Free Agent/Trade Thread 2026-27, Part X (It's a Tragedy to See the Dream is Over)

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I hope the C's don't entertain a contract like Jones.

With this type of report, I don't see Walsh making the roster unless Sam is moved for a guy like Johnson.

This makes sense to me (though those aren't necessarily the guys, to me Keldon is like Grant Williams).

What we need around Tatum is another Derrick White level guy or someone like OG who impacts the game at a super high level but doesn't need the ball in his hands. The stats show we should have the ball in JT's hands as much as possible and trust him to make the right play.

Herb Jones, Peyton Watson or Trey Murphy please..

[darrendaye]

If they really don’t want 70% of the cap tied up in two players, then they’re going to have to find a creative way to put enough talent around Tatum to actually win.

My gut says if the Clippers pick lands in the top 5, you make the selection and hope that guy becomes your next top-25 player within two seasons while he’s still on a rookie deal. By that point, Tatum would still only be in his early 30s, and you’d potentially have the next guy in place.

Then on top of that, whatever else you can get for George, maybe it turns into another top-35 player on a favorable contract. That’s probably the only realistic path if they’re serious about not having most of the cap tied up in two guys.

Agree with you on keeping the pick.

I'll say this though, wouldn't shock me if they roll George into the following year and instead will use Hauser, perhaps one of the MLE centers, an extended Walsh (projecting) as part of a package to bring in an upgrade to the top 6.

[165bows]

Surround JT with guys like D White, Queta, Hugo,Walsh, M. Robinson, Playa P, PG13, Scheierman, Hauser, Garza.
That’s some pretty good supporting guys from a top 40 guy, top notch defensive bigs, disruptive young wings, one of the best 3 point shooters ever, an aging former top 10 player that still has some game…I mean give Tatum that 33% usage and let’s see what happens. I feel pretty good.
Edit: I didn’t even call out Jalen Brunson light.

Someone on X made the point most of the recent top teams have guys on the mini-max, ie, second contracts. Kind of the high end guy before he gets the 8-12 year vet maxes.

[tfmiii]

I found it interesting that Lee and the Hornets didn't want to part with Brandon Miller for a JB trade. If there was one coach I would bet would take JB would have been Lee. I'd take that bet quicker than I would if it was Ime.

Wasn't it rumored Charlotte was interested in a JB - Lamelo swap? Boston wasn't interested. Likewise with Nazr?

Perhaps not earth shattering but better than what we got.

I feel our options were constrained for some addnl reasons (addnl to salary & analytics):

a) poor salesmanship starting with too high an asking price, driving away possible suitors, then closing too quickly before those still interested could improve the low ball offers in place

b) the desired return had to plug and play into Mazzulla-ball. Many have commented on the perceived fit btn PG13 and Mazzulla-ball, I don't think it's an accident.

So I'm not convinced with cope rationalizations that this hamfisted process necessarily ended up with JB's 'true' market value. In fact the league generally didn't agree, hence the universal shock.

[bucknersrevenge]

I hope the C's don't entertain a contract like Jones.

With this type of report, I don't see Walsh making the roster unless Sam is moved for a guy like Johnson.

This makes sense to me (though those aren't necessarily the guys, to me Keldon is like Grant Williams).

What we need around Tatum is another Derrick White level guy or someone like OG who impacts the game at a super high level but doesn't need the ball in his hands. The stats show we should have the ball in JT's hands as much as possible and trust him to make the right play.

Herb Jones, Peyton Watson or Trey Murphy please..

After this season we can re-visit Trey again maybe. See if the price has changed.

[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

I found it interesting that Lee and the Hornets didn't want to part with Brandon Miller for a JB trade. If there was one coach I would bet would take JB would have been Lee. I'd take that bet quicker than I would if it was Ime.

Wasn't it rumored Charlotte was interested in a JB - Lamelo swap? Boston wasn't interested. Likewise with Nazr?

Perhaps not earth shattering but better than what we got.

I feel our options were constrained for some addnl reasons (addnl to salary & analytics):

a) poor salesmanship starting with too high an asking price, driving away possible suitors, then closing too quickly before those still interested could improve the low ball offers in place

b) the desired return had to plug and play into Mazzulla-ball. Many have commented on the perceived fit btn PG13 and Mazzulla-ball, I don't think it's an accident.

