2026-27 Celtics Off Season Discussion

[Vermont Green]

There are a lot of threads for draft and trades and so on, but it seemed like there should be one for the off season overall.

The main discussion will probably be around caps and aprons and how to build the roster.  Spotrac has BOS active salary at $187,730,180.  This is the sum of the currently signed 14 active players and does not include anything for Vucevic or added rookies:

Tax Room              $13,269,820
1st Apron Room     $21,269,820
2nd Apron Room    $34,269,820

This includes all of Walsh, Williams, Shugla, Harper, and Banton.  The 14 current roster players plus 1 draft pick would put it at 15.  I expect 2 of those will not make the team and that Vucevic or someone like him will be added allowing BOS starts the season with 14 on the roster.  So if you subtract out Banton and Shugla, add in the salary for a #27 pick, here is where BOS is at with 13 roster spots:

Tax Room             $15,922,083
1st Apron Room    $23,922,083
2nd Apron Room   $36,922,083

By my math (which is usually off to some degree) that means BOS could realistically spend around $10M-$15M on that last roster spot, barring other moves, and stay under the tax.  If you trade Hauser (as has been discussed) and replace him with a min contract, that would free up an additional $7M or so giving BOS $17M to $22M to spend under the tax.

I think the most that BOS could spend would be the NTMLE which I think is about $16.1, although they do have a large TPE if they want to spend more (using the TPE would hard cap them at the first apron, as would using the NTMLE).  I think that some good players will be happy to get the full NTMLE, but there are not that many interesting FAs available this off season.  CJ McCollum maybe?

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

Is it too late to send for Greg "the Steamboat" Stiemsma on a vet min? 

[Vermont Green]

I put the roster in two categories, keepers and expendable.  Or said another way, on guaranteed contracts, on team option contracts:

Guaranteed (except Queta):
Jayson Tatum 
Jaylen Brown
Derrick White
Sam Hauser
Payton Pritchard
Hugo Gonzalez
Baylor Scheierman
Luka Garza
Neemias Queta (actual has TO)

Team Option
Jordan Walsh
Amari Williams
Max Shugla
Ron Harper Jr.
Dalano Banton

Banton and Shugla are very much on the bubble.  I expect both of these guys to be gone, but even with that, that is still 12 spots locked in.  3 open spots probably with about $15M to spend (assuming that stay under the tax).

Here is a scenario, Trade Hauser to create space (opening up $25M with 11 Roster spots).  Sign Vucevic for $5M, Sexton for $10M and LeBron for 10M, then (sadly) cut Ron Harper Jr. or trade the first round pick into the future.

[Roy H.]

If we don't trade a core piece, I'd be happy signing Sexton and Taurean Prince, and trading our first for Yves Messi.

[Jiri Welsch]

Seems like the best way to significantly improve the roster this offseason is through trade.

If going for moderate improvements, they could potentially get a couple decent rotation guys I suppose.

[Vermont Green]

If we don't trade a core piece, I'd be happy signing Sexton and Taurean Prince, and trading our first for Yves Messi.

You are OK with a big rotation of Queta, Messi, and Garza (plus maybe Williams if he develops)?

[Vermont Green]

Seems like the best way to significantly improve the roster this offseason is through trade.

If going for moderate improvements, they could potentially get a couple decent rotation guys I suppose.

This is the conclusion that I am starting to come to as I work though this.  BOS will have some money to spend, but there just are not that many good FAs that will be in play.  One area that could be addressed via FAs would be getting more quickness at guard.  Sexton or McCollum could possible be had at a level that BOS would be able to pay.

We could probably resign Vucevic on the cheap, but I know not a lot of people are all that high on him, and I understand why, but he is one of the better FA bigs that are available.  He will probably not get a lot of money.