Shams: Kristaps Porzingis Traded In 3-Team Deal (BOS-ATL-BKN)

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

The 2025-26 Season is not going to be fun, folks.

I was hoping for more than a two-year title window. Next season will be a waste from a fan perspective.

[Neurotic Guy]

The 2025-26 Season is not going to be fun, folks.

I was hoping for more than a two-year title window. Next season will be a waste from a fan perspective.

Final roster not done.  Conceivably there could be a lot to watch for as we consider what the team will be like when JT returns.  The window isn?t closed unless you think the Jays, DW, and PP don?t make a decent core. Obviously the 5 needs to be found.  Brad might find it.

[Celtics4ever]

I watch the games regardless, of how the team is doing.    That is part of being a fan, you just don't abandon a team when they are struggling....

[Moranis]

What about something like these which I havent seen as potential trades

White for Caruso, Kenrich, 15, 24

Brown for 3, George, McCain

Then there are more commonly floated trades with San Antonio and Dallas

not enough for either one. 

a couple of role players for White and middling prospects at those picks. 

A pick outside the 'sure thing' set of players this draft, a prospect that won't become JB and the albatross that is PG at this point. 

god awful

Value wise it seems fair.

Not interested in either one though.

The Philly one would be more tempting if there was anyone at #3 I felt confident in. I like McCain. Good player. PG13 is a good starting SF. It is just the #3 pick I am hung up on. If there was someone I liked there, I'd pull the trigger. But there isn't so I am inclined to stick with Jaylen.

The OKC one is fine. 2 firsts + Caruso who can probably net you another 2 firsts. So it would be turning D White into 4 firsts. Good return. Kenrich Williams I do not care about. He is filler. I wouldn't keep Caruso. I would do the deal with trading Caruso on as the goal. It would be a rebuilding trade.

Not sure I want to go that route though - rebuilding. I have more confidence in the trio of Tatum, Jaylen and D White being able to contend for a title than you do. Especially if they can land a 4th guy to go alongside them (like they had in Jrue in 2024).

Oh those are definitely rebuilding trades, especially since George is likely going to miss time.  I think Edgecombe or Bailey would be solid gets at 3.  Bailey intrigues me a lot.  Big versatile wing.  I think he'd be a great long term fit next to Tatum.  Edgecombe is big and can play both guard positions also, so keeps with the switchability the C's seem to like.  McCain is a nice solid player. 

I think I'd do the White trade with the idea of moving up into the back of the top 10.  So take 15 and some combination of 24, 28, 32 (all if necessary) and see if you can get up to 7, 8, 9, or 10 and hope you can get someone like Maluach.  Then maybe see if you can move Caruso and pick up a late 1st in this draft.  Maybe something like 25, Black, and filler for Caruso from Orlando. 

You do both trades, let Tatum sit all season and tank for a high 26 lottery pick.  And then enter next summer with some cap space, Tatum, George, McCain, Edgecombe, Maluach, Pritchard, Hauser, Black, someone like Gonzalez out of Spain with 25, and rights to Simons and of course your hopefully top 3 pick from your own pick. 

That is how the team becomes a contender again in the 26-27 season with an infusion of high end youth around Tatum and a guy like Playoff P to help shoulder the playoff scoring.  So you'd start Edgecombe, Simons, Tatum, George, Maluach with McCain, Black, Pritchard, Hauser, Gonzalez, and lotto pick on bench (hopefully AJ Dybantsa but if not him a big like Carlos Boozer's kid).  A nice mix of veterans and youth, but more importantly talent.  The Celtics need more high end talent, they just don't have enough right now.  These are the sorts of trades that can add that.

[smicker16]

I do not have high hopes for next year but some of my favorite Cs teams were overachievers so at least it will be less stressful. 

The Tatum injury did severely damage this teams window though.  After that it was clear there was no way they would even try to keep the team intact. It just did not make much sense financially or from a roster building perspective sadly.  If the injury did not happen then I am fine with giving ownership a hard time with these moves.  Although I will say I expected us to have to include picks to trade Jrue and KP so I am pleasantly surprised with the trades from that sense at least. 

I still hold out hope for 26-27 but even then they will need some things to go right to be back in true contention so it is brutal for that injury to happen right as we were getting into Tatums prime. 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

The 2025-26 Season is not going to be fun, folks.