So I'm not convinced with cope rationalizations that this hamfisted process necessarily ended up with JB's 'true' market value. In fact the league generally didn't agree, hence the universal shock.

I think it's about being a true contender or not at all.

My guess is they determined JB wasn't helping that at cost, reports are they told him who they were in serious negotiations with and he had veto power (probably out of respect for him). Same reports suggested he said no to Charlotte and Brooklyn.

Even with Ball or Reid, Brad might have determined it was not enough to push us over the top and their picks are unlikely to have been as good.

The two first round picks we got are of high quality and my guess is Brad etc deemed they are a higher likelihood of delivering a true difference maker for contention via either draft or inclusion in a trade for a star than Reid/Ball plus CHA picks were ever going to.

[playa-hater]

What would it take to get Peyton Watson? would Denver do a Hauser + a 1st and 2 2nds?

[celticgreenie]

I found it interesting that Lee and the Hornets didn't want to part with Brandon Miller for a JB trade. If there was one coach I would bet would take JB would have been Lee. I'd take that bet quicker than I would if it was Ime.

Wasn't it rumored Charlotte was interested in a JB - Lamelo swap? Boston wasn't interested. Likewise with Nazr?

Perhaps not earth shattering but better than what we got.

I feel our options were constrained for some addnl reasons (addnl to salary & analytics):

a) poor salesmanship starting with too high an asking price, driving away possible suitors, then closing too quickly before those still interested could improve the low ball offers in place

b) the desired return had to plug and play into Mazzulla-ball. Many have commented on the perceived fit btn PG13 and Mazzulla-ball, I don't think it's an accident.

So I'm not convinced with cope rationalizations that this hamfisted process necessarily ended up with JB's 'true' market value. In fact the league generally didn't agree, hence the universal shock.

Best explanation I have read about the trade that is nuanced and well thought out.

[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

What would it take to get Peyton Watson? would Denver do a Hauser + a 1st and 2 2nds?

Not sure, but from what I understand the most we could offer Watson is $18,339,463 in a trade just for Hauser as we are hard capped at the first apron. I'm guessing that changes if we also sent Walsh or someone else.

[GrandTheftRondo]

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?s=20

I hope the C's don't entertain a contract like Jones.

With this type of report, I don't see Walsh making the roster unless Sam is moved for a guy like Johnson.

This makes sense to me (though those aren't necessarily the guys, to me Keldon is like Grant Williams).

What we need around Tatum is another Derrick White level guy or someone like OG who impacts the game at a super high level but doesn't need the ball in his hands. The stats show we should have the ball in JT's hands as much as possible and trust him to make the right play.

I don’t know how anyone could watch Tatum shoot terribly in two of two finals series and think what he actually needs is more role players around him.

If by some miracle we ever get to the finals with this sort of roster we’ll run into the exact same scoring issues with Tatum that we have in both finals, except there will be no other scorer out there to make up for Tatum.

[bucknersrevenge]

This makes sense to me (though those aren't necessarily the guys, to me Keldon is like Grant Williams).

What we need around Tatum is another Derrick White level guy or someone like OG who impacts the game at a super high level but doesn't need the ball in his hands. The stats show we should have the ball in JT's hands as much as possible and trust him to make the right play.

Herb Jones, Peyton Watson or Trey Murphy please..

After this season we can re-visit Trey again maybe. See if the price has changed.

Actually, now that I think about it, I think Watson's the guy from Denver Brad would want.

[brackdan70]

I hope the C's don't entertain a contract like Jones.

With this type of report, I don't see Walsh making the roster unless Sam is moved for a guy like Johnson.

This makes sense to me (though those aren't necessarily the guys, to me Keldon is like Grant Williams).

What we need around Tatum is another Derrick White level guy or someone like OG who impacts the game at a super high level but doesn't need the ball in his hands. The stats show we should have the ball in JT's hands as much as possible and trust him to make the right play.

I don’t know how anyone could watch Tatum shoot terribly in two of two finals series and think what he actually needs is more role players around him.

