Free Agent/Trade/Waiver Thread, 2025-26, pt 3 – (Trade Deadline = Thurs, Feb. 5, 3pm, ET)

[ryan in Maine]

The question is, how do you get more quality beef without trading Brown or White, and get below the tax at the same time? There is one answer and one answer only to that question.

I'm happy (and last night I was positively shocked) when Simons plays well. Another team might actually want him in exchange for a quality big man.

Do you seriously not have anything better to do than lie about Anfernee Simons on the internet

[jmr07019]

I have no idea on the finance side, how deep the Celts desire to get under the tax with the team at present a #2 seed (and what is the expected playoff revenue of a #2 seed) but leaving aside the issue of the salary cap (-ex that we won't add money to go over the 2nd apron this year)

Just on the roster, one question I'm asking:

With Tatum coming back, is this deadline the time to trade one of Walsh/Minott/Scheierman for assets since minutes on the wing will be dropping (once JT is back) and each of these players value is at a high point??

Good question but my answer would be that it's time to trade Hauser. I want role players to provide the defense, let Tatum provide the offense. The opposite scenario doesn't make much sense. You don't pay a guy 53 million for defense.

[fallguy]

I have no idea on the finance side, how deep the Celts desire to get under the tax with the team at present a #2 seed (and what is the expected playoff revenue of a #2 seed) but leaving aside the issue of the salary cap (-ex that we won't add money to go over the 2nd apron this year)

Just on the roster, one question I'm asking:

With Tatum coming back, is this deadline the time to trade one of Walsh/Minott/Scheierman for assets since minutes on the wing will be dropping (once JT is back) and each of these players value is at a high point??

Good question but my answer would be that it's time to trade Hauser. I want role players to provide the defense, let Tatum provide the offense. The opposite scenario doesn't make much sense. You don't pay a guy 53 million for defense.

Hauser. Walsh. Minnot. Hugo. Scheierman.

I think Sam is the best player of these five right now. If you want to win this year, you keep Sam.

I think Baylor has the lowest ceiling by far. He's expendable but not that valuable.

I really want more time with the other three. I'm open to the idea of high-ish ceilings for all. I'd rather keep them all through the end of the year UNLESS some major longterm piece at the 4/5 spot comes available in the next 20 days.

[keevsnick1]

I have no idea on the finance side, how deep the Celts desire to get under the tax with the team at present a #2 seed (and what is the expected playoff revenue of a #2 seed) but leaving aside the issue of the salary cap (-ex that we won't add money to go over the 2nd apron this year)

Just on the roster, one question I'm asking:

With Tatum coming back, is this deadline the time to trade one of Walsh/Minott/Scheierman for assets since minutes on the wing will be dropping (once JT is back) and each of these players value is at a high point??

Good question but my answer would be that it's time to trade Hauser. I want role players to provide the defense, let Tatum provide the offense. The opposite scenario doesn't make much sense. You don't pay a guy 53 million for defense.

Hauser. Walsh. Minnot. Hugo. Scheierman.

I think Sam is the best player of these five right now. If you want to win this year, you keep Sam.

I think Baylor has the lowest ceiling by far. He's expendable but not that valuable.

I really want more time with the other three. I'm open to the idea of high-ish ceilings for all. I'd rather keep them all through the end of the year UNLESS some major longterm piece at the 4/5 spot comes available in the next 20 days.

The problem with trading any of Walsh/Scheierman/Minott is that while all of them have shown flashes none of them have shown enough for long enough that a team is going to give you anything of real value in a trade. Teams typically don't do trades for low USG developmental pieces, even if maybe they should. Every team thinks they can find those guys themselves without giving up anything.

If somebody wants to give you two 2nd's, or one really good 2md, then sure consider that deal. But i doubt that dela is out there.

[Parliament10]

The question is, how do you get more quality beef without trading Brown or White, and get below the tax at the same time? There is one answer and one answer only to that question.

I'm happy (and last night I was positively shocked) when Simons plays well. Another team might actually want him in exchange for a quality big man.

Do you seriously not have anything better to do than lie about Anfernee Simons on the internet

Don't Address the Posters.
Address the Subject matter.

~ Parl

[Hal14]

Or we can just see what we have with Amari and keep the flamethrower off the bench. I think I read somewhere that we are 8th in the league in rebounding so maybe our big man needs have been overstated.

Was actually just checking this earlier today.

A lot of rebounding stats can be misleading because they can be influenced by things like pace, shooting luck, whether your team (and/or opposing team) happen to have more/less long rebounds in a particular game, etc.

2 of the better stats imo are contested rebound % (we're 12th in the league so not bad but not great either) and rebound chance % (we're 29th in the league). nba.com has a page where you can see all of the teams and how they rank in both..

So overall, I do think it's an area we could try to improve on.

