Celtics News: Pundit Reveals Why Boston May Avoid Trades This Year

Ricardo Klein | 14 Hours Ago

Nov 26, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The Boston Celtics logo is seen before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images / Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics are arguably the best team in the league thus far, and for good reason. 

Fresh off their 2024 championship title, the Celtics are primed for another deep playoff run and hold some of the best odds to repeat as champions. With a loaded roster that boasts star power, depth, and cohesion, Boston doesn’t appear to have any glaring weaknesses. 

However, even if they were to consider making moves at the upcoming trade deadline, the league’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) might make it more difficult for them to do so.

As  Forbes contributor Bryan Toporek explains, the new CBA has introduced significant trade restrictions for teams above the first and second luxury-tax aprons. These new rules are particularly challenging for high-spending teams like the Celtics. 

Under the first apron, teams can still combine contracts to make a trade, but they can no longer take back more salary than they send out. For teams over the second apron—where the Celtics currently reside—the restrictions are even harsher. Not only are they prohibited from taking back additional salary in a trade, but they also can’t aggregate multiple smaller contracts to acquire a player with a larger salary.

“The Celtics are a clear example of these new rules in action. Unless they're willing to move off one of their top seven rotation players—Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, Al Horford or Payton Pritchard—they're effectively stuck.

“The Celtics are nearly $7.7 million over the second apron, so they can't aggregate contracts in trades or take back more salary in a trade than they send out. After those seven, their next-highest-paid player is Jaden Springer at roughly $4.0 million. They could flip him for someone on a minimum contract (roughly $2.1 million), but their trade options are otherwise limited.”

This is a stark contrast to the previous CBA, which offered far more flexibility for luxury-tax teams. Under the old rules, teams could take back up to 125 percent of the salary they traded out, plus an additional $100,000. They could also freely aggregate smaller contracts to make trades work financially. These changes mean Boston’s front office has far less maneuverability to improve the roster at the trade deadline than previous seasons.

While these restrictions may tie the Celtics’ hands in the trade market, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. The current roster is already one of the most well-rounded in the league, boasting elite talents like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday, alongside key contributors such as Kristaps Porziņģis, Derrick White, and Al Horford. The balance of offense, defense, and experience has positioned Boston as the team to beat.

Ultimately, the Celtics may not need to tinker with their roster at all. With everything they need to compete for another title already in place, standing pat at the deadline could be the smartest move. 

While the new CBA rules limit their options, Boston is in an enviable position—fully capable of defending its championship without making any changes.

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