If by some miracle we ever get to the finals with this sort of roster we’ll run into the exact same scoring issues with Tatum that we have in both finals, except there will be no other scorer out there to make up for Tatum.

Great thing about Tatum is he can be very effective if he doesn’t shoot well.
Interestingly the two eastern conference finals before both finals he was a super hero.

[GrandTheftRondo]

This makes sense to me (though those aren't necessarily the guys, to me Keldon is like Grant Williams).

What we need around Tatum is another Derrick White level guy or someone like OG who impacts the game at a super high level but doesn't need the ball in his hands. The stats show we should have the ball in JT's hands as much as possible and trust him to make the right play.

I don’t know how anyone could watch Tatum shoot terribly in two of two finals series and think what he actually needs is more role players around him.

If by some miracle we ever get to the finals with this sort of roster we’ll run into the exact same scoring issues with Tatum that we have in both finals, except there will be no other scorer out there to make up for Tatum.

Great thing about Tatum is he can be very effective if he doesn’t shoot well.
Interestingly the two eastern conference finals before both finals he was a super hero.

Yes but in both series they absolutely needed someone else to make up for his scoring issues

I’d argue in 2022 his poor play cost us the series

[Dogen]

What would it take to get Peyton Watson? would Denver do a Hauser + a 1st and 2 2nds?

Not sure, but from what I understand the most we could offer Watson is $18,339,463 in a trade just for Hauser as we are hard capped at the first apron. I'm guessing that changes if we also sent Walsh or someone else.

I had some back and forth with an AI about this, uh, optionality. I think this third option b is legit, but it can't be done until Dec 15:

1. The TPE Rule Restriction

You cannot combine a Traded Player Exception with a player's salary to aggregate a larger trade. If Peyton Watson is absorbed into the $27M TPE, the Celtics cannot send Sam Hauser to Denver in the same transaction.

To use a TPE, the incoming player's contract must fit entirely within the exception. While Watson's new deal would fit under $27M, it must be treated as a simultaneous one-way acquisition of Watson.

Denver cannot receive Hauser in that specific mechanism because TPEs cannot be used to package player salaries together.

2. The First Apron Hard Cap Re-Emerges

Even if Boston absorbs Watson purely into the TPE and sends Hauser to Denver in a legally separate transaction, acquiring any player via a sign-and-trade triggers an immediate hard cap at the First Apron ($208.5M).

Following the trade for Paul George, Boston's total payroll sits around $201 million.

If Boston signs-and-trades for Watson at a $21M+ starting salary, their payroll would balloon well past $215M (even after subtracting Hauser's $10.8M salary). They would legally crash through the First Apron, which the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) strictly forbids during a sign-and-trade window.

3. How It Could Legally Work

If Boston wants Watson, they have two valid paths using these assets:

a) Boston uses the TPE to absorb Watson directly from Denver (triggering the hard cap). To stay under the $208.5M limit, they would have to completely dump Sam Hauser and other bench pieces to a third team with cap space for nothing back but draft picks.

b) Denver Matches First: Denver re-signs Watson to his new multi-year contract. Boston then waits until December 15 (when newly signed contracts become trade-eligible). At that point, a standard trade of Sam Hauser ($10.8M) plus matching salary (like Dalano Banton or standard matching filler) can be legally sent to Denver without triggering sign-and-trade hard caps.

Quite a bit more complicated than just sending Hauser and some picks, but doable if the teams are patient enough. This is just the type of deal where Brad says, "I can't talk about that" because option b (the better option, imo) is months in the making, affects multiple players and their teams, and of course a lot things can change in 6 months time.

[celticgreenie]

I hope the C's don't entertain a contract like Jones.

With this type of report, I don't see Walsh making the roster unless Sam is moved for a guy like Johnson.

This makes sense to me (though those aren't necessarily the guys, to me Keldon is like Grant Williams).

What we need around Tatum is another Derrick White level guy or someone like OG who impacts the game at a super high level but doesn't need the ball in his hands. The stats show we should have the ball in JT's hands as much as possible and trust him to make the right play.

I don’t know how anyone could watch Tatum shoot terribly in two of two finals series and think what he actually needs is more role players around him.