But:

a) getting Tatum back will help with the rebounding

and

b) If we trade Simons (or Hauser) for a big, sure that might help our rebounding but then it makes our shooting worse. And our ball handling worse..it probably makes our passing worse...more big man depth but less wing/guard depth. It's a trade off that might not be worth it

Not to mention the amount of time it would take to get a new big acclimated and comfortable in our system and whether it's worth it to make a change when the guys we have now are already used to the system..the guys we have now all fit - a new big may not..

[Fierce1]

Simons not needing a lot of minutes and shot attempts to score a lot is so rare.

Last season the Cs would most likely lost when down by 19 and shooting poorly.

But Simons' 9 points, 3 3-pointers, in a span of a little less than 3 minutes in the 1st qtr. didn't allow the Heat to knockout the Cs in the 1st qtr.

That kind of scoring ability is rare and will be a lethal weapon in the playoffs.

[Higgs Boston]

It's definitely not fake. Brad's very first move was trading for an over-paid (seemingly at the time) and under performing Al Horford who is a similar high IQ, switchable center who was a good, not great 3 pt shooter and lacked the ability to guard big centers in the post or rim protect.

Horford always was a good defensive C despite he wasn't a rim protect specialist, in fact the criticisms of horford in atlanta was he was better as C but he didn't want to play as one. Horford played good as C on the celtics and was much better as a C than a PF. Celtics let him walk because he looked a bit washed then Stevens traded for him hoping he still had it, the thing is that jackson never had it, trade for him is expecting a big improvement and it's weird that 26 years old players or older improve that much.

Ok. You're right. It's fake. There is no comparison between Horford and JJJ. And Brad doesn't like their archetype. And JJJ's previous DPOY, 3x All Defense Team selection and leading the league in blocks twice before the age of 26 equals "never having it and expecting big improvements." Brad and Joe would never think they could better utilize JJJ's skill set to get more out of him than Memphis has thus far. Just fake news. You keep believing that.

If you understand all that from my previous messages it's not surprising you think jackson is a good C.
I never assumed anything, I was hoping it was fake because I don't think he is good as a C. He just won the DPOY because other better defenders already won it and others didn't play enough games, all the hype was mainly based on blocks and his good defense playing as PF, just like with mobley.
It doesn't matter what he did or does as PF when he likely will have to play as the starter C, and that role needs the big improvement to be worthy in all senses.

[Fierce1]

If the Cs get JJJ, he will start alongside Queta.

JJJ is the ideal for a double big lineup.

Of course in crunch time he moves to Center.

But I think JJJ will not be a full-time Center with the Cs.

C - Queta
PF - JJJ
SF - Tatum
SG - JB
PG - White

6th - PP

[Ring7Banner18]

What do we think about JJJ for Simons, Hauser, Scheierman, two unprotected firsts, and a pick swap. Grizzlies probably need to re-route one of Simons or Hauser for it to make sense for them, and I bet they could carve out some additional trade value by moving either.

[brackdan70]

What do we think about JJJ for Simons, Hauser, Scheierman, two unprotected firsts, and a pick swap. Grizzlies probably need to re-route one of Simons or Hauser for it to make sense for them, and I bet they could carve out some additional trade value by moving either.

It’s a fair ish deal. If I am Memphis I want Walsh or Hugo rather than Scheierman though.
The Celtics will be a 2nd Apron team again next year though, so is it worth it?

[Fierce1]

What do we think about JJJ for Simons, Hauser, Scheierman, two unprotected firsts, and a pick swap. Grizzlies probably need to re-route one of Simons or Hauser for it to make sense for them, and I bet they could carve out some additional trade value by moving either.

Brad and Joe may want to retain Hauser if they trade Simons.

So I think it's going to be Simons, Scheierman, Tillman, Boucher, and the picks for JJJ.

[Fierce1]

What do we think about JJJ for Simons, Hauser, Scheierman, two unprotected firsts, and a pick swap. Grizzlies probably need to re-route one of Simons or Hauser for it to make sense for them, and I bet they could carve out some additional trade value by moving either.

It’s a fair ish deal. If I am Memphis I want Walsh or Hugo rather than Scheierman though.
The Celtics will be a 2nd Apron team again next year though, so is it worth it?

Too much shooting will be gone if both Simons and Hauser are gone.

Simons, Baylor, Tillman, and Boucher for JJJ fits nicely, salary-wise.

[redslastlaugh]

What do we think about JJJ for Simons, Hauser, Scheierman, two unprotected firsts, and a pick swap. Grizzlies probably need to re-route one of Simons or Hauser for it to make sense for them, and I bet they could carve out some additional trade value by moving either.

Brad and Joe may want to retain Hauser if they trade Simons.

So I think it's going to be Simons, Scheierman, Tillman, Boucher, and the picks for JJJ.

Did you look at the cap sheet for 2026-27 when Tatum, Brown, and JJ would be over $160 million for just three players if we acquire Triple-J? That's not financially feasible imo & I don't think there is even a 1% chance we are trading for JJJ at the trade deadline this year, i mean less than a ONE Percent chance...

