The Celtics got their dealing done early ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
Boston’s only move on deadline day was announcing its trade of guard Jaden Springer to the Houston Rockets, which was reported Wednesday. The Celtics sent Houston a 2030 second-round draft pick to take on Springer’s $4 million salary, receiving only a swap of heavily protected second-round picks in return.
The Springer trade trimmed more than $15 million off of the Celtics’ tax bill, as his contract was subject to hefty tax penalties given Boston’s status as a second-apron team. It also left them with two open spots on their 15-man roster, at least one of which they now must fill. NBA rules require teams to carry at least 14 standard-contract players.
The Celtics have a two-week window to do so, however, so they don’t need to rush any additions. President of basketball operations Brad Stevens can explore free agency and the buyout market for available veterans, with reliable wing depth behind Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Sam Hauser standing out as one lingering need for Boston.
Boston’s options there are limited, however. Teams over the first or second apron of the luxury tax are barred from signing any buyout player whose previous contract paid him more than the mid-level exception of $12.8 million, so expect the Celtics to focus on bargain-bin vets making at or near the veteran minimum.
Veteran wing Torrey Craig is one such possibility after he was waived by the Chicago Bulls earlier this week. The Oklahoma City Thunder also reportedly waived former Celtics big man Daniel Theis on Thursday after acquiring him from the New Orleans Pelicans; he’s an option if Boston wants to shore up its frontcourt depth.
Forward Oshae Brissett, who’s currently signed to Brooklyn’s G League team, and guard Lonnie Walker IV, who’s playing in Lithuania, are other available players with prior Celtics ties. Brissett was a depth player for Boston last season but declined his player option this offseason. Walker signed a training camp tryout deal this past summer but failed to crack the regular-season roster.
The other avenue for filling the Celtics’ vacancies is converting a two-way contract into a permanent roster spot, as the team did with center Neemias Queta late last season. Of Boston’s current two-way players, 6-foot-9 wing Drew Peterson is the top candidate for such a move, as he’s seen by far the most NBA action of the three (117 minutes over 13 appearances this season).
Point guard JD Davison, a 2022 second-round pick, has yet to play a non-garbage-time minute with Boston this season, and rookie forward Anton Watson has only played in the G League.