How would you like to see the team approach 2026-27?

[Roy H.]

Right now, we've got the following guys under contract:

Tatum; Brown; White; Hauser; Pritchard; Gonzalez; Garza; Scheierman; Queta; Minott; Walsh

The last four of the above are team options and/or non-guaranteed.

Possible free agents:  Simons; Niang; Davison

We'll be around $41.7 million below the second apron.

=============================================================

Assets:

2026 1st round pick
TPE:  $4.721 million
TPE: $22.532 million

MLE:  Using full MLE would cap us at *first* apron.  Full MLE is around $15.1 million; Taxpayer MLE is around $6.1 million

Long term, what's our best path?  Can we keep Simons around $20 million and trade / sign-and-trade for a big man making around $21 million?

[Who]

Queta, Garza, Minott, J Walsh = all their futures depend on how they play next season. If they play well, they stay. If they do not, they go.

I would pay A Simons. If we can get him at under $25mil per year, I would be happy. I am open to trading him for a quality center but not that hopeful of achieving it. Not in the next year. There do not appear to be many opportunities / probable opportunities for a trade like that to manifest. So I am expecting more of a holding pattern that will go into 2026-27. Hopefully further down the road an opportunity will arrive.

I don't know if they can afford to pay A Simons and use the trade exception on a big man making $20mil. That would be great if they could do it but I am not expecting it. I am expecting more of an MLE level starting center brought in. Either with the MLE or that trade exception. Someone cheaper. Not as good. Probably around the 20th-25th best center in the league level.

So without a major improvement at the big man slots, this would be a team led by it's perimeter players. The bigs would just be there to provide enough interior defense & rebounding to allow the team to compete.

G: A Simons, Pritchard
G: D White
F: Jaylen, Hauser
F: Tatum
C: (MLE center)

Then whatever cheap role players are worth keeping from this coming year's roster + cheap veteran minimum contract signings to replace the young role players from this coming year's roster that weren't good enough to stick around.

[slamtheking]

By the trade deadline, I'd like to see them use Simons and a combination of Niang/Walsh/Davison/Garza/Minott/Tillman to get a respectible Center and if possible, a PF.

end goal before the end of the season is to jettison the deadwood from the roster while maximizing their salary slots to bring in better talent (or at least less-useless talent).  preferably without sending out picks to do so.  Ideally go into next season with Tatum, the solid rotation players we have left from last year, hopefully promising youth in Baylor and Gonzalez and a new Center that can at least provider good defense and rebounding and hopefully a decent PF to boot.

[Vermont Green]

Queta, Garza, Minott, J Walsh = all their futures depend on how they play next season. If they play well, they stay. If they do not, they go.

Add Amari Williams and Davison to that list also.  All these players are playing for their NBA lives.  Any of them could carve out a bench role on the 2026-27 team, but most of them probably won't.

Simons and Niang are is a bit of a different category.  Both have enough of a track record to demonstrate that they can have a role in the NBA.  But the same applies.  No reason to decide now what you want to do with them.  I suspect that Simons may prove more valuable in a trade for a big but I would like to see him play here before deciding that.  Same with Niang.  He is probably also traded but there also could be a role for him on the 2026-27 team (on a cheaper contract of course).

If I had to guess what will happen:

Simons traded at deadline
Niang survives and comes back on a min deal
Scheierman is back (team picks up option)
Tillman gone (not resigned if not included in a trade along the way)
Garza included in a trade along the way
Minott survives, option picked up
Davison gone
Walsh survives, option picked up
Williams, plays well and gets a regular contract for 2026

Brown, White, Hauser, Pritchard, Queta, Gonzalez, all come back.

[JBcat]

Queta, Garza, Minott, J Walsh = all their futures depend on how they play next season. If they play well, they stay. If they do not, they go.

I would pay A Simons. If we can get him at under $25mil per year, I would be happy. I am open to trading him for a quality center but not that hopeful of achieving it. Not in the next year. There do not appear to be many opportunities / probable opportunities for a trade like that to manifest. So I am expecting more of a holding pattern that will go into 2026-27. Hopefully further down the road an opportunity will arrive.

I don't know if they can afford to pay A Simons and use the trade exception on a big man making $20mil. That would be great if they could do it but I am not expecting it. I am expecting more of an MLE level starting center brought in. Either with the MLE or that trade exception. Someone cheaper. Not as good. Probably around the 20th-25th best center in the league level.

So without a major improvement at the big man slots, this would be a team led by it's perimeter players. The bigs would just be there to provide enough interior defense & rebounding to allow the team to compete.

G: A Simons, Pritchard
G: D White
F: Jaylen, Hauser
F: Tatum
C: (MLE center)

Then whatever cheap role players are worth keeping from this coming year's roster + cheap veteran minimum contract signings to replace the young role players from this coming year's roster that weren't good enough to stick around.

I like this approach. believe it would put us back over the 2nd apron, but we can dip back under when we need to again.

Correct me if I?m wrong but I think staying under the 2nd apron for a year would reset the timeline of penalties associated with them.