I was hoping for more than a two-year title window. Next season will be a waste from a fan perspective.

Final roster not done.  Conceivably there could be a lot to watch for as we consider what the team will be like when JT returns.  The window isn?t closed unless you think the Jays, DW, and PP don?t make a decent core. Obviously the 5 needs to be found.  Brad might find it.

We might just have different definitions of "window." You seem to see "window" as the whole time the team has the core of Tatum/Brown/White/Pritchard, including this coming season, when, IMO, they won't be true contenders without Tatum; whereas I see Tatum's injury as the shutting of a window. Maybe another window opens once Tatum is fully healed and back in game shape, but even that depends on what else happens with the team between now and then.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I watch the games regardless, of how the team is doing.    That is part of being a fan, you just don't abandon a team when they are struggling....

Not sure if this was meant for me, but I didn't say anything about abandoning the team. I just said next season would be a waste from a fan perspective, meaning that (for me, at least) it's not a lot of fun watching a team that has no real shot at title contention. They would definitely still win some games with Brown, White, and Pritchard, and make the playoffs, but my guess is that they'd be a middling team.

[lbgreen33]

I watch the games regardless, of how the team is doing.    That is part of being a fan, you just don't abandon a team when they are struggling....

Not sure if this was meant for me, but I didn't say anything about abandoning the team. I just said next season would be a waste from a fan perspective, meaning that (for me, at least) it's not a lot of fun watching a team that has no real shot at title contention. They would definitely still win some games with Brown, White, and Pritchard, and make the playoffs, but my guess is that they'd be a middling team.

Okay, I'll bite. I think that was his point, do you love watching basketball or only love to watch your team win? I have enjoyed some losing seasons More than some of our winning seasons! I Love to watch basketball, I love the Celtics, as I have said, I have lots of memories with this team. So, for me, winning a title is fine, but, I don't get the Trophy!! I didn't do anything to help them win, so just not that big a deal for me. Again, I am Older being in my 60s, I have seen so many great years. Sometimes, I hate when we are supposed to win, to me that is way more boring. Give me an overachieving team every year and I will be happy.

[Kernewek]

My two favorite current Celtics traded in the same day! I will always remember KP's smile after his first game with the Cs because he was so happy to be on a good team. I hate the NBA. Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. kind of league purposely breaks up good teams???

Ask the communist in the commissioner's office.

Jokes aside, I realize the current CBA is as much a product of the owners input as the players or the Martian. I agree though, what kind of league penalizes a franchise (Celtics) for building a roster the right way and being successful. The NBA's best years have been those with a few dominant teams fighting each other for titles.

I think if you look at the other two teams that were over the second apron a little while ago(Phoenix and Minnesota), you'll see that the Celts were basically collateral damage in terms of what the league is trying to control for, which is wild overspending on behalf of ownership.

Still, it's a real shame that KP is headed out. We needed a player like him to win banner 18, and this signals (to me) that the next couple of seasons are going to be big on the belt-tightening.

The bolded definitely isn't true, but he was a very good player for us when healthy and his personality brought joy to both players and fans. I'll definitely miss KP, but I think I'll miss the idea and potential of what he could have been in the playoffs more than what he actually brought.

Without getting too tautological, I think there's a reasonable argument to be made that a player like KP was the most significant change between the team that lost in 2022 and won in 2024.

I don't necessarily regret that he's been traded, though (like rr4s says above) I think this signals that we'll be watching a team where losing in the second round will be considered an overachievement, rather than a disappointment.

I can find some joy in pretty much any NBA season - I think we all had a blast watching the IT4 squad bite off way more than they could chew, right? - but I do think the expectations are clearly different.

[tonydelk]

I watch the games regardless, of how the team is doing.    That is part of being a fan, you just don't abandon a team when they are struggling....

Not sure if this was meant for me, but I didn't say anything about abandoning the team. I just said next season would be a waste from a fan perspective, meaning that (for me, at least) it's not a lot of fun watching a team that has no real shot at title contention. They would definitely still win some games with Brown, White, and Pritchard, and make the playoffs, but my guess is that they'd be a middling team.

