Waivers, anyone you would like to sign?

[Vermont Green]

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is off the board.  Surprising he only got a two-way deal.  I know some on here liked him.  Shams says he had other offers, hard to know if that included Boston.  Maybe NOP is a good opportunity for him but it seems like an odd choice.

Shams Charania: Free agent forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl has agreed to a two-way NBA contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium . The former OKC second-rounder had standard deal offers elsewhere but chose Pelicans two-way for a better potential opportunity. – via Twitter ShamsCharania

[Birdman]

Daniel Theis is unhappy with his role and benching against Celtics

[Celtics2021]

Daniel Theis is unhappy with his role and benching against Celtics

Hopefully the Pacers don’t trade him, because he’s definitely getting bought out after the deadline if they don’t.

[Silas]

Daniel Theis is unhappy with his role and benching against Celtics

I was surprised he didn't play.  Is he hurt?

[Celtics2021]

Daniel Theis is unhappy with his role and benching against Celtics

I was surprised he didn't play.  Is he hurt?

No, he’s been benched all season, says he doesn’t know why, and is unhappy about it.

“Obviously after a great summer, I’m not happy with the situation I’m in right now,” Theis told MassLive. “I want to play and take all the good stuff from the summer into the season but it’s a long season. We are going to see what’s going on and what’s happening.”

[Kernewek]

I was under the impression Theis was pretty washed, but I'd be happy to have him back if he isn't.

[Vermont Green]

I was under the impression Theis was pretty washed, but I'd be happy to have him back if he isn't.

He wasn't that good when we got him back in 2021-22 season.  And there was a genuine opportunity with Rob Williams getting hurt in the playoffs.  He is 31, that doesn't seem like it is that old.  Not sure what happened to him. 

I suspect that there would be interest if he was waived but there isn't much the Celtics can do short of that.  Right now, he appears to be a non-impactful player on a bad contract.  Maybe a little better than useless but if he isn't even playing for IND, hard to know.

[radiohead]

Didn’t he do pretty well during FIBA? I think he averaged 10pts and 5 boards in a back up role.

[Celtics2021]

I was under the impression Theis was pretty washed, but I'd be happy to have him back if he isn't.

He wasn't that good when we got him back in 2021-22 season.  And there was a genuine opportunity with Rob Williams getting hurt in the playoffs.  He is 31, that doesn't seem like it is that old.  Not sure what happened to him. 

I suspect that there would be interest if he was waived but there isn't much the Celtics can do short of that.  Right now, he appears to be a non-impactful player on a bad contract.  Maybe a little better than useless but if he isn't even playing for IND, hard to know.

I think Theis was also hurt during the 2022 playoff run.  Healthy enough to play, but was dealing with knee soreness all that summer and ultimately had a procedure last November after it didn’t respond to rehab.  That also affected his ability to play most of last year for Indiana, obviously.

He looked healthier this summer at FIBA, so it’s surprising he can’t even get minutes in games his team loses by 50.

[Vermont Green]

I was under the impression Theis was pretty washed, but I'd be happy to have him back if he isn't.

He wasn't that good when we got him back in 2021-22 season.  And there was a genuine opportunity with Rob Williams getting hurt in the playoffs.  He is 31, that doesn't seem like it is that old.  Not sure what happened to him. 

I suspect that there would be interest if he was waived but there isn't much the Celtics can do short of that.  Right now, he appears to be a non-impactful player on a bad contract.  Maybe a little better than useless but if he isn't even playing for IND, hard to know.

I think Theis was also hurt during the 2022 playoff run.  Healthy enough to play, but was dealing with knee soreness all that summer and ultimately had a procedure last November after it didn’t respond to rehab.  That also affected his ability to play most of last year for Indiana, obviously.

He looked healthier this summer at FIBA, so it’s surprising he can’t even get minutes in games his team loses by 50.

I do remember that he seemed limited due to injury in 2022.  He seems to feel that he has proven through his summer play in the FIBA tourney that he is now healthy.  I believe that a healthy Theis is a useful player.  He is only 31 and hasn't had exactly a grueling career.

IND may prefer to develop younger players.  For example, OKC sent Horford home rather than play him and Horford proved to be a solid starting big on a contending team, for several more seasons.  This might not be about how well Theis is playing.  It is going to be hard to structure a trade though unless it is a pure salary dump type of thing.  That could be how Theis ends up waived.

[Moranis]

I wonder what it would take to get Nick Richards from the Hornets.  Doesn't seem like a guy that would be in their future long term, but would be a solid 3rd big for the C's.  I wonder if Boston's 2024 1st would be enough.  Just absorb Richards into the Grant TPE.  He is signed for 3 years so a good solid bench big at a reasonable price for the next few.  Seems like good cap management.

