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

[brackdan70]

2026 pick is too valuable right now. Agreed.

Not sure simons does it though even with a pick especially when thier pick goes to OKC..

Yeah, Clippers pick going to OKC is one reason why Zubac won't get moved.
Like, you trade Zubac if you're gonna tank..but no way you're gonna tank if you don't even own your own pick..

Also, that APHoops is not as legit news source..if you scroll through their tweets, it quickly becomes clear that it's just a random Clippers fan who keeps spreading random rumors..and making random takes/observations about the Clippers that any random fan of the team might make..

Clippers have no means of adding picks besides maybe getting one for Kawhi or Harden, and they have no picks until 2030. They might lose more from the circumvention scandal.

Trading Zubac, who’s going to be 29, very well could be on the table

However they could get some/ a good player/s and a pick or two for him.
I’d dangle 27, or a top 8 protected 26 ( maybe) and 30. Idk. Maybe that’s too much.

[hugepatsfan]

Stay with me here....

Simons for DeRozen. Hauser salary dumped to avoid the tax and set us up to pay regular vs. repeater rates next year. Also add a tradable contract to the books.

Giannis stays in MIL until the offseason.

In the offseason, trade White/DeRozen/Scheierman along with the draft rights to our '26 1st rounder and then 2027/2031/2033 1st round picks and all the swaps in between. They can flip White somewhere else for assets. This would be more salary out than in for us so we wouldn't be hard capped at the 1st apron, but we would be hard capped at the 2nd apron.

Porzingis signs for the taxpayers MLE to come back to a place he seemed happy ($6.1M).

Pritchard
Brown / Hugo
Tatum / Walsh
Giannis / Minott
Porzingis / Queta / Garza

Team would have $8.4M to fill out the last 4 roster spots and still be below the 1st apron. Like I said though, they aren't hard capped there so it's ok if they go over. We'd be paying regular tax rates, not repeater rates next year but then would go back to repeater rates in 27-28 and beyond.

Definitely need to get some backup ball handlers with those minimum spots but we'd figure to be a pretty attractive destination.

[Celts17Pride]

I think Giannis gets traded to the Knicks over the next two weeks after Dec 15th. I think both teams already had a framework of a deal over the summer. Probably a three team deal. Just my opinion. We'll see.

[redslastlaugh]

Maybe if Milwaukee wants to do Giannis a favor, if he requests to go there, Knicks could acquire Giannis.

But I think it would be a very, very bad return for an top 5 MVP-candidate type of player of Giannis's age. Do the Knicks have anything that would entice the Bucks, if MKE is going into a total rebuild?

Knicks only players on rookie contracts are Pacome Dadiet & Tyler Kolek. And according to RealGM, they owe every other pick from 2025-2031 to Brooklyn from the Mikal Bridges trade, meaning the Knicks don't have even ONE future first to trade. And, to top it off, the Knicks are currently 2nd apron and so cant aggregate multiple players into a deal.

I think Knicks could do KAT straight up for Giannis, because Giannis makes $20k less, so NYK won't be taking back more $ nor have to aggregate salaries... but would Milwaukee really take back Karl Towns (and no picks or prospects) for Giannis, yikes?

I think Giannis gets traded to the Knicks over the next two weeks after Dec 15th. I think both teams already had a framework of a deal over the summer. Probably a three team deal. Just my opinion. We'll see.

[Half-Full]

Quite the pretzel indeed...

https://hardwoodhoudini.com/celtics-plau-making-trade-deadline-decision-impossible

[hugepatsfan]

I guess it's kind of a pretzel, but I still stand by what I said a while back that the team is in great position to have their cake and eat it too. If they dump Tillman/Boucher and replace with pro rated minimums, then they only need to shed about $8M more to duck to the tax. Simons/Hauser make a combined $37M between them. Hauser fits into a ton of team's TPE/MLEs. Simons is an expiring deal which makes for workable salary filler in tons of deals.

I feel like it's pretty feasible to trade Simons/Hauser at a combined $37M for a player or combo of players making about $29M that gets you below the tax and makes you better on the court.

[GoCeltics123]

I guess it's kind of a pretzel, but I still stand by what I said a while back that the team is in great position to have their cake and eat it too. If they dump Tillman/Boucher and replace with pro rated minimums, then they only need to shed about $8M more to duck to the tax. Simons/Hauser make a combined $37M between them. Hauser fits into a ton of team's TPE/MLEs. Simons is an expiring deal which makes for workable salary filler in tons of deals.

I feel like it's pretty feasible to trade Simons/Hauser at a combined $37M for a player or combo of players making about $29M that gets you below the tax and makes you better on the court.

Read on Twitter

This is the one

[darrendaye]

I guess it's kind of a pretzel, but I still stand by what I said a while back that the team is in great position to have their cake and eat it too. If they dump Tillman/Boucher and replace with pro rated minimums, then they only need to shed about $8M more to duck to the tax. Simons/Hauser make a combined $37M between them. Hauser fits into a ton of team's TPE/MLEs. Simons is an expiring deal which makes for workable salary filler in tons of deals.

I feel like it's pretty feasible to trade Simons/Hauser at a combined $37M for a player or combo of players making about $29M that gets you below the tax and makes you better on the court.

Read on Twitter

This is the one

I'm curious how proponents of getting Zubac see how Queta fits if they do.

