's about understanding Joe's system and how the system succeeds or fails.

Simons is a piece that will make Joe's system run better.

That's why I have high hopes for the Cs on NOT becoming a lottery team with Tatum's absence.

[Hal14]

Interesting stat:

Read on Twitter

[chrisab123]

Celtics start the season 14-6 or even 13-7, a lot of opinions are going to change.

Not because of Simons alone.

It's about understanding Joe's system and how the system succeeds or fails.

Simons is a piece that will make Joe's system run better.

That's why I have high hopes for the Cs on NOT becoming a lottery team with Tatum's absence.

A lot of people are going to be pissed off if they start 13-7. Half this board is rooting against them this year and rooting for a top 5 pick.

[canman1971]

Celtics start the season 14-6 or even 13-7, a lot of opinions are going to change.

Not because of Simons alone.

It's about understanding Joe's system and how the system succeeds or fails.

Simons is a piece that will make Joe's system run better.

That's why I have high hopes for the Cs on NOT becoming a lottery team with Tatum's absence.

A lot of people are going to be pissed off if they start 13-7. Half this board is rooting against them this year and rooting for a top 5 pick.

If that’s the case than half this board sucks and they are not Celtics fans, but more drama losers.

[Parliament10]

Celtics start the season 14-6 or even 13-7, a lot of opinions are going to change.

Not because of Simons alone.

It's about understanding Joe's system and how the system succeeds or fails.

Simons is a piece that will make Joe's system run better.

That's why I have high hopes for the Cs on NOT becoming a lottery team with Tatum's absence.

A lot of people are going to be pissed off if they start 13-7. Half this board is rooting against them this year and rooting for a top 5 pick.

If that’s the case than half this board sucks and they are not Celtics fans, but more drama losers.

Yeah, I can't see what the Tanking Fetish is? = Tatum will be back, if not this Season, then the next.
We also have Brown, White & Pritchard, among others. Why would the Players Tank?

Why would the Team Tank, for that matter? Tanking is a last resort, when you have no hope on the horizon.
We make the Playoffs, even without Tatum. We Tank, and All our good Players will want Out.

Edit:
Some Teams use the Tank option, because they have too; they have no resources.
We're the Celtics. We have 18 Banners. You don't do that by accident.

[djFan71]

Why does it have to be all or nothing? You can want to trade Simons without wanting to tank. You can recognize he has good scoring ability and potential to grow on both ends here, yet conclude that, in your opinion, it’s in the long term interest of the club to trade him, save money and develop other guys. You can still root for him to be a great player for the team if that doesn’t happen. You can want to win every game this year,b ut be OK if we don’t. You can be happy if we get a pick in the low 20s instead of the high 20s. Or be happier if it ends up being even better. Even without rooting for the team to lose.

I know cuz I do all of those things.

[Fierce1]

Why does it have to be all or nothing? You can want to trade Simons without wanting to tank. You can recognize he has good scoring ability and potential to grow on both ends here, yet conclude that, in your opinion, it’s in the long term interest of the club to trade him, save money and develop other guys. You can still root for him to be a great player for the team if that doesn’t happen. You can want to win every game this year,b ut be OK if we don’t. You can be happy if we get a pick in the low 20s instead of the high 20s. Or be happier if it ends up being even better. Even without rooting for the team to lose.

I know cuz I do all of those things.

I just disagree with trying to lose right from the start.

You're not one of those guys who are wishing for a lottery pick.

So you don't belong in the all or nothing category.

[Curmudgeon]

If the Celtics plan to tank, they will have to find a new coach. Mazulla may lose games because he coaches poorly, but never because he tanked. It's not in his DNA.

If Stevens wants to tank he needs to fire Mazulla, or get him off the bench for a couple of months. Maybe he can invent some sort of health crisis. But I'm guessing that tanking isn't in Cassell's DNA either, so he'll have to find someone else.

What is M.L. Carr doing these days?

[Shak_Celts]

If the Celtics plan to tank, they will have to find a new coach. Mazulla may lose games because he coaches poorly, but never because he tanked. It's not in his DNA.

If Stevens wants to tank he needs to fire Mazulla, or get him off the bench for a couple of months. Maybe he can invent some sort of health crisis. But I'm guessing that tanking isn't in Cassell's DNA either, so he'll have to find someone else.