While I think a late first-rounder (likely as late as possible given the C's talent) is fair value for a low-ceilling backup like Richards, the Hornets also don't really have any reason to do the deal. They already have a lot of young players and their own (higher) picks to get more. They developed Richards themselves and they would have to draft a new young big and do it all over again if they dealt Richards.

Hornets are bad and aren't going anywhere.  Richards is almost 26, by the time they are any good, Richards will be 30 and on another contract.  The 1st they can use to get a guy of basically that talent level, but that is much younger and cheaper.  I just think the Hornets will come to the conclusion they need to start over around Ball and Miller and I suspect everyone else on the team will be on the table at some point this year (even guys like Bouknight).

The thing is, the Hornets have already been rebuilding since 19-20 when they let Kemba go. From their perspective, this is already the fifth year of the rebuild, not the beginning of a new one. Yes, they'll probably still be bad this year but LaMelo Ball's already in the last year of his rookie deal so it's not like he's a kid. Bridges has his legal stuff but eventually he'll likely be back. I think they see last year as an anomaly and are eager to get back to the 43-win pace they achieved in 21-22. They also don't have any cap pressure so there's zero reason to let go of a perfectly good backup in Richards.

I just think a 1st round pick is more valuable than a player like Richards is to the Hornets with the inverse also being true for the Celtics.  Richards is making 5 million this year with 2 more years. There is no reason for the Hornets to pay that for a 26 year old backup and there is a much greater likelihood that if they wait to trade him, they won't get a 1st at all.

[obnoxiousmime]

I wonder what it would take to get Nick Richards from the Hornets.  Doesn't seem like a guy that would be in their future long term, but would be a solid 3rd big for the C's.  I wonder if Boston's 2024 1st would be enough.  Just absorb Richards into the Grant TPE.  He is signed for 3 years so a good solid bench big at a reasonable price for the next few.  Seems like good cap management.

While I think a late first-rounder (likely as late as possible given the C's talent) is fair value for a low-ceilling backup like Richards, the Hornets also don't really have any reason to do the deal. They already have a lot of young players and their own (higher) picks to get more. They developed Richards themselves and they would have to draft a new young big and do it all over again if they dealt Richards.

Hornets are bad and aren't going anywhere.  Richards is almost 26, by the time they are any good, Richards will be 30 and on another contract.  The 1st they can use to get a guy of basically that talent level, but that is much younger and cheaper.  I just think the Hornets will come to the conclusion they need to start over around Ball and Miller and I suspect everyone else on the team will be on the table at some point this year (even guys like Bouknight).

The thing is, the Hornets have already been rebuilding since 19-20 when they let Kemba go. From their perspective, this is already the fifth year of the rebuild, not the beginning of a new one. Yes, they'll probably still be bad this year but LaMelo Ball's already in the last year of his rookie deal so it's not like he's a kid. Bridges has his legal stuff but eventually he'll likely be back. I think they see last year as an anomaly and are eager to get back to the 43-win pace they achieved in 21-22. They also don't have any cap pressure so there's zero reason to let go of a perfectly good backup in Richards.

I just think a 1st round pick is more valuable than a player like Richards is to the Hornets with the inverse also being true for the Celtics.  Richards is making 5 million this year with 2 more years. There is no reason for the Hornets to pay that for a 26 year old backup and there is a much greater likelihood that if they wait to trade him, they won't get a 1st at all.

We just have a difference in opinion about what Charlotte actually wants to do. I believe they want to win sooner rather than later, so Richards being there has more value than drafting another rookie would. The financials aren't really relevant. They're not over the cap or paying the tax, so they wouldn't really be saving that much money. 5 million is incredibly cheap for a solid big man.

I also don't think our pick has as much value as a normal future first, since it looks likely the Celtics end with the best record in the league.

[RodyTur10]

If you look at veterans from potential bottom feeders with an expiring contract who could be bought out then I think: Wright (Wizards), Burks (Pistons), DeRozan (Bulls), Hayward (Hornets), Olynyk (Jazz), Theis (Pacers) and Drummond (Bulls) are all interesting to look at. Would be amazing to obtain Alec Burks + Kelly Olynyk. Then our bench situation is solved and we'd be a lot less vulnerable to potential injuries.

In particular the Bulls and Hornets should try to trade for picks in exchange for cap relief. Unfortunately for them a lot of teams don't seem to care all that much about overpaying and taxes. And I don't see a "Chandler Parsons" somewhere.