[Roy H.]

Queta, Garza, Minott, J Walsh = all their futures depend on how they play next season. If they play well, they stay. If they do not, they go.

I would pay A Simons. If we can get him at under $25mil per year, I would be happy. I am open to trading him for a quality center but not that hopeful of achieving it. Not in the next year. There do not appear to be many opportunities / probable opportunities for a trade like that to manifest. So I am expecting more of a holding pattern that will go into 2026-27. Hopefully further down the road an opportunity will arrive.

I don't know if they can afford to pay A Simons and use the trade exception on a big man making $20mil. That would be great if they could do it but I am not expecting it. I am expecting more of an MLE level starting center brought in. Either with the MLE or that trade exception. Someone cheaper. Not as good. Probably around the 20th-25th best center in the league level.

So without a major improvement at the big man slots, this would be a team led by it's perimeter players. The bigs would just be there to provide enough interior defense & rebounding to allow the team to compete.

G: A Simons, Pritchard
G: D White
F: Jaylen, Hauser
F: Tatum
C: (MLE center)

Then whatever cheap role players are worth keeping from this coming year's roster + cheap veteran minimum contract signings to replace the young role players from this coming year's roster that weren't good enough to stick around.

I like this approach. believe it would put us back over the 2nd apron, but we can dip back under when we need to again.

Correct me if I?m wrong but I think staying under the 2nd apron for a year would reset the timeline of penalties associated with them.

Teams have their draft pick sent to the end of the first round if they're over the second apron in three out of five seasons.  I can't remember what the first year that "counted" toward this penalty was, but I assume avoiding the second apron is going to be a continuing goal.

[Jiri Welsch]

You have to hope you can trade Simons (without attaching additional assets) for a guy that rounds out the roster better. Ideally that can happen this season.

If it doesn't happen this season, the Celtics should gamble and try to re-sign him. Otherwise you run the risk of losing his space on your payroll and not being able to replace it because you're still above the cap.

[JBcat]

Queta, Garza, Minott, J Walsh = all their futures depend on how they play next season. If they play well, they stay. If they do not, they go.

I would pay A Simons. If we can get him at under $25mil per year, I would be happy. I am open to trading him for a quality center but not that hopeful of achieving it. Not in the next year. There do not appear to be many opportunities / probable opportunities for a trade like that to manifest. So I am expecting more of a holding pattern that will go into 2026-27. Hopefully further down the road an opportunity will arrive.

I don't know if they can afford to pay A Simons and use the trade exception on a big man making $20mil. That would be great if they could do it but I am not expecting it. I am expecting more of an MLE level starting center brought in. Either with the MLE or that trade exception. Someone cheaper. Not as good. Probably around the 20th-25th best center in the league level.

So without a major improvement at the big man slots, this would be a team led by it's perimeter players. The bigs would just be there to provide enough interior defense & rebounding to allow the team to compete.

G: A Simons, Pritchard
G: D White
F: Jaylen, Hauser
F: Tatum
C: (MLE center)

Then whatever cheap role players are worth keeping from this coming year's roster + cheap veteran minimum contract signings to replace the young role players from this coming year's roster that weren't good enough to stick around.

I like this approach. believe it would put us back over the 2nd apron, but we can dip back under when we need to again.

Correct me if I?m wrong but I think staying under the 2nd apron for a year would reset the timeline of penalties associated with them.

Teams have their draft pick sent to the end of the first round if they're over the second apron in three out of five seasons.  I can't remember what the first year that "counted" toward this penalty was, but I assume avoiding the second apron is going to be a continuing goal.

Thanks, good to know.

I just noticed Charles Bassey is on the Summer league roster. I?ve always liked him defensively. If we have him, Garza, and Queta at Center it?s a start. Bassey could be quietly a solid pickup.

[Who]

Queta, Garza, Minott, J Walsh = all their futures depend on how they play next season. If they play well, they stay. If they do not, they go.

I would pay A Simons. If we can get him at under $25mil per year, I would be happy. I am open to trading him for a quality center but not that hopeful of achieving it. Not in the next year. There do not appear to be many opportunities / probable opportunities for a trade like that to manifest. So I am expecting more of a holding pattern that will go into 2026-27. Hopefully further down the road an opportunity will arrive.

I don't know if they can afford to pay A Simons and use the trade exception on a big man making $20mil. That would be great if they could do it but I am not expecting it. I am expecting more of an MLE level starting center brought in. Either with the MLE or that trade exception. Someone cheaper. Not as good. Probably around the 20th-25th best center in the league level.

So without a major improvement at the big man slots, this would be a team led by it's perimeter players. The bigs would just be there to provide enough interior defense & rebounding to allow the team to compete.

G: A Simons, Pritchard
G: D White
F: Jaylen, Hauser
F: Tatum
C: (MLE center)

Then whatever cheap role players are worth keeping from this coming year's roster + cheap veteran minimum contract signings to replace the young role players from this coming year's roster that weren't good enough to stick around.

I like this approach. believe it would put us back over the 2nd apron, but we can dip back under when we need to again.