What is M.L. Carr doing these days?

He’ll run the players ragged and go out and play himself before he tries to lose intentionally. We may lose, but not because people will be trying to, not even Brad. Even though we aren’t what we were, Brad could have done way more to guarantee a tank, if that’s what they want. Could have saved plenty of money and tanked easily actually.

[Larry_Russell]

A lot of people are going to be pissed off if they start 13-7. Half this board is rooting against them this year and rooting for a top 5 pick.

If that’s the case than half this board sucks and they are not Celtics fans, but more drama losers.

Yeah, I can't see what the Tanking Fetish is? = Tatum will be back, if not this Season, then the next.
We also have Brown, White & Pritchard, among others. Why would the Players Tank?

Why would the Team Tank, for that matter? Tanking is a last resort, when you have no hope on the horizon.
We make the Playoffs, even without Tatum. We Tank, and All our good Players will want Out.

Edit:
Some Teams use the Tank option, because they have too; they have no resources.
We're the Celtics. We have 18 Banners. You don't do that by accident.

Spurs tanked, got Duncan and became the decades top team, a dynasty team.

Top 5 or 6 in this draft all are potentially better than Tatum.

You take that opportunity to step back a year, let youth have a chance to mature, then come out on Fire next season with a dynasty

[Shak_Celts]

If that’s the case than half this board sucks and they are not Celtics fans, but more drama losers.

Yeah, I can't see what the Tanking Fetish is? = Tatum will be back, if not this Season, then the next.
We also have Brown, White & Pritchard, among others. Why would the Players Tank?

Why would the Team Tank, for that matter? Tanking is a last resort, when you have no hope on the horizon.
We make the Playoffs, even without Tatum. We Tank, and All our good Players will want Out.

Edit:
Some Teams use the Tank option, because they have too; they have no resources.
We're the Celtics. We have 18 Banners. You don't do that by accident.

Spurs tanked, got Duncan and became the decades top team, a dynasty team.

Top 5 or 6 in this draft all are potentially better than Tatum.

You take that opportunity to step back a year, let youth have a chance to mature, then come out on Fire next season with a dynasty

It’s not 5-6 guys better than Tatum in the last 10 drafts, combined.

[Larry_Russell]

Yeah, I can't see what the Tanking Fetish is? = Tatum will be back, if not this Season, then the next.
We also have Brown, White & Pritchard, among others. Why would the Players Tank?

Why would the Team Tank, for that matter? Tanking is a last resort, when you have no hope on the horizon.
We make the Playoffs, even without Tatum. We Tank, and All our good Players will want Out.

Edit:
Some Teams use the Tank option, because they have too; they have no resources.
We're the Celtics. We have 18 Banners. You don't do that by accident.

Spurs tanked, got Duncan and became the decades top team, a dynasty team.

Top 5 or 6 in this draft all are potentially better than Tatum.

You take that opportunity to step back a year, let youth have a chance to mature, then come out on Fire next season with a dynasty

It’s not 5-6 guys better than Tatum in the last 10 drafts, combined.

1) Thats pure hyperbole.
2) "potentially"

[Hal14]

A lot of people are going to be pissed off if they start 13-7. Half this board is rooting against them this year and rooting for a top 5 pick.

If that’s the case than half this board sucks and they are not Celtics fans, but more drama losers.

Yeah, I can't see what the Tanking Fetish is? = Tatum will be back, if not this Season, then the next.
We also have Brown, White & Pritchard, among others. Why would the Players Tank?

Why would the Team Tank, for that matter? Tanking is a last resort, when you have no hope on the horizon.
We make the Playoffs, even without Tatum. We Tank, and All our good Players will want Out.

Edit:
Some Teams use the Tank option, because they have too; they have no resources.
We're the Celtics. We have 18 Banners. You don't do that by accident.

Mavericks were in WCF, but then the next year tanked, got Lively with 10th pick, then made the NBA finals, then tanked and drafted Flagg no. 1 pick. They're literally on like a cycle where they go DEEP in playoffs 1 year, tank for a high draft pick the next, then contend the next year, it's working beautifully so far.

Spurs were in the playoffs, then tanked, got Tim Duncan and won 5 titles.

Sixers made playoffs, tanked and then got VJ with the 3rd pick.

