Celtics offseason notes and thoughts entering Summer League

The Celtics’ offseason continues with Summer time League in Las Vegas this weekend, the place they’ll face standout middle Kel’el Ware and the Warmth, the Bronny James Lakers and Charles Lee’s Hornets earlier than closing the four-game slate with a Finals rematch in opposition to the Mavericks. Boston will play a fifth, but to be scheduled recreation after that.

The summer season because the championship has been each relaxed and turbulent. The Boston Celtics are on the market after 22 years of regular stewardship and there’s no clear indication who will buy the staff. On the ground — 13 of the 15 roster gamers from the 2024 championship are signed for subsequent season earlier than luxurious tax considerations start in 2025-26.

• We all know three issues up to now concerning the sale and a forthcoming large deal: Irv Grousbeck drove the decision to sell as the money behind the team for family planning purposes, Steve Pagliuca will make a bid to turn into the bulk proprietor after serving alongside Wyc Grousbeck as the main managing companions since 2002, and whereas the entire course of may take by means of 2028, the 51% managing share of the staff may change palms shortly. Although Grousbeck initiatives to supervise the staff by means of that interval, these years changing into a number of the costliest for a staff in NBA historical past go away questions concerning the staff’s sustainability throughout Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum’s prime.
• Brad Stevens made the fitting strikes within the meantime. Signing Tatum, Brown, Jrue Vacation, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White to extensions leaves the staff with essentially the most potential choices into the long run, whether or not to soak up luxurious tax prices or offload a contract or break up one into smaller ones. Going into free company with any of these gamers would’ve led to worse outcomes. It’s a small miracle that Boston retained White for four-years, $126 million given the free agent offers comparable gamers are signing, however as HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto first reported, White received a 15% trade kicker and additional likely incentives in the deal.
• It’s been noteworthy how the most costly and least costly groups have dealt with the second apron and new luxurious tax threats. The Clippers and Nuggets opted to let Paul George and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope go away outright in free company slightly than get better belongings by means of sign-and-trades. The return, for LA particularly, grew to become the power so as to add gamers to the roster that they couldn’t whereas over the second apron line. George and Caldwell-Pope’s departure strengthened cap area groups in Philadelphia and Orlando. That’s an apparent implication of the brand new guidelines, however the anticipated contract shredding didn’t occur on a number of the different costliest groups. Boston, Phoenix and Minnesota stood pat for now, regardless of some hypothesis Kevin Durant, Devin Booker or Karl-Anthony Cities may turn into obtainable. Against this, a number of the rebuilding groups pursued smaller contract additions (i.e. Tim Hardaway Jr. to DET, Harrison Barnes to SAS, Devonté Graham to CHA) slightly than pulling starters and even stars from one of the best groups.
• How will Boston finally transfer wage from its roster when if it will definitely must? Will there be suitors with cap area who can take a Jrue Vacation or Kristaps Porzingis-sized wage off the Celtics’ palms? Or will these groups want to strip down their rosters to remain in competition for high finish lottery standing? The Spurs are a swing staff in that dialog, and so they opted to signal Chris Paul in free company and tackle Barnes with a future draft decide, which may present some indication of what that sort of transaction may appear to be for Boston. If the Celtics need to keep a large, unprecedented wage sheet plus tax for 2026, they may start offloading by letting Porzingis’ contract expire following that season. However that leaves $196 million between eight gamers. One extra participant might need to maneuver for a number of in return, which carries an implication for the staff that may commerce with Boston (second apron laborious cap).
• Subsequently, that’s why a Sam Hauser and the Celtics agreeing to an extension this summer season all the time felt doubtful. Hauser grew to become extension-eligible on Tuesday, with former CelticsBlogger and Spotrac’s Keith Smith indicating that $8-10 million in annual salary would be the likely cost to get a deal done. Having medium-sized contracts to navigate the roster’s future is sensible to me, and cap will increase may marginalize how laborious Hauser and Payton Pritchard’s cash would hit Boston’s books. It might add to the tax navigation the staff must take care of beginning subsequent summer season.
• Drew Peterson and JD Davison signed two of the Celtics’ three two-way contracts, persevering with the funding the staff made within the former for a part of final 12 months and the earlier two seasons in Davison’s case. Davison will play Summer time League after a powerful 12 months in Maine, a uncommon third look, however one which’s essential on three ranges, competing with Jaden Springer for the lead improvement guard position on the roster, ramping up after his enjoying time largely ended after March and exhibiting his enchancment over an uneven Vegas look final summer season. His passing and scoring have flourished, whereas his capturing translatable expertise to the NBA have stagnated some. Peterson confirmed common capturing flashes final 12 months and a few passing potential. Boston may change course on these contracts earlier than the season if the staff decides to — so the competitors successfully continues. Anton Watson is an early favourite for a type of spots because the staff’s second spherical decide.
• Different names value watching on the Celtics’ Summer time League roster: the staff loves Tristan Enaruna, their undrafted ahead from Cleveland State by means of the Netherlands, who initially dedicated to Kansas out of highschool as a extremely regarded athlete. He shot 32.2% from three final 12 months, one of the best mark of his 5 school seasons, and will make a run at a two-way spot with a powerful exhibiting. I liked Ron Harper Jr. (Rutgers) and Killian Tillie (Gonzaga) in school, however each have handled accidents which have left them out of basketball for an prolonged interval. Their presence on this roster may very well be extra about getting seems to be elsewhere. Harper Jr. is a 6-4 shooter with an influence ahead’s body who performs with a ton of physicality. Tillie handed, shot and confirmed promise at middle that made him a darling prospect for Memphis early in his profession. He performed with Watson throughout their senior and freshman years, respectively. Tyler Cook dinner, who break up time in Australia and Spain final season, performed highschool basketball with Tatum.