I think Brown (Bos), Beal (Pho), Lillard (Mil), Gobert (Min), VanVleet (Hou), Simmons (Bro), M.Porter (Den), Middleton (Mil), Paul (Gsw), Poole (Was), Grant (Por), J.Collins (Uta), Rozier (Cha), Brooks (Por), Vucevic (Chi), D.Robinson (Mia), Sexton (Uta) and Bertans (Okc) are bad contracts. But some have just been signed, most are on "tanking" teams who shouldn't trade picks. And I don't feel like Phoenix, Denver, Minnesota or Golden State prioritize their payroll.

[tazzmaniac]

I wonder what it would take to get Nick Richards from the Hornets.  Doesn't seem like a guy that would be in their future long term, but would be a solid 3rd big for the C's.  I wonder if Boston's 2024 1st would be enough.  Just absorb Richards into the Grant TPE.  He is signed for 3 years so a good solid bench big at a reasonable price for the next few.  Seems like good cap management.

While I think a late first-rounder (likely as late as possible given the C's talent) is fair value for a low-ceilling backup like Richards, the Hornets also don't really have any reason to do the deal. They already have a lot of young players and their own (higher) picks to get more. They developed Richards themselves and they would have to draft a new young big and do it all over again if they dealt Richards.

Hornets are bad and aren't going anywhere.  Richards is almost 26, by the time they are any good, Richards will be 30 and on another contract.  The 1st they can use to get a guy of basically that talent level, but that is much younger and cheaper.  I just think the Hornets will come to the conclusion they need to start over around Ball and Miller and I suspect everyone else on the team will be on the table at some point this year (even guys like Bouknight).

The thing is, the Hornets have already been rebuilding since 19-20 when they let Kemba go. From their perspective, this is already the fifth year of the rebuild, not the beginning of a new one. Yes, they'll probably still be bad this year but LaMelo Ball's already in the last year of his rookie deal so it's not like he's a kid. Bridges has his legal stuff but eventually he'll likely be back. I think they see last year as an anomaly and are eager to get back to the 43-win pace they achieved in 21-22. They also don't have any cap pressure so there's zero reason to let go of a perfectly good backup in Richards.

I just think a 1st round pick is more valuable than a player like Richards is to the Hornets with the inverse also being true for the Celtics.  Richards is making 5 million this year with 2 more years. There is no reason for the Hornets to pay that for a 26 year old backup and there is a much greater likelihood that if they wait to trade him, they won't get a 1st at all.

We just have a difference in opinion about what Charlotte actually wants to do. I believe they want to win sooner rather than later, so Richards being there has more value than drafting another rookie would. The financials aren't really relevant. They're not over the cap or paying the tax, so they wouldn't really be saving that much money. 5 million is incredibly cheap for a solid big man.

I also don't think our pick has as much value as a normal future first, since it looks likely the Celtics end with the best record in the league.

I don't understand all the concern about a 3rd center and I certainly wouldn't waste even a low value 1st.  KP and Horford are going to play all the meaningful minutes at center.  If there is a significant injury to one of them, having Nick Richards isn't going to make much of a difference. 

[obnoxiousmime]

If you look at veterans from potential bottom feeders with an expiring contract who could be bought out then I think: Wright (Wizards), Burks (Pistons), DeRozan (Bulls), Hayward (Hornets), Olynyk (Jazz), Theis (Pacers) and Drummond (Bulls) are all interesting to look at. Would be amazing to obtain Alec Burks + Kelly Olynyk. Then our bench situation is solved and we'd be a lot less vulnerable to potential injuries.

In particular the Bulls and Hornets should try to trade for picks in exchange for cap relief. Unfortunately for them a lot of teams don't seem to care all that much about overpaying and taxes. And I don't see a "Chandler Parsons" somewhere.

I think Brown (Bos), Beal (Pho), Lillard (Mil), Gobert (Min), VanVleet (Hou), Simmons (Bro), M.Porter (Den), Middleton (Mil), Paul (Gsw), Poole (Was), Grant (Por), J.Collins (Uta), Rozier (Cha), Brooks (Por), Vucevic (Chi), D.Robinson (Mia), Sexton (Uta) and Bertans (Okc) are bad contracts. But some have just been signed, most are on "tanking" teams who shouldn't trade picks. And I don't feel like Phoenix, Denver, Minnesota or Golden State prioritize their payroll.

It should be noted that the Celtics are a 1st apron team and as such, cannot sign a buyout player if their salary is above the mid-level exception. That means big-salaried players that could be bought out this season such as Hayward and DeRozan are not on the table (DeRozan is too talented to be a buyout guy anyway, nor would he want to lose his bird rights).