Hawks were in the play-in but missed playoffs, won lottery and got a good young player in Risacher.

Thunder had SGA but tanked, got Jalen Williams..then tanked, got Chet...then won a title and could be on the verge of a dynasty.

Rockets tanked, then got Sengun, Amen and Jabari. also got Jalen Green who they flipped for KD.

Pistons tanked, got Cade, Ausar, Ivey, Duren.

Cavs tanked, got Garland and Mobley..traded for Allen and Mitchell.

Orlando tanked, got Paolo, Franz, Suggs.

Do people still not understand the benefit of tanking?

The best outcome of an NBA season? Winning the title. The 2nd best outcome? Getting a high draft pick to improve your odds of winning the title the next year.

What gives you better odds for a title the following season?
Scenario A: fall short of title, get 18th pick
Scenario B: fall short of title, get 1st pick

Give me scenario B all day long, especially when the 2026 draft has 3 guys at the top who could be top 10 players in the league.

[Fierce1]

If that’s the case than half this board sucks and they are not Celtics fans, but more drama losers.

Yeah, I can't see what the Tanking Fetish is? = Tatum will be back, if not this Season, then the next.
We also have Brown, White & Pritchard, among others. Why would the Players Tank?

Why would the Team Tank, for that matter? Tanking is a last resort, when you have no hope on the horizon.
We make the Playoffs, even without Tatum. We Tank, and All our good Players will want Out.

Edit:
Some Teams use the Tank option, because they have too; they have no resources.
We're the Celtics. We have 18 Banners. You don't do that by accident.

Mavericks were in WCF, but then the next year tanked, got Lively with 10th pick, then made the NBA finals, then tanked and drafted Flagg no. 1 pick. They're literally on like a cycle where they go DEEP in playoffs 1 year, tank for a high draft pick the next, then content the next year, it's working beautifully so far.

Spurs were in the playoffs, then tanked, got Tim Duncan and won 5 titles.

Sixers made playoffs, tanked and then got VJ with the 3rd pick.

Hawks were in the play-in but missed playoffs, won lottery and got a good young player in Risacher.

Thunder had SGA but tanked, got Jalen Williams..then tanked, got Chet...then won a title and could be on the verge of a dynasty.

Rockets tanked, then got Sengun, Amen and Jabari. also got Jalen Green who they flipped for KD.

Pistons tanked, got Cade, Ausar, Ivey, Duren.

Cavs tanked, got Garland and Mobley..traded for Allen and Mitchell.

Orlando tanked, got Paolo, Franz, Suggs.

Do people still not understand the benefit of tanking?

The best outcome of an NBA season? Winning the title. The 2nd best outcome? Getting a high draft pick to improve your odds of winning the title the next year.

What gives you better odds for a title the following season?
Scenario A: fall short of title, get 18th pick
Scenario B: fall short of title, get 1st pick

Give me scenario B all day long, especially when the 2026 draft has 3 guys at the top who could be top 10 players in the league.

What you're saying is not wrong, but both Brad and Joe don't tank.

So even if the Cs end up having a mediocre season, they still won't come close to having a lottery pick.

The roster and the system are just too good to fail.

[Shak_Celts]

Spurs tanked, got Duncan and became the decades top team, a dynasty team.

Top 5 or 6 in this draft all are potentially better than Tatum.

You take that opportunity to step back a year, let youth have a chance to mature, then come out on Fire next season with a dynasty

It’s not 5-6 guys better than Tatum in the last 10 drafts, combined.

1) Thats pure hyperbole.
2) "potentially"

If there aren’t 5-6 in 10 then what makes you think there will be in 1?

Edit x2: Name the 5-6 from the last 10 drafts.

I went in the past because when you say potential, I’ll have to be here for the end of those players career or long enough to discern it with facts and that would still take time. When are you giving up in their potential. Then said hyperbole like yours isn’t.

[Fierce1]

Speaking of tanking, the Cs tanked in 1997 and instead of ending up with the #1 pick, they ended up with the #3 and #6 picks.

That's 2 picks in the top 6 and both picks didn't end up becoming the #1 pick.

In 2007, Ainge and Doc also tanked.
They were hoping for Oden or KD with the #1 or #2 pick.
But the Cs just ended up with the #5 pick, Jeff Green.

So tanking does not really work for the Cs.