2025-26 Celtics Roster

[DefenseWinsChamps]

New trade idea that is a variation of others mentioned. It's massive and unrealistic, but I think each team would be happy with the result.

Celtics trade Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holliday, 28th pick
Celtics receive Reed Shepherd, Jalen Johnson, Jabari Smith Jr., 13th pick
This is a complete retool of the Cs roster, bringing in multiple young effective players on rookie or solid contracts. They keep Zinger until his value recovers, and they try to trade him at the deadline for another player. The future is White-Pritchard-Johnson-Smith-Shepherd-Tatum

Hawks receive Jaylen Brown
Hawks trade Jalen Johnson, Terrance Mann, 13th overall pick
Brown goes back to his hometown. The core of Brown-Young-Risachar-Okongwu is pretty dangerous.

Rockets trade Shepherd, Smith Jr., Green, Sengun, 10th pick
Rockets receive Giannis and Jrue
The Rockets keep all their veterans to make a play on the championship next year. They start Brooks-Jrue-FVV-Giannis-Adams (resigned). And in this trade option, they keep Thompson as a key piece for the future.

Bucks trade Giannis
Bucks receive Sengun, Green, 10th pick
Getting two, highly effective, young players on a really good contracts allows them to retool quickly and look to the future.

Nets trade nothing
Nets receive Terrance Mann, 28th pick
Nets get a solid guard and a pick for their trouble since Mann has 3 years left in his contract.

[Roy H.]

Playing around...

Trade 1.  KP for Isaiah Stewart (Detroit uses cap space)
Trade 2.  Jrue for Tobias Harris

Presumably, we would have to pad one of those trades with picks.

Next, waive and stretch Harris, assuming that you can't find an even smaller expiring contract to trade him for.  Retained salary from Harris: $8,878,049.

Total incoming salary:  $23,878,049

Total outgoing: $63,131,707

Total savings:  $39,253,658

Trade 3:  Trade Hauser into another team's cap space

That series of events gets us well below the luxury tax, while allowing us to keep a core of Tatum / Brown / White / Pritchard going forward.

Stewart
(Tatum)
Brown
White
Pritchard

[Goldstar88]

Playing around...

Trade 1.  KP for Isaiah Stewart (Detroit uses cap space)
Trade 2.  Jrue for Tobias Harris

Presumably, we would have to pad one of those trades with picks.

Next, waive and stretch Harris, assuming that you can't find an even smaller expiring contract to trade him for.  Retained salary from Harris: $8,878,049.

Total incoming salary:  $23,878,049

Total outgoing: $63,131,707

Total savings:  $39,253,658

Trade 3:  Trade Hauser into another team's cap space

That series of events gets us well below the luxury tax, while allowing us to keep a core of Tatum / Brown / White / Pritchard going forward.

Stewart
(Tatum)
Brown
White
Pritchard

Jrue, Ivy, Cunningham, Thompson, KP with Schroeder, Beasley, Hardaway Jr, and Duren off the bench. That trade might make Detroit the best team in the East.

[Silas]

Playing around...

Trade 1.  KP for Isaiah Stewart (Detroit uses cap space)
Trade 2.  Jrue for Tobias Harris

Presumably, we would have to pad one of those trades with picks.

Next, waive and stretch Harris, assuming that you can't find an even smaller expiring contract to trade him for.  Retained salary from Harris: $8,878,049.

Total incoming salary:  $23,878,049

Total outgoing: $63,131,707

Total savings:  $39,253,658

Trade 3:  Trade Hauser into another team's cap space

That series of events gets us well below the luxury tax, while allowing us to keep a core of Tatum / Brown / White / Pritchard going forward.

Stewart
(Tatum)
Brown
White
Pritchard

I like it...however, I would be concerned with our starting center being 6'8".  Resign Luke and keep Q on board I guess.

[Roy H.]

Playing around...

Trade 1.  KP for Isaiah Stewart (Detroit uses cap space)
Trade 2.  Jrue for Tobias Harris

Presumably, we would have to pad one of those trades with picks.

Next, waive and stretch Harris, assuming that you can't find an even smaller expiring contract to trade him for.  Retained salary from Harris: $8,878,049.

Total incoming salary:  $23,878,049

Total outgoing: $63,131,707

Total savings:  $39,253,658

Trade 3:  Trade Hauser into another team's cap space

That series of events gets us well below the luxury tax, while allowing us to keep a core of Tatum / Brown / White / Pritchard going forward.

Stewart
(Tatum)
Brown
White
Pritchard

I like it...however, I would be concerned with our starting center being 6'8".  Resign Luke and keep Q on board I guess.

Yeah, I don't know how you fill out the roster, but I'm challenging myself to find trades that solves ownership goals while also keeping our future core together.

