About Josh Minott..

[Phantom255x]

Hugo, Queta, Minott and Hauser can be part of the next championship bench once Tatum returns and Brad adds a center either this deadline or next offseason.

I'd PP and Boucher to that bench provided Brad can find a starting-quality center and PG.  I'm not sure what's up with PP's offense this year but I think he's a better weapon off the bench than starting.  Depending on who's starting, I think that's a title quality 11 man rotation with hopefully some other solid pieces added at the end.  Would be great if Baylor could step up his play to make that rotation but having my doubts now. 

Figuring Simons will be moved at the deadline to try to fill that spot at center if at all possible.

Oh I forgot to add Boucher but I agree. PP, it depends if they can actually land a starting PG. The main priority needs to be starting center though. But I also think PP is much better just coming off the bench. Even a cheap, facilitating PG would suffice.

[Goldstar88]

It is moot because Minott is on the deal he is on, which is the minimum the next two years.  When that deal is up the Celtics will have early Bird rights and will be able to pay him more should the budget allow and he not get an offer over the Early Bird amount.  But he is not eligible for an extension now or any time during his deal, and the Celtics had no ability to sign him for more than the two years they did.

I had him as my wild card for someone who could take a leap, but he has surprised me despite my hopes for him.

Even though the 2nd year is a team option?

If a player is in the final year of their contract or has two years left with the second being an option, they can sign an extension at any point during the season up until the last day of the league year (June 30th).

Yes, because the first rule of extensions is that they cannot be signed until two years after the original contract was signed.  Otherwise teams would get around the cap all the time by signing players to minimum deals because they had no cap space and then extend them a few months later, which does not require said cap space.

We can extend Queta next summer for a couple of years, but not Minott.

Both Queta and Minott contracts are up at the same time, though. They both have team options for next year and that?s it. So you are saying they can extend Queta but would have to pick up the option for Minott and have him finish out the year before an extension can be offered?

Queta signed his contract in July of 2024, so he can sign a short extension in July of 2026.  Minott signed his in July of 2025, so he would be extension-eligible in July of 2027 (the same is true of Garza, for what it is worth).  However, because the last day of his contract, even if the Celtics pick up his option, is June 30 2026, he will reach free agency before he can be offered an extension.  The Celtics will have Early Bird rights, and so could offer him a new deal at that time that is similar to the extensions you proposed earlier, but will have to compete with other teams who can also offer him a contract.

Gotcha. Thanks for the explanation.