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

[GoCeltics123]

I still think there's a real possibility we could see a Simons for Ayo/Jalen Smith swap at the deadline. If the Celtics move Boucher to the Nets and the Bulls move Dalen Terry (aka salary they don't want) and sign Amari, I believe (not sure) they would be under the tax.

Again, I do not know how much Brad values Simons. He might look at this stretch and say that Simons is a great fit and that they should keep him. I don't know.

Just by his history though...he might look at a deal like that and say "we're under the tax, Ayo Dosunmu is having a great year himself and shouldn't be too hard to keep, Jalen Smith fills that defensive stretch 5 role that they lack right now, etc." Again, I don't know, but Brad's history tells me this is possible.

[Half-Full]

Simons has been really good in this stretch, so I'm not going to sit here and act like it's a guarantee he's gone at the deadline like before. But I still think it's a very real possibility they sell high on Anfernee if the right player is coming back. But I don't think they'd just dump him now to get under the tax.

Here's the problem: if you pay Simons this offseason, does his contract become untradable on the spot? Look at Malik Monk, NOBODY wants his contract and he's a good player! I honestly don't agree with it, but NBA Execs have really been turned off by guys like Simons and Monk recently because of their defense.

If it's like 3/45, I think that's movable. But anything over that and execs might just balk on the spot

The Simons trade was just to get out of the Jrue 100m contract.

Mission accomplished.

Try to re-sign Simons after the season.
But if they can't come to an agreement, so be it.

It's not like the Celtics gave up a lot to get Simons.

Simons as a 1 year rental to me is good enough.

No you can't do that. Letting him go for nothing would be a disaster. You have to make a decision at the deadline, trade or pay him. Simple as that.

Letting him walk would get $27 million off the books, opening up the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (projected $15.1 million). Not saying I am advocating for this, but just pointing out that the NTMLE is a far cry from "nothing."

[GoCeltics123]

The Simons trade was just to get out of the Jrue 100m contract.

Mission accomplished.

Try to re-sign Simons after the season.
But if they can't come to an agreement, so be it.

It's not like the Celtics gave up a lot to get Simons.

Simons as a 1 year rental to me is good enough.

No you can't do that. Letting him go for nothing would be a disaster. You have to make a decision at the deadline, trade or pay him. Simple as that.

Letting him walk would get $27 million off the books, opening up the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (projected $15.1 million). Not saying I am advocating for this, but just pointing out that the NTMLE is a far cry from "nothing."

Using the NTMLE hard-caps the Celtics at the first apron, and we know from history the Celtics do NOT like being hard-capped. When they signed Dennis Schroder, they refused to offer him the NTMLE and only offered the tax MLE because that one didn't hard cap them

[redslastlaugh]

Letting him walk would get $27 million off the books, opening up the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (projected $15.1 million). Not saying I am advocating for this, but just pointing out that the NTMLE is a far cry from "nothing."

Using the NTMLE hard-caps the Celtics at the first apron, and we know from history the Celtics do NOT like being hard-capped. When they signed Dennis Schroder, they refused to offer him the NTMLE and only offered the tax MLE because that one didn't hard cap them

That's true, but you'd still have the space and could do other things with it besides using the MLE. For instance, you could start Walsh's new contract a year early, getting him to agree to more favorable terms for declining his team option $2.5 next year and same with Queta. And we could take back more in trades as well... and we could sign-and-trade Simons and bring back assets that way... so we'll still have options beyond just trade him or lose him for nothing... just the space has value, so even him up and leaving, gives us some interesting options

[Celts17Pride]

Regardless of what Brad does on or before trade deadline, I think it's inevitable Amari will get an NBA contract from the Cs this season.

That might end up being the “BIG” move.

[GoCeltics123]

Regardless of what Brad does on or before trade deadline, I think it's inevitable Amari will get an NBA contract from the Cs this season.

That might end up being the “BIG” move.

No I don't think so. I think people just really underrate how Brad thinks about this team. He is not someone who ever sits on his hands, ever.

This feels like a bigger deadline to me for the Celtics than most think. I don't think Brad is married to it at all. We'll see though

[Celts17Pride]

Regardless of what Brad does on or before trade deadline, I think it's inevitable Amari will get an NBA contract from the Cs this season.

That might end up being the “BIG” move.

No I don't think so. I think people just really underrate how Brad thinks about this team. He is not someone who ever sits on his hands, ever.

This feels like a bigger deadline to me for the Celtics than most think. I don't think Brad is married to it at all. We'll see though

I don’t know what Brad Stevens will do but the Celtics have really only two tradable players in Simons and Hauser. If Brad Stevens doesn’t want to move either (which I have no idea how he feels) then there really isn’t anything to trade that will bring back anything substantial.

I don’t believe Stevens can get someone like Day’Ron Sharpe unless he moves one of Simons or Hauser because the Celtics are over the 1st apron.