[Fierce1]

What do we think about JJJ for Simons, Hauser, Scheierman, two unprotected firsts, and a pick swap. Grizzlies probably need to re-route one of Simons or Hauser for it to make sense for them, and I bet they could carve out some additional trade value by moving either.

Brad and Joe may want to retain Hauser if they trade Simons.

So I think it's going to be Simons, Scheierman, Tillman, Boucher, and the picks for JJJ.

Did you look at the cap sheet for 2026-27 when Tatum, Brown, and JJ would be over $160 million for just three players if we acquire Triple-J? That's not financially feasible imo & I don't think there is even a 1% chance we are trading for JJJ at the trade deadline this year, i mean less than a ONE Percent chance...

Yeah, I agree, it's back to the 2nd apron if the Cs trade for JJJ.

That's why I also think it's not happening.

But what if the Celtic ownership agrees to going back to the 2nd apron in 2026-27?

It's just something to think about.

[Fierce1]

It's also a fact that if the Cs acquired JJJ, the salaries would be close to 200m for 4 players.

JT, JB, JJJ, and White would be around 195m.

That's just 4 players consuming 195m.

IMO, that's too much for 4 players.

But what if the owners decide to go back to the 2nd apron in 2026-27 then blow it up again for 2027-28?

An unlikely scenario, but if Chisholm is ring chasing, maybe he thinks it will be worth it to go back to the 2nd apron if it gives the Cs a chance at Banner 19.

[celtxman]

What do we think about JJJ for Simons, Hauser, Scheierman, two unprotected firsts, and a pick swap. Grizzlies probably need to re-route one of Simons or Hauser for it to make sense for them, and I bet they could carve out some additional trade value by moving either.

Brad and Joe may want to retain Hauser if they trade Simons.

So I think it's going to be Simons, Scheierman, Tillman, Boucher, and the picks for JJJ.

I do not believe that the Celtics will go after JJJ. But if they do, they would keep the roster in the 1st apron for 25-26 and use the KP TPE to get another quality wing with some size.

[Fierce1]

What do we think about JJJ for Simons, Hauser, Scheierman, two unprotected firsts, and a pick swap. Grizzlies probably need to re-route one of Simons or Hauser for it to make sense for them, and I bet they could carve out some additional trade value by moving either.

Brad and Joe may want to retain Hauser if they trade Simons.

So I think it's going to be Simons, Scheierman, Tillman, Boucher, and the picks for JJJ.

I do not believe that the Celtics will go after JJJ. But if they do, they would keep the roster in the 1st apron for 25-26 and use the KP TPE to get another quality wing with some size.

Yes, Cs would still be in the 1st apron for 2025-26 if they traded for JJJ now.

Cs are fine with Walsh, Hugo, and Mynot.

So just use the picks as incentive for a JJJ trade.

Simons, Scheierman, Tillman, and Boucher for JJJ works, salary-wise.

That way the Cs get to keep Walsh, Hugo, and Mynot.

[GoCeltics123]

Brad and Joe may want to retain Hauser if they trade Simons.

So I think it's going to be Simons, Scheierman, Tillman, Boucher, and the picks for JJJ.

I do not believe that the Celtics will go after JJJ. But if they do, they would keep the roster in the 1st apron for 25-26 and use the KP TPE to get another quality wing with some size.

Yes, Cs would still be in the 1st apron for 2025-26 if they traded for JJJ now.

Cs are fine with Walsh, Hugo, and Mynot.

So just use the picks as incentive for a JJJ trade.

Simons, Scheierman, Tillman, and Boucher for JJJ works, salary-wise.

That way the Cs get to keep Walsh, Hugo, and Mynot.

Memphis isn't going to love just picks. One of Walsh or Hugo would have to be in there for them to say yes IMO

I think if Brad wanted him enough, he'd agree to Walsh, I still have doubts due to his contract though. I'm sure Brad loves him as a player

[Fierce1]

I do not believe that the Celtics will go after JJJ. But if they do, they would keep the roster in the 1st apron for 25-26 and use the KP TPE to get another quality wing with some size.

Yes, Cs would still be in the 1st apron for 2025-26 if they traded for JJJ now.

Cs are fine with Walsh, Hugo, and Mynot.

So just use the picks as incentive for a JJJ trade.

Simons, Scheierman, Tillman, and Boucher for JJJ works, salary-wise.

That way the Cs get to keep Walsh, Hugo, and Mynot.

Memphis isn't going to love just picks. One of Walsh or Hugo would have to be in there for them to say yes IMO

I think if Brad wanted him enough, he'd agree to Walsh, I still have doubts due to his contract though. I'm sure Brad loves him as a player

Yeah, Walsh could be the compromise.

Guess this depends on how much Brad likes JJJ.

But I think this is a long shot.

Maybe Zubac would be more realistic if the Clips can see Queta replacing Zubac as the Clips starting Center.

Cs don't need Queta if they get Zubac.

So what if it's just a swapping of Centers and the Clips get picks from Boston?