Former NBA GM believes Celtics can save over $300 million with these 2 trades

The NBA offseason officially began on Sunday night when the Oklahoma City Thunder won a championship.

In order to reduce salary and bring Boston below the NBA’s luxury tax threshold this summer, Brad Stevens and the Celtics have a lot of work ahead of them.

Boston will be hit hard the next season because to Jayson Tatum’s supermax agreement (five years, $313 million), which will take effect for the 2025–2026 campaign, and the current CBA, which is designed to penalize clubs that often operate above the luxury tax.

The Celtics’ current committed salary for the 2025–2026 season is already close to $225 million, as reported by Brian Robb of MassLive. The Celtics will have to pay a staggering $280 million in luxury taxes in addition to Boston’s anticipated $233 million full squad payroll the following season.

Compared to the record-breaking $388 million salary that the 2023–24 Warriors had to endure due to their high contract payouts and luxury-tax violations, that amounts to a $513 million payroll for the upcoming season.

The Celtics are probably trying to shed some contracts in the upcoming weeks given that soaring bill and the possibility that Boston may have to endure a bridge year while Tatum heals from a broken Achilles.

Additionally, former Brooklyn Nets general manager and ESPN NBA front office analyst Bobby Marks thinks Boston can drastically reduce that luxury-tax payment going forward by taking two steps.

Marks first proposed a move that would have sent Kristaps Porzingis (as well as Boston’s first-round selection in the 2025 NBA Draft) to the Nets in exchange for a huge salary dump, but he ultimately decided to make two transactions that would enable the Celtics to shed that second apron, thanks to the efforts of ESPN’s Kevin Pelton.

FIRST TRADE

The Boston Celtics acquire P.J. Washington Jr., a forward.

Dallas Mavericks acquire: Jrue Holiday, a guard

The Brooklyn Nets receive a 2027 first-round pick, forward Caleb Martin, and guard Jaden Hardy (via the Celtics).

The LA Clippers acquire Olivier-Maxence Prosper, a forward.

Exchange 2

Center Duop Reath is acquired by the Boston Celtics.

Forward for the Portland Trail Blazers Xavier Tillman, center Sam Hauser, 2031 second-round selection

Moving on from those two contracts might benefit Boston in the long run as they strive to rebuild a successful squad around Tatum and company, even if the Celtics would miss Holiday’s seasoned defense and leadership and Hauser’s 3-point shooting off the bench.

According to Marks, the two distinct deals strengthen Boston’s frontcourt while simultaneously saving it more than $300 million in compensation.

Even leaving a seemingly market-value contract like Hauser’s (four years, $45 million) would result in significant savings when taking the luxury tax into account, given how much the repeater tax penalties are expected to bloat Boston’s payroll going forward.

Boston would also add some depth up front with both Washington and Reath, despite losing Hauser and Holiday.

Porzingis was not part of Marks’ deals, but if both Horford and Kornet sign elsewhere, there may not be enough depth behind the big man going ahead.

Since 2023, Conor Ryan has worked as a staff writer for Boston.com, covering the Boston Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox.

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Janet Trew

Janet Trew

Janet Trew is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in the industry. Known for her ability to adapt to different styles and formats, she has cultivated a diverse skill set that spans content creation, storytelling, and technical writing. Throughout her career, Janet has worked across various niches, from US news, crime, finance, lifestyle, and health to business and technology, consistently delivering well-researched, engaging, and informative content.

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