[djFan71]

I guess it's kind of a pretzel, but I still stand by what I said a while back that the team is in great position to have their cake and eat it too. If they dump Tillman/Boucher and replace with pro rated minimums, then they only need to shed about $8M more to duck to the tax. Simons/Hauser make a combined $37M between them. Hauser fits into a ton of team's TPE/MLEs. Simons is an expiring deal which makes for workable salary filler in tons of deals.

I feel like it's pretty feasible to trade Simons/Hauser at a combined $37M for a player or combo of players making about $29M that gets you below the tax and makes you better on the court.

Read on Twitter

This is the one

I'm curious how proponents of getting Zubac see how Queta fits if they do.

That's the tough part, but you figure it out since he's so good. 28 / 20 minutes split, but less with small ball. Gets tight.

Add Pistons to get DJJ (or Lopez) into their exception and send Simons / Boucher and the Cs are almost out of the tax.

[Parliament10]

I guess it's kind of a pretzel, but I still stand by what I said a while back that the team is in great position to have their cake and eat it too. If they dump Tillman/Boucher and replace with pro rated minimums, then they only need to shed about $8M more to duck to the tax. Simons/Hauser make a combined $37M between them. Hauser fits into a ton of team's TPE/MLEs. Simons is an expiring deal which makes for workable salary filler in tons of deals.

I feel like it's pretty feasible to trade Simons/Hauser at a combined $37M for a player or combo of players making about $29M that gets you below the tax and makes you better on the court.

Read on Twitter

This is the one

I'm curious how proponents of getting Zubac see how Queta fits if they do.

Zubac just started a 3 yr Contract, only making avg. $19.5M. -- If we could Trade Simons for him, I'd do it.
Queta would have to go back to coming off the Bench. But there's plenty of minutes going at their position.

IDK about 2 x 1sts?
Negotiation time.

[redslastlaugh]

I guess it's kind of a pretzel, but I still stand by what I said a while back that the team is in great position to have their cake and eat it too. If they dump Tillman/Boucher and replace with pro rated minimums, then they only need to shed about $8M more to duck to the tax. Simons/Hauser make a combined $37M between them. Hauser fits into a ton of team's TPE/MLEs. Simons is an expiring deal which makes for workable salary filler in tons of deals.

I feel like it's pretty feasible to trade Simons/Hauser at a combined $37M for a player or combo of players making about $29M that gets you below the tax and makes you better on the court.

I wish we could've gotten Sam on a Pritchard deal, if his deal was, say 4/$30 instead of 4/$45, I think we'd have a lot more optionality. He's just a touch paid too much imo

[Fierce1]

I'd give up 2 1st round picks for Zubac.

The Celtics already have enough young guys with great potential, so no need for more 1st round picks.

You add Zubac, the return of Tatum, and the emergence of Walsh, Mynot, and Hugo, the Cs are deep enough.

[redslastlaugh]

Twitter says: Celtics could trade Simons in a deal for Zubac

This is the one

I'm curious how proponents of getting Zubac see how Queta fits if they do.

Zubac would be the starter, Queta would be the backup for this year. Maybe Brad/coaches would want a shooting option at the 5, but this would something to figure out down the road.

[celtxman]

I'm all in on a Simons for Zubac (as the main principles)trade. The great news is he is signed for 2 seasons after this one. As to Queta, there is room for both centers and have two bigs lineup even if neither are shooters. The Porzingis TPE could be used towards SF, G.

[ryan in Maine]

Where would you guys take Zubac in a redraft?

[Fierce1]

Where would you guys take Zubac in a redraft?

Top 10.

Instead of Thon Maker with the 10th pick of the 2016 Draft, I would take Zubac instead.

[redslastlaugh]

I still think the chances LAC trades Zubac for Simons and 2 Celtics firsts is just really low. If LAC doesn't have their own draft picks going forward until 2031, trading Zubac makes no sense, and furthermore, trading him for a mid-1st in this draft, and one 2031 Celtics first, seems a really low return value as well.

I'm all in on a Simons for Zubac (as the main principles)trade. The great news is he is signed for 2 seasons after this one. As to Queta, there is room for both centers and have two bigs lineup even if neither are shooters. The Porzingis TPE could be used towards SF, G.

[Parliament10]

The only thing that I can't figure out, is how would this Trade happen?
Spotrac says that Clippers are 1st Apron, Hard Capped.

Can anyone make this work?

[djFan71]

I still think the chances LAC trades Zubac for Simons and 2 Celtics firsts is just really low. If LAC doesn't have their own draft picks going forward until 2031, trading Zubac makes no sense, and furthermore, trading him for a mid-1st in this draft, and one 2031 Celtics first, seems a really low return value as well.

I'm all in on a Simons for Zubac (as the main principles)trade. The great news is he is signed for 2 seasons after this one. As to Queta, there is room for both centers and have two bigs lineup even if neither are shooters. The Porzingis TPE could be used towards SF, G.

Might have to include another player or 2 that they would value. I'm not gonna name names for fear of being run out of here, lol.

[redslastlaugh]

A redraft of the 2016 draft?

He's 3rd in winshares, 10th in VORP.

I'd take: 1. Jaylen Brown 2. Pascal Siakam 3. Jamal Murray and then the three centers: Sabonis, Zubac & Poeltl ... I think I'd take Zubac 4th overall and also Fred Van Vleet and Alex Caruso were undrafted but I'd take both of them in the top 10 in a redraft

Where would you guys take Zubac in a redraft?