Trade & FA 2025-26: Free Agency Starts 5pm CST/6pm EST

[Chicagojk]

Like many others, i feel like Jrue Holiday will be the move. And i have a bad feeling we wont like the outgoing pieces.

If we're able to get a 1st round pick or more out of this i'd be shocked. We absolutely should hold Boston over the coals and demand draft capital.

But, if the main outgoing is some combination of Gafford, Martin, Hardy, O-Max. Then i can get on board with it.  But any talks of P.J. kills the deal for me.

That is the scary part.  Brad Stevens has not had many misses.  He moves fast when needed, but is also fine being patient.    I just fear how he plays Nico in any negotiation.   He would do it nicely too like Pelinka.  So nice that Nico will be thanking Brad in the press conference afterwards.

[cow]

Like many others, i feel like Jrue Holiday will be the move. And i have a bad feeling we wont like the outgoing pieces.

If we're able to get a 1st round pick or more out of this i'd be shocked. We absolutely should hold Boston over the coals and demand draft capital.

But, if the main outgoing is some combination of Gafford, Martin, Hardy, O-Max. Then i can get on board with it.  But any talks of P.J. kills the deal for me.

I'd want a first for Gafford and another for taking on Jrue's contract.  It would also be nice to close the circle and send DP back where it all began.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Like many others, i feel like Jrue Holiday will be the move. And i have a bad feeling we wont like the outgoing pieces.

If we're able to get a 1st round pick or more out of this i'd be shocked. We absolutely should hold Boston over the coals and demand draft capital.

But, if the main outgoing is some combination of Gafford, Martin, Hardy, O-Max. Then i can get on board with it.  But any talks of P.J. kills the deal for me.

I don't include Gaff in the trade unless we're unloading dead roster spots for a $ equivalent.  I see Jrue as a $15m/year player at this point.  So of his $104.4m in the next 3 years is worth only ~$45m.  That's an over $60m overpay.  We don't have that much in dead contracts.

Klay - $34m/2ys
Martin - $28.8m/3rs
Hardy - $12m.2yrs
Total - $74.8/3yrs, +$29.6m

So you'd be spending approximately $10m/yr premium for Jrue.  The Celtics can't expect anything better than saving $10m/yr.  There's no reason to include valuable assets like Gaff.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

I don't include Gaff in the trade unless we're unloading dead roster spots for a $ equivalent.  I see Jrue as a $15m/year player at this point.  So of his $104.4m in the next 3 years is worth only ~$45m.  That's an over $60m overpay.  We don't have that much in dead contracts.

Klay - $34m/2ys
Martin - $28.8m/3rs
Hardy - $12m.2yrs
Total - $74.8/3yrs, +$29.6m

So you'd be spending approximately $10m/yr premium for Jrue.  The Celtics can't expect anything better than saving $10m/yr.  There's no reason to include valuable assets like Gaff.

In essence, this is a $10m/yr upgrade of Klay.  When you put it like that, it's palatable for all.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I would do that deal without a moment's hesitation. The positives are obvious. There are two negatives, one small, one significant:

Small negative: you're giving up BOTH of your backup 3's. I know Thompson and Flagg are going to play a lot there, but I'd prefer a way to keep either Marshall or Martin, if I'm being honest. In the grand scheme of things, I think this is pretty nitpickish, however. 

The big negative is committing to Holiday's salary for the next three years and the possible negative implications of that next year and beyond. For this season, I think that deal makes the team much, much better.

I also like Holiday for this next three year window with AD and Kyrie.  Then you can reset around Cooper Flagg and Derrick Lively.  

Although I could see people thinking Flagg will be ready to lead a contender within 3 years and you don't want to be locked into AD, Kyrie, and Jrue with no flexibility.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I would do it also.  I actually don't mind having Jrue, AD and Kyrie all expiring at the same time in three years.

If you somehow get PJW on an extension that ends at that same time, you could end up with Flagg and Lively as your only high paid guys, and unless my math is terrible (which it is), that could be the summer BEFORE Flagg's rookie-max extension kicks in, no? 

Holy cap space!

Damn, I should've kept reading before replying. Totally agree.

Holiday
Kyrie
Flagg
AD
Lively

actually gets me excited about the team again.

[F Gump]

I don't include Gaff in the trade unless we're unloading dead roster spots for a $ equivalent.  I see Jrue as a $15m/year player at this point.  So of his $104.4m in the next 3 years is worth only ~$45m.  That's an over $60m overpay.  We don't have that much in dead contracts.

Klay - $34m/2ys
Martin - $28.8m/3rs
Hardy - $12m.2yrs
Total - $74.8/3yrs, +$29.6m

So you'd be spending approximately $10m/yr premium for Jrue.  The Celtics can't expect anything better than saving $10m/yr.  There's no reason to include valuable assets like Gaff.

Add something else, perhaps DP, and then add another team to absorb some of the salary from DAL, because that deal's not CBA legal.

Off-loading some DAL salary to team 3 is part of what BOS will want out of the deal (not just swapping equal salary for salary). DAL should get a pick or 2 too, sending talent to one team AND providing cap help to another, maybe 1 FRP from each team (and 2025 picks don't work because DAL will be really tight against A2 after a 4-for-1).