Correct me if I?m wrong but I think staying under the 2nd apron for a year would reset the timeline of penalties associated with them.

Teams have their draft pick sent to the end of the first round if they're over the second apron in three out of five seasons.  I can't remember what the first year that "counted" toward this penalty was, but I assume avoiding the second apron is going to be a continuing goal.

Which doesn't matter much at all if you are a contending team and picking in the mid to late 20s anyway.

[Roy H.]

Queta, Garza, Minott, J Walsh = all their futures depend on how they play next season. If they play well, they stay. If they do not, they go.

I would pay A Simons. If we can get him at under $25mil per year, I would be happy. I am open to trading him for a quality center but not that hopeful of achieving it. Not in the next year. There do not appear to be many opportunities / probable opportunities for a trade like that to manifest. So I am expecting more of a holding pattern that will go into 2026-27. Hopefully further down the road an opportunity will arrive.

I don't know if they can afford to pay A Simons and use the trade exception on a big man making $20mil. That would be great if they could do it but I am not expecting it. I am expecting more of an MLE level starting center brought in. Either with the MLE or that trade exception. Someone cheaper. Not as good. Probably around the 20th-25th best center in the league level.

So without a major improvement at the big man slots, this would be a team led by it's perimeter players. The bigs would just be there to provide enough interior defense & rebounding to allow the team to compete.

G: A Simons, Pritchard
G: D White
F: Jaylen, Hauser
F: Tatum
C: (MLE center)

Then whatever cheap role players are worth keeping from this coming year's roster + cheap veteran minimum contract signings to replace the young role players from this coming year's roster that weren't good enough to stick around.

I like this approach. believe it would put us back over the 2nd apron, but we can dip back under when we need to again.

Correct me if I?m wrong but I think staying under the 2nd apron for a year would reset the timeline of penalties associated with them.

Teams have their draft pick sent to the end of the first round if they're over the second apron in three out of five seasons.  I can't remember what the first year that "counted" toward this penalty was, but I assume avoiding the second apron is going to be a continuing goal.

Which doesn't matter much at all if you are a contending team and picking in the mid to late 20s anyway.

The picks are also frozen and can't be traded.

It's a fairly significant penalty.

[celticinorlando]

Goal #1 is get Niang off this team.

[jambr380]

It'll be interesting to see what Simons signs for next offseason. If he is so undesirable now, I can't imagine teams are going to be chomping at the bit to sign when he's a FA. $20M/yr sounds like the max amount, but I'd try to push more in the $15M/yr.

As Roy noted, we have a pretty sizable TPE. I'd hope to land a Center with part of that. Maybe a s&t with DAL for someone like Gafford where we send a 1st.

Even with a decent pick, that should keep us well below the 2nd apron, but also remain competitive. We could even use the taxpayer MLE for suitable depth.

It seems horrible now, but acquiring a real Center, using the taxpayer MLE, drafting in the lottery, retaining Simons, and of course Tatum returning will put this team right back in the mix again. Adding Lillard to the mix would also provide a fun boost.

[Moranis]

The team won't have cap space, so unless they somehow hit on the lottery, there really isn't a meaningful way to acquire the big man the team needs to be a true contender again.  So if they don't blow it up during this season, I think they should next summer and that might even mean trading Tatum. They aren't going to be a contender again with this group (unless they hit on the lottery and get a real asset to trade).

[DefenseWinsChamps]

The team won't have cap space, so unless they somehow hit on the lottery, there really isn't a meaningful way to acquire the big man the team needs to be a true contender again.  So if they don't blow it up during this season, I think they should next summer and that might even mean trading Tatum. They aren't going to be a contender again with this group (unless they hit on the lottery and get a real asset to trade).

So definitive. So confident.

I would also say that I think you are wrong. Plenty of assets and ways to acquire that big man. No need to build and fake impossible situation.

[Moranis]

The team won't have cap space, so unless they somehow hit on the lottery, there really isn't a meaningful way to acquire the big man the team needs to be a true contender again.  So if they don't blow it up during this season, I think they should next summer and that might even mean trading Tatum. They aren't going to be a contender again with this group (unless they hit on the lottery and get a real asset to trade).

So definitive. So confident.

I would also say that I think you are wrong. Plenty of assets and ways to acquire that big man. No need to build and fake impossible situation.

They dont have the salary to acquire a max level player without trading Tatum or Brown or White plus Hauser, Pritchard, and basically everyone else.  So even if all the tradable draft picks were used, you are still losing  all the good bench players and unless they have the super high draft pick they aren't going to have the best package for someone like Giannis where it would make sense to give up the salary and still have a contender.  Ayton type big men are what Boston will be able to get, and that isn't a good enough player to elevate the team into the championship class.  So they have to hit in the lottery, without AJ Dybantsa  or maybe Peterson or Boozer, I just don't see the path to a championship.  And I realize not too many sharks my belief and maybe I will be wrong, but I'm just not convinced of a way to contending with Tatum coming back from a devastating injury and Brown and Whitenin their 30's.