Stevens would have to combine players like Minott, Tillman and Boucher which is less likely in my opinion

[hugepatsfan]

You think that we move up Ron Harper, Jr too?

Certainly a possibility, particularly if we move the Anferno.

The Celtics will need another guard better than Harper Jr. if Simons gets traded.

Cs can't go into the playoffs with Harper Jr. as their 3rd guard.

Depends on what the rotation looks like after. Right now, Pritchard and White are both starting and playing a ton together. Let's say they moved Simons for a big and then Tatum comes back...

White / Pritchard
Brown / Hugo
Walsh / Hauser / Scheierman
Tatum / Minott
Queta / traded for big man

In this scenario, the rotation would be lined up such that White/Pritchard are more staggered and the need for another ball handler in the rotation wouldn't be there. From a ball handling standpoint you'd be saying Tatum takes over for Pritchard and Pritchard gets "demoted" to what Simons is doing. You'd still want another guard depth, but we'd be talking about a 3rd unit guy vs. second unit because Tatum is the one really replacing Simons ball handling role (and improving on it).

[hugepatsfan]

That might end up being the “BIG” move.

No I don't think so. I think people just really underrate how Brad thinks about this team. He is not someone who ever sits on his hands, ever.

This feels like a bigger deadline to me for the Celtics than most think. I don't think Brad is married to it at all. We'll see though

I don’t know what Brad Stevens will do but the Celtics have really only two tradable players in Simons and Hauser. If Brad Stevens doesn’t want to move either (which I have no idea how he feels) then there really isn’t anything to trade that will bring back anything substantial.

I don’t believe Stevens can get someone like Day’Ron Sharpe unless he moves one of Simons or Hauser because the Celtics are over the 1st apron.

Stevens would have to combine players like Minott, Tillman and Boucher which is less likely in my opinion

The 1st apron isn't really a big deal because we have the TPE. We can take back any amount of salary we want as long as we stay under the 2nd apron, which we're currently $7.8M below. And we can open up more room by dealing guys like Tillman/Boucher or even Scheierman. There aren't any "penalties" for being over the 1st apron like there are the 2nd apron or the tax altogether. It's only real function is that it serves as a hard cap if you make certain moves (using full MLE, taking back more salary than you send out, signing buyout players) but none of those really apply to us or what we're likely to do because we have the TPE.

There is a certain level of salary that would require moving Hauser or Simons, but it would only be for the creme de la creme of targets mentioned on this board. Guys making like MLE+ money. There are still smaller salaried players I'd call "substantial" pieces that could be had without moving one of them.

The bigger issue with that is simply the tax implications. Adding $7M in salary this year is really costing over $30M with the tax implications. And staying in the tax this year means repeater rates next year and for the foreseeable future. That's what Brad has to consider in terms of how he can build within his budget in future years. Staying in the tax now and paying repeater rates means whatever budget ownership has produces less on court talent since a greater portion of it goes to other owners instead of our players. Reset repeater rates, and that same budget buys more actual players for us since less of it goes to other owners via tax payments. Brad has to consider what that budget is for future years and weigh what type of salary the thinks he'd need to add for a contender against what the budget buys on both a repeater/non-repeater basis and then consider the competitive trade offs in the short term of resetting.

[redslastlaugh]

No I don't think so. I think people just really underrate how Brad thinks about this team. He is not someone who ever sits on his hands, ever.

This feels like a bigger deadline to me for the Celtics than most think. I don't think Brad is married to it at all. We'll see though

I don’t know what Brad Stevens will do but the Celtics have really only two tradable players in Simons and Hauser. If Brad Stevens doesn’t want to move either (which I have no idea how he feels) then there really isn’t anything to trade that will bring back anything substantial.

I don’t believe Stevens can get someone like Day’Ron Sharpe unless he moves one of Simons or Hauser because the Celtics are over the 1st apron.

Stevens would have to combine players like Minott, Tillman and Boucher which is less likely in my opinion

The 1st apron isn't really a big deal because we have the TPE. We can take back any amount of salary we want as long as we stay under the 2nd apron, which we're currently $7.8M below. And we can open up more room by dealing guys like Tillman/Boucher or even Scheierman. There aren't any "penalties" for being over the 1st apron like there are the 2nd apron or the tax altogether. It's only real function is that it serves as a hard cap if you make certain moves (using full MLE, taking back more salary than you send out, signing buyout players) but none of those really apply to us or what we're likely to do because we have the TPE.

There is a certain level of salary that would require moving Hauser or Simons, but it would only be for the creme de la creme of targets mentioned on this board. Guys making like MLE+ money. There are still smaller salaried players I'd call "substantial" pieces that could be had without moving one of them.