Okay, I'll bite. I think that was his point, do you love watching basketball or only love to watch your team win? I have enjoyed some losing seasons More than some of our winning seasons! I Love to watch basketball, I love the Celtics, as I have said, I have lots of memories with this team. So, for me, winning a title is fine, but, I don't get the Trophy!! I didn't do anything to help them win, so just not that big a deal for me. Again, I am Older being in my 60s, I have seen so many great years. Sometimes, I hate when we are supposed to win, to me that is way more boring. Give me an overachieving team every year and I will be happy.

You both have good points.  Not seeing Tatum play for a year is a real bummer.  I'll watch no matter what but you can't tell me that he's not amazing to watch.  It was like when Suits came back and Mike wasn't there.  I enjoyed it but man I missed Mike.

I don't have high expectations for next year.  What I would like to see is Walsh, Baylor and hopefully two good rookies play a lot.  If it's going to be a developmental year then I want to see the young guys play every night.

[Goldstar88]

I watch the games regardless, of how the team is doing.    That is part of being a fan, you just don't abandon a team when they are struggling....

I mean, if the owners aren?t going to invest in the team, not sure I will be paying attention as much.
Worried they are going to run the C?s like John Henry and Bob Kraft run their teams. Hope I?m wrong.

[tonydelk]

I watch the games regardless, of how the team is doing.    That is part of being a fan, you just don't abandon a team when they are struggling....

I mean, if the owners aren?t going to invest in the team, not sure I will be paying attention as much.
Worried they are going to run the C?s like John Henry and Bob Kraft run their teams. Hope I?m wrong.

Well if they trade Dwhite and or JB then we will have our answer.

[Donoghus]

I watch the games regardless, of how the team is doing.    That is part of being a fan, you just don't abandon a team when they are struggling....

I mean, if the owners aren?t going to invest in the team, not sure I will be paying attention as much.
Worried they are going to run the C?s like John Henry and Bob Kraft run their teams. Hope I?m wrong.

Well if they trade Dwhite and or JB then we will have our answer.

This stuff isn't about ownership cheapening out.  This is the harsh reality of this new CBA and the punitive damage of the 2nd apron.  You can't just spend, spend, and say the hell with it to the luxury tax anymore.  There are serious basketball operation ramifications.   This front office and ownership obviously are seeing it firsthand and addressing it the best they can.   They're not pulling a John Henry here. 

[byennie]

This isn't a fun transition, but I appreciate how quickly and logically the Band-Aid was ripped off. We have Tatum, Brown and White signed up to make $150M/year over the next few years, and the NBA has absolutely cracked down on spending to the point that there aren't really ANY ownership groups so flush with cash that they're just going to absorb the highest penalties. Even billionaires can't just flush away... billions. Add in the Tatum injury and there was no alternative.

Maybe, theoretically, there were better trades out there, but getting back an expiring contract who is also a legitimate starter in his prime for a 35 year-old Jrue with $100M left on his deal is pretty optimal even if it's also a bummer.

As for Zinger, I mean...the guy is a walking injury red flag making $30M. I like the guy, wish we could keep him, but again, what can we really expect?

My read is that if he remaining guys stay healthy we're still a playoff team. Brown & White are All-Star level players, Pritchard and Simons are both viable 3rd options, and we should have enough role players to fill out the rest. But, throw in some injuries and it could go south really fast from there. It's a short path to Jordan Walsh, starting PF and that won't be pretty.

[slamtheking]

I watch the games regardless, of how the team is doing.    That is part of being a fan, you just don't abandon a team when they are struggling....

I mean, if the owners aren?t going to invest in the team, not sure I will be paying attention as much.
Worried they are going to run the C?s like John Henry and Bob Kraft run their teams. Hope I?m wrong.

Well if they trade Dwhite and or JB then we will have our answer.

This stuff isn't about ownership cheapening out.  This is the harsh reality of this new CBA and the punitive damage of the 2nd apron.  You can't just spend, spend, and say the hell with it to the luxury tax anymore.  There are serious basketball operation ramifications.   This front office and ownership obviously are seeing it firsthand and addressing it the best they can.   They're not pulling a John Henry here.

agreed. if this was just about the salaries, I strongly suspect they'd just keep all the primary players and gear towards being competitive into next season in the hopes Tatum can come back late in the season and add something.  Certainly keep it together with probably minor tweaks for the following season.

that's what makes this CBA so frustrating as a fan