Jaden Springer’s yearlong Celtics tenure is over.
Boston traded the 22-year-old guard to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, according to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania. The Celtics also sent a 2030 second-round pick to Houston as part of the deal, and the teams exchanged “heavily protected second-rounders.”
The move appeared to be a pure salary dump for Boston, which is over the second apron of the NBA’s luxury tax. Springer’s $4 million salary was the eighth-highest on the Celtics’ roster, and he ranked 13th in minutes played this season entering Wednesday. Trading him decreased the Celtics’ tax bill from $65.6 million to $50.2 million, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Springer, whom Boston acquired from Philadelphia last February, had seen a recent uptick in playing time and delivered several of his best performances in a Celtics uniform in the second half of January. He was a game-changer in Boston’s overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers, played well in garbage time against the Lakers, was a plus-11 in a two-point loss to the Houston Rockets and logged 20 solid minutes against the Chicago Bulls. He’s a plus defender and has shown signs of life offensively, with one-third of his career 3-pointers coming in those four recent appearances (6 on 13 attempts).
But Springer has played sparingly when the Celtics have their entire core rotation available. The team evidently determined the financial benefits of trading him outweighed his value as a depth/developmental piece. His aggressiveness on defense should make him a good fit with Ime Udoka’s Rockets, who rank fourth in the NBA in defensive rating.
Springer told the Herald last week that he “of course” wanted to stay with the Celtics.
“I love this team, man,” he said. “I got a championship with these guys. Great group of guys. But whatever happens, happens, and I’m grateful for whatever comes.”
Moving Springer gave the Celtics two open roster spots. Additional moves likely are forthcoming ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.
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