The bigger issue with that is simply the tax implications. Adding $7M in salary this year is really costing over $30M with the tax implications. And staying in the tax this year means repeater rates next year and for the foreseeable future. That's what Brad has to consider in terms of how he can build within his budget in future years. Staying in the tax now and paying repeater rates means whatever budget ownership has produces less on court talent since a greater portion of it goes to other owners instead of our players. Reset repeater rates, and that same budget buys more actual players for us since less of it goes to other owners via tax payments. Brad has to consider what that budget is for future years and weigh what type of salary the thinks he'd need to add for a contender against what the budget buys on both a repeater/non-repeater basis and then consider the competitive trade offs in the short term of resetting.

I'd think ownership could rationalize taking the tax hit this year, a single year unwinding from the huge payroll, you just live with it. If we let Simons walk, we could almost certainly choose to be under the tax next year (2026-27) and we would get paid our share of the distrubution from the tax paying teams. This playoffs, we could win a round (or more) & the home game revenue should make a difference as well. And then you just go from there. We've got the remainder of this year, and next year, to see how Tatum is looking after the achilles... and then you just kind of go from there, no?

[jmr07019]

I'd be shocked if they trade this guy for a back up center or tax relief [x]

Read on Twitter

?s=20[/x]

[redslastlaugh]

I'd be shocked if they trade this guy for a back up center or tax relief [x]

Read on Twitter

?s=20[/x]

I really want to see Ant in the playoffs

[Parasite]

If it's like 3/45, I think that's movable. But anything over that and execs might just balk on the spot

If you can sign the Anferno for 3/45 you don’t care if it’s movable or not, you just rub your hands together and laugh while enjoying the production for such a small price.

[bucknersrevenge]

I still think there's a real possibility we could see a Simons for Ayo/Jalen Smith swap at the deadline. If the Celtics move Boucher to the Nets and the Bulls move Dalen Terry (aka salary they don't want) and sign Amari, I believe (not sure) they would be under the tax.

Again, I do not know how much Brad values Simons. He might look at this stretch and say that Simons is a great fit and that they should keep him. I don't know.

Just by his history though...he might look at a deal like that and say "we're under the tax, Ayo Dosunmu is having a great year himself and shouldn't be too hard to keep, Jalen Smith fills that defensive stretch 5 role that they lack right now, etc." Again, I don't know, but Brad's history tells me this is possible.

I could actually get behind this possibly. Smith is a name we've seen connected to Brad before. Boucher was supposed to be that kind of player for this team but it hasn't happened. Smith as a wiry big bench option to go with Dosunmu who is an excellent supremely quick, athletic bench guard fortifies this bench. And if we throw a FUTURE pick, it gets us under the tax too although I know that's not a big concern.

[GoCeltics123]

If it's like 3/45, I think that's movable. But anything over that and execs might just balk on the spot

If you can sign the Anferno for 3/45 you don’t care if it’s movable or not, you just rub your hands together and laugh while enjoying the production for such a small price.

You should always care about this

What if his production drops after a contract year? The Celtics can't be in the business of untradeable contracts when they have two supermaxes

[jmr07019]

I'd be shocked if they trade this guy for a back up center or tax relief [x]

Read on Twitter

?s=20[/x]

I really want to see Ant in the playoffs

Me too. And I'm excited to see this team with Tatum. Celtics are 2nd in offensive efficiency, 6th in winning percentage and 2nd in the east without JT!? Tatum of course will need time to regain prior form but he should still provide some sort of boost to the team. The offense and the team has incredible potential.

[Infinite Llamas]

If it's like 3/45, I think that's movable. But anything over that and execs might just balk on the spot

If you can sign the Anferno for 3/45 you don’t care if it’s movable or not, you just rub your hands together and laugh while enjoying the production for such a small price.

You should always care about this

What if his production drops after a contract year? The Celtics can't be in the business of untradeable contracts when they have two supermaxes

I mean, he already signed a big extension in his career and his production never slipped. Dude has made 82 million in his career and is only 26.

[brackdan70]

Regardless of what Brad does on or before trade deadline, I think it's inevitable Amari will get an NBA contract from the Cs this season.

That might end up being the “BIG” move.

I can’t imagine anything bigger.

[Celts17Pride]

I think Celtics only move Simons if it's a big move like JJJ, Zubac etc. otherwise they keep him through this season at least. The big thing we all don't know is if there is some pressure on Brad Stevens to cut payroll even more from Chisholm. We all will find out over the next 3 weeks.

[Parliament10]

If I read the (NBA CBA 2023) Rules correctly, then we can Extend Simons at any time during the current Season.
We also have his Bird Rights.

Players on Expiring Contracts: If a player is on an expiring deal (final year), they can sign an extension at any point during the season, right up until June 30th (the day before they become an unrestricted free agent).

If we don't Trade him, then we should Extend him, before the June 30th date.