What should the Celtics do with their last open roster spot?

The 2025 commerce deadline will go down as essentially the most insane commerce deadline in league historical past. A franchise icon, a number of Corridor of Famers and All-Stars enjoying musical chairs. Headlined, in fact, by the Dallas Mavericks inexplicably buying and selling Luka Doncic.

Nevertheless, the Celtics won’t come up once I inform my grandkids concerning the 2025 NBA commerce deadline.

The Celtics made one transfer on the commerce deadline. They salary-dumped Jaden Springer to the Houston Rockets, who subsequently waived him. And no, the Celtics can’t resign Springer. Groups can’t resign gamers instantly after buying and selling them. If one other workforce had been to signal Springer after which minimize him, the Celtics may convey him again. Unlikely.

The brand new collective bargaining settlement is horrible for quite a lot of causes: 1) we noticed a bunch of groups having to make cost-cutting strikes to dodge the primary and second aprons and save on large luxurious tax penalties as an alternative of specializing in enhancing their rosters, 2) followers are tasked with making an attempt to grasp sophisticated wage cap mechanisms, and three) folks like me, who write and speak concerning the NBA, need to faux to grasp these cap mechanisms.

The Celtics salary-dumping Jaden Springer doesn’t change their title odds. Perhaps it lowers them by 0.1%. However the truth that the Celtics actively made their workforce barely worse within the identify of luxurious tax is lame. Alas, that is the second apron period.

That briefly left the Celtics with two open roster spots. However Brad Stevens watched the primary half of the abysmal Celtics efficiency in opposition to a depleted Mavericks workforce and determined to usher in Torrey Craig.

That leaves the Celtics with one open roster slot. The Celtics should not have to signal a fifteenth participant, however most groups, particularly title contenders, usually finish the season with 15 gamers. The Celtics have two choices to fill that final roster spot. They will both convert one in every of their two-way gamers or signal one other free agent to a veteran’s minimal contract.

I count on the Celtics to transform Drew Peterson’s two-way contract to a completely assured NBA contract for the remainder of the season. You possibly can argue that JD Davison is the man who ought to get the contract conversion, as there’s extra of a necessity for one more guard with the departure of Jaden Springer and the arrival of Torrey Craig. Moreover, the Celtics may reward JD Davison for his lengthy tenure with the Maine Celtics with a few of that NBA cash.

Nevertheless, the extra thrilling possibility is to usher in one other free agent. Let’s discover some choices.

A fast reminder that the Celtics can solely signal gamers within the buyout market if their contract was lower than the mid-level exception which is 12.8 million {dollars}. For instance, this prohibits the Celtics from bringing again Marcus Good if he had been to be purchased out. Unhappy. I do know. Once more. Blame the second apron.

We all know who the followers need. They need Lonnie Walker IV.

Lonnie can be my best choice if Brad Stevens had been to usher in one other free agent. The one true backup guard on the roster proper now’s Payton Pritchard. Whereas Pritchard is having a profession 12 months, he’s nonetheless but to show he can present constant minutes on the highest degree. Whereas there’s a motive why Lonnie Walker IV isn’t on an NBA roster — he’s not a needle mover — he has had a few moments within the playoffs. He’s confirmed he can present a spark within the NBA on the guard spot.

My subsequent selection can be Daniel Theis. Any participant the Celtics herald is unlikely to have an effect. That’s why these gamers can be found. There are only a few cases in league historical past the place a late-season free agent signing impacts who wins the NBA title. Sam Cassell, in 2008, we salute you.

For this reason if we’re signing a participant, we must always take into account their affect on the vibes. Daniel Theis would undoubtedly be good for the vibes. When speaking concerning the on-court affect, Theis has misplaced a step or three since his departure from the Celtics. And a step or six slower since he began for the Celtics as they marched to the Jap Convention Finals within the bubble.

Whereas his play has slipped, Theis remains to be a serviceable large man who can be in the suitable spots and make the suitable selections with the ball in his arms. Suppose price range Luke Kornet. He additionally has built-in chemistry with Jayson Tatum. The Tatum and Theis pick-and-roll was the place Tatum began to hone his now proficient pick-and-roll abilities.

The argument in opposition to Theis is that the Celtics have already got 5 large males on the roster. Six feels redundant. The argument in opposition to the too many bigs argument is you could by no means have too many bigs when counting on a fragile Kristaps Porzingis and a 38-year-old Al Horford.

When you weren’t impressed by the wing that Brad Stevens already signed in Torrey Craig, may I curiosity you in former Boston Celtics legend Oshae Brissett? An underrated problem with bringing a participant in midway by the season is integrating them into their new workforce’s system. Effectively, Oshae Brissett is aware of the system and was impactful in his minutes with the Celtics final season. Brissett even gave the Celtics some constructive minutes within the convention finals in opposition to the Indiana Pacers. And in the event you care about vibes, as it’s best to, then Oshae Brissett must be signed by the point you end studying this.

Another names that would doubtlessly be purchased out and subsequently signed with the Celtics, together with a fast thought on them:

Seth Curry: he can nonetheless shoot the piss out the ball – he’s taking pictures 45% from on 5.9 makes an attempt per 36 minutes. And he has performed extra minutes than you assume this season. 557 complete minutes. Defensively. I believe he may guard me.

Josh Richardson: One other Boston Celtics legend. Richardson is presently injured; he has solely performed in eight video games this season, but when we be taught that the harm isn’t critical and he can return to play shortly, the Celtics may use his guard abilities.

Cam Reddish: Cam Reddish, the participant each workforce can speak themselves into working for them. Although it didn’t work for his earlier 4 groups. A six-foot-eight athletic wing with ball abilities? That doesn’t don’t develop on bushes. Nonetheless solely 25-years previous? Why not.

When you’re feeling uninspired by the choices I’ve laid out for you, that’s sadly the truth of the buyout and free-agent market at this level within the season. And the dearth of high quality choices is exacerbated by the second-apron limitations that the Celtics need to take care of.

The excellent news is the Boston Celtics presently have all of the expertise on the roster they should repeat as NBA champions. As Brad Stevens mentioned in his post-trade deadline press convention: “On the finish of the day, even with our ups and downs over the past six weeks, what offers us our greatest probability of getting an opportunity to win? And that’s this group enjoying just a little bit extra like itself extra of the time.”