[KillerLeft]

But, if the main outgoing is some combination of Gafford, Martin, Hardy, O-Max. Then i can get on board with it.  But any talks of P.J. kills the deal for me.

Fortunately, the Celtics might be the only team in the NBA who'd have zero interest in PJ Washington. They have that type of player covered. With Horford turning 92 this year and Porzingis having more Porzingis-like issues, I CAN see them having some interest in Gafford, potentially, though he's a different type of center for them.

I don't think that makes PJ safe, necessarily, as this might be a 3-4 team deal if/when it happens, but I doubt PJW will end up in Boston, which means to me that the the draft capital that switches hands is the most predictable way it could go right or wrong for our Mavs.

[Nowitzki Way]

I'd want a first for Gafford and another for taking on Jrue's contract.  It would also be nice to close the circle and send DP back where it all began.

Same thoughts. I want to get paid for Gafford while also getting paid for taking on the contract of Jrue and saving Boston from cap hell. 

If not, we walk. Find someone else willing to save you from that contract.

[Winter]

One of things that's starting to make think there's something between the Mavs and Celtics is how utterly quiet both teams have been. Not really a peep (or a tweet) anywhere.

[Nowitzki Way]

Fortunately, the Celtics might be the only team in the NBA who'd have zero interest in PJ Washington. They have that type of player covered. With Horford turning 92 this year and Porzingis having more Porzingis-like issues, I CAN see them having some interest in Gafford, potentially, though he's a different type of center for them.

I don't think that makes PJ safe, necessarily, as this might be a 3-4 team deal if/when it happens, but I doubt PJW will end up in Boston, which means to me that the the draft capital that switches hands is the most predictable way it could go right or wrong for our Mavs.

You make a good point, our pieces dont seem to fit what Boston wants. Maybe Naji could slide into a starting role this year while Tatum is out. Brown would still need some scoring help from somewhere else on that roster. 

But this would be some sort of large multi team deal. I keep seeing Derozan is on the market. He wouldnt be a bad stop gap while Tatum is out, but they need to shed salary, so i dont know.

[omahen]

One of things that's starting to make think there's something between the Mavs and Celtics is how utterly quiet both teams have been. Not really a peep (or a tweet) anywhere.

I am sort of surprised how quiet everything has been in general since this was supposed to be an offseason with a record number of trades. Really not that much rumors around. Barely anything on guys like Kuminga, for example.

[Winter]

I am sort of surprised how quiet everything has been in general since this was supposed to be an offseason with a record number of trades. Really not that much rumors around. Barely anything on guys like Kuminga, for example.

I'm thinking draft night almost has to be busy since there are 2-3 teams with multiple first-round picks, and a few known desperate teams wanting to manage salaries, move players, or duck the tax apron.

[MaxiThreeba]

Add something else, perhaps DP, and then add another team to absorb some of the salary from DAL, because that deal's not CBA legal.

Off-loading some DAL salary to team 3 is part of what BOS will want out of the deal (not just swapping equal salary for salary). DAL should get a pick or 2 too, sending talent to one team AND providing cap help to another, maybe 1 FRP from each team (and 2025 picks don't work because DAL will be really tight against A2 after a 4-for-1).

Mavs Out: Klay, Hardy, Martin, Powell
Mavs In: Jrue and two FRP

Rockets Out: Landale, Williams, 2nds (if they have any left)
Rockets In: Martin

Celtics Out: Jrue and two FRP
Celtics In: Klay, Powell, Williams

Nets Out: Disappearing 2nd
Nets In: Hardy, Landale, 2nds

Martin to the Rockets popped into my head as a replacement for Brooks (I think they are going to trade Whitmore)

Celtics get big financial relief and Klay can take some wing minutes.

Nets get a free look at Hardy and get tipped for their trouble. 

Mavs take on Jrue and extract two FRPs for the pleasure of that contract. 

I think this is legal but my CBA brain is about 3% the size of yours.

[F Gump]

I think HOU won't have Landale (in order to do the KD trade they can't be over A2).

But in my vision, any such trade will not be so complicated. The more teams and the more details, the less likely to get to the finish line.

BOS gets Klay + _______ AND Team 3 (using either room, a TPE, or MLE) gets Martin + _______
(there's some division of Hardy/Powell between those 2 teams)
DAL gets Jrue + a future FRP from each team

[Chicagojk]

There goes Holiday. Will need to think this one thru

BREAKING: The Boston Celtics have traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

[KillerLeft]

There goes Holiday.  Will need to think this one thru

BREAKING: The Boston Celtics have traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

Holy geez...I guess Holiday's value is still sky high for those who do this for a living. Not only did BOS not have to pay to get off of him, they got a nice young player and some draft capital!

[Chicagojk]

My initial thought is to trust Brad.

[KillerLeft]

My initial thought is to trust Brad.

Trust him about what? 

He had to do the deal. It's financially motivated. They didn't WANT to get rid of Holiday.

[Jym]

One less thing to worry about
Was scared we'd do a Caleb Martin type deal for him