Assuming that getting below the tax is imperative, I sort of like this idea a lot for both teams.

[Phantom255x]

I'm starting to think given Porzingis' current health and situation, the C's might have no choice but to keep him. Even the bad teams or those with cap space would probably prefer to use it elsewhere and probably wouldn't be willing to part with any young piece(s) for him at his current health.

As a result, it's probably just Jrue and Hauser we trade away. I do think the market for Jrue will be pretty big, even given his age and contract. A handful of teams could use a defensive guard with his skillsets and for a playoff run, especially if they strike out on Giannis/Durant/Booker, etc. Teams like Detroit, Orlando, Dallas, Houston, etc.

[Who]

New trade idea that is a variation of others mentioned. It's massive and unrealistic, but I think each team would be happy with the result.

Celtics trade Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holliday, 28th pick
Celtics receive Reed Shepherd, Jalen Johnson, Jabari Smith Jr., 13th pick

This is a complete retool of the Cs roster, bringing in multiple young effective players on rookie or solid contracts. They keep Zinger until his value recovers, and they try to trade him at the deadline for another player. The future is White-Pritchard-Johnson-Smith-Shepherd-Tatum

We would end up with 3 PFs - Tatum, Jalen Johnson, Jabari.

I don't what to make of that. On one hand, Jalen and Jabari are quick enough to defend SFs so they can cover those guys if Tatum cannot post-achilles. That is good.

On the other hand, they are skill deficient for SFs. Jalen Johnson has the handles and passing but lacks the outside shot making. Jabari is a solid spot up shooter and iso / post threat but lacks much creation off the dribble from the perimeter.

Are those 2 guys an upgrade on what we have with Jaylen & Tatum at forward? Jaylen and Tatum are more dynamic offensively. Fit well defensively.

[Who]

New trade idea that is a variation of others mentioned. It's massive and unrealistic, but I think each team would be happy with the result.

Hawks receive Jaylen Brown
Hawks trade Jalen Johnson, Terrance Mann, 13th overall pick
Brown goes back to his hometown. The core of Brown-Young-Risachar-Okongwu is pretty dangerous.

If I am Atlanta, I want to trade Risacher and not Jalen Johnson for Jaylen Brown. Jaylen Brown is a win now move. Jalen Johnson is a better fit (big forward) alongside Jaylen (wing) than Risacher is (finesse small forward). Jalen Johnson also has a more established and win now game. Thus, he is the guy I want to keep and Risacher is the guy I am willing to sacrifice to get Jaylen Brown.

A trio of Trae, Jaylen and Jalen Johnson would be quality. Okongwu and Dyson Daniels as well. That is a nice starting 5.

Risacher would be more of a long term rebuilding move for Boston. I like him as a fit alongside Tatum. A finesse 3 alongside Tatum at big forward. They could be a dynamic forward duo. I don't want to rebuild but as rebuilding trades go this would be an intriguing one.

[Who]

Rockets trade Shepherd, Smith Jr., Green, Sengun, 10th pick
Rockets receive Giannis and Jrue
The Rockets keep all their veterans to make a play on the championship next year. They start Brooks-Jrue-FVV-Giannis-Adams (resigned). And in this trade option, they keep Thompson as a key piece for the future.

Woah, that is a major change for Houston. Fun idea.

G: VanVleet
G: Jrue
F: Dillon Brooks
F: Amen Thompson
C: Giannis, S Adams

In for a penny, in for a pound ... should Houston trade Amen in a separate trade in order to get Giannis a legit #2 guy to play alongside him? Giannis has no true 2nd option in this team.

I would be worried about Giannis next to a big man who can't make a jump shot (S Adams). And I would be worried about Giannis next to a forward in Amen who can't make a jump-shot. Neither are ideal for Giannis. Over-reliant on Jrue & FVV for outside shooting.

That would be a sweet defensive team with Giannis & Amen as active team defenders on the backline with 3 staunch physical defensive perimeter players in front of them. Plus S Adams as an interior defender.

[Who]

I think you pay the tax and keep the team together if you believe Tatum has a chance of returning late in the season. This could be a Championship team next year.

If Tatum was definitely out for the season, then yes I would trim the salary and get below the 2nd apron. Not worth paying the tax for a team with no Championship ambitions. Start retooling. Move on from older players (Jrue) and perhaps oft-injured players (Zinger) and retool around Tatum, Jaylen and D White. For a new Championship contention window starting 2026-27.

Getting below the 2nd apron and getting under the tax next season would be 2 different things - to get under the 2nd apron we need to shed approx. $20m in payroll, to get under the tax would be $40m. Getting under the apron is doable without drastically changing the roster, and it would make it easier for them to get under the tax in 2026 when KP's contract comes off the books (assuming he doesn't get extended at a lower number this offseason).