If by some miracle we ever get to the finals with this sort of roster we’ll run into the exact same scoring issues with Tatum that we have in both finals, except there will be no other scorer out there to make up for Tatum.

JT TS% for both finals: 49.2
JB TS% for both finals: 54

[Celticlifer]

You guys never quit.

[flintsky21]

It's cool to think the Celtics would be better with one superstar surrounded by a good supporting cast, but for that dynamic to work, Tatum has to take another step and show the ability to carry a team offenstively and perform in the clutch the way Jokic, SGA, and Brunson can. It's now all on Tatum.

[BostoNZ]

I don’t know how anyone could watch Tatum shoot terribly in two of two finals series and think what he actually needs is more role players around him.

If by some miracle we ever get to the finals with this sort of roster we’ll run into the exact same scoring issues with Tatum that we have in both finals, except there will be no other scorer out there to make up for Tatum.

Great thing about Tatum is he can be very effective if he doesn’t shoot well.
Interestingly the two eastern conference finals before both finals he was a super hero.

Yes but in both series they absolutely needed someone else to make up for his scoring issues

I’d argue in 2022 his poor play cost us the series

Ever heard of

MIKE CONLEY???

[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

What would it take to get Peyton Watson? would Denver do a Hauser + a 1st and 2 2nds?

Not sure, but from what I understand the most we could offer Watson is $18,339,463 in a trade just for Hauser as we are hard capped at the first apron. I'm guessing that changes if we also sent Walsh or someone else.

I had some back and forth with an AI about this, uh, optionality. I think this third option b is legit, but it can't be done until Dec 15:

1. The TPE Rule Restriction

You cannot combine a Traded Player Exception with a player's salary to aggregate a larger trade. If Peyton Watson is absorbed into the $27M TPE, the Celtics cannot send Sam Hauser to Denver in the same transaction.

To use a TPE, the incoming player's contract must fit entirely within the exception. While Watson's new deal would fit under $27M, it must be treated as a simultaneous one-way acquisition of Watson.

Denver cannot receive Hauser in that specific mechanism because TPEs cannot be used to package player salaries together.

2. The First Apron Hard Cap Re-Emerges

Even if Boston absorbs Watson purely into the TPE and sends Hauser to Denver in a legally separate transaction, acquiring any player via a sign-and-trade triggers an immediate hard cap at the First Apron ($208.5M).

Following the trade for Paul George, Boston's total payroll sits around $201 million.

If Boston signs-and-trades for Watson at a $21M+ starting salary, their payroll would balloon well past $215M (even after subtracting Hauser's $10.8M salary). They would legally crash through the First Apron, which the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) strictly forbids during a sign-and-trade window.

3. How It Could Legally Work

If Boston wants Watson, they have two valid paths using these assets:

a) Boston uses the TPE to absorb Watson directly from Denver (triggering the hard cap). To stay under the $208.5M limit, they would have to completely dump Sam Hauser and other bench pieces to a third team with cap space for nothing back but draft picks.

b) Denver Matches First: Denver re-signs Watson to his new multi-year contract. Boston then waits until December 15 (when newly signed contracts become trade-eligible). At that point, a standard trade of Sam Hauser ($10.8M) plus matching salary (like Dalano Banton or standard matching filler) can be legally sent to Denver without triggering sign-and-trade hard caps.

Quite a bit more complicated than just sending Hauser and some picks, but doable if the teams are patient enough. This is just the type of deal where Brad says, "I can't talk about that" because option b (the better option, imo) is months in the making, affects multiple players and their teams, and of course a lot things can change in 6 months time.

For sure. What I'm saying is the signing of Robinson into the MLE already triggered the 1st apron hard cap. Therefore a sign and trade would need to pay Watson in the first year at most $18,339,463 if we traded Hauser as part of the deal because after Hauser going out (to any team) that's all the space we'd have left under the apron. So if Watson is cool with that then it's just what Denver would want in addition to Hauser in terms of picks (and other players). If other players were involved then we could offer Watson more.

[Bill Lumbergh]

Well, I don't want to argue right move or wrong move. I just want to say it was a hell of an era. Respect to JB. Good luck to him, except when he's playing us.

JB's finest...

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