Yep, I meant the 2nd apron. I think they should pay that and keep the team together in the hopes of Tatum returning late in the regular season and the team being able to make a title push with him.

If Tatum was out for the whole season and there was no title chance, I wouldn't advocate staying above the 2nd apron. Too expensive for a non-contender.

[Roy H.]

Brainstorming more ideas...

Jrue for Norman Powell plus Drew Eubanks.

Trade Eubanks into another team's MLE; stretch Powell.

That saves more than $25.5 million.

Trade KP or stretch him and we're under the luxury tax while still keeping Hauser.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

New trade idea that is a variation of others mentioned. It's massive and unrealistic, but I think each team would be happy with the result.

Celtics trade Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holliday, 28th pick
Celtics receive Reed Shepherd, Jalen Johnson, Jabari Smith Jr., 13th pick

This is a complete retool of the Cs roster, bringing in multiple young effective players on rookie or solid contracts. They keep Zinger until his value recovers, and they try to trade him at the deadline for another player. The future is White-Pritchard-Johnson-Smith-Shepherd-Tatum

We would end up with 3 PFs - Tatum, Jalen Johnson, Jabari.

I don't what to make of that. On one hand, Jalen and Jabari are quick enough to defend SFs so they can cover those guys if Tatum cannot post-achilles. That is good.

On the other hand, they are skill deficient for SFs. Jalen Johnson has the handles and passing but lacks the outside shot making. Jabari is a solid spot up shooter and iso / post threat but lacks much creation off the dribble from the perimeter.

Are those 2 guys an upgrade on what we have with Jaylen & Tatum at forward? Jaylen and Tatum are more dynamic offensively. Fit well defensively.

Fair Questions. I think the benefit is you are taking a risk on both those guys continuing to improve.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

New trade idea that is a variation of others mentioned. It's massive and unrealistic, but I think each team would be happy with the result.

Hawks receive Jaylen Brown
Hawks trade Jalen Johnson, Terrance Mann, 13th overall pick
Brown goes back to his hometown. The core of Brown-Young-Risachar-Okongwu is pretty dangerous.

If I am Atlanta, I want to trade Risacher and not Jalen Johnson for Jaylen Brown. Jaylen Brown is a win now move. Jalen Johnson is a better fit (big forward) alongside Jaylen (wing) than Risacher is (finesse small forward). Jalen Johnson also has a more established and win now game. Thus, he is the guy I want to keep and Risacher is the guy I am willing to sacrifice to get Jaylen Brown.

A trio of Trae, Jaylen and Jalen Johnson would be quality. Okongwu and Dyson Daniels as well. That is a nice starting 5.

Risacher would be more of a long term rebuilding move for Boston. I like him as a fit alongside Tatum. A finesse 3 alongside Tatum at big forward. They could be a dynamic forward duo. I don't want to rebuild but as rebuilding trades go this would be an intriguing one.

Fair thoughts. I liked Johnson a bit better because he is more ready to win. That's who I went with. Contracts get weird too. Not impossible, but harder.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Rockets trade Shepherd, Smith Jr., Green, Sengun, 10th pick
Rockets receive Giannis and Jrue
The Rockets keep all their veterans to make a play on the championship next year. They start Brooks-Jrue-FVV-Giannis-Adams (resigned). And in this trade option, they keep Thompson as a key piece for the future.

Woah, that is a major change for Houston. Fun idea.

G: VanVleet
G: Jrue
F: Dillon Brooks
F: Amen Thompson
C: Giannis, S Adams

In for a penny, in for a pound ... should Houston trade Amen in a separate trade in order to get Giannis a legit #2 guy to play alongside him? Giannis has no true 2nd option in this team.

I would be worried about Giannis next to a big man who can't make a jump shot (S Adams). And I would be worried about Giannis next to a forward in Amen who can't make a jump-shot. Neither are ideal for Giannis. Over-reliant on Jrue & FVV for outside shooting.

That would be a sweet defensive team with Giannis & Amen as active team defenders on the backline with 3 staunch physical defensive perimeter players in front of them. Plus S Adams as an interior defender.

I don't think Houston feels the need to push all the chips in, but this could be a good opportunity to do so. They have so many pieces that could be used.

I agree that the geometry on offense is hard, but I think that is already the case with their current team. Their best lineup featured three guys that couldn't shoot (Adams-Sengun-Thompson). This gives them an upgrade in talent though.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Brainstorming more ideas...

Jrue for Norman Powell plus Drew Eubanks.

Trade Eubanks into another team's MLE; stretch Powell.

That saves more than $25.5 million.

Trade KP or stretch him and we're under the luxury tax while still keeping Hauser.

I really don't want us to stretch someone. That makes our salaries more complicated for the next 7 years. There has to be some way to make this work.