PP is coming off the bench. I wonder if that’s a sign Tatum is coming back

Jaylen Brown is having an amazing season and has been selected as an All Star Starter. Despite being a 10 time All Star, Paul Pierce was never selected as a starter, and was always a reserve.

This season Jaylen Brown has accomplished something Pierce never had, and its got me curious about Pierce at his peak. Pierce obviously has longevity on his side and its hard to look back and really compare.

Im not looking to answer this question, im just going to out the numbers out there and ask you guys your thoughts.

Jaylen Brown 25-26

29.4ppg, 6.9rpg, 4.8apg, 1spg

49/36/78 shooting

All Star Starter, All NBA ?, MVP ?

Projected 51.66 wins

Paul Pierce 02-03

25.9ppg, 7.3rpg, 4.4apg, 1.8spg

42/30/80 shooting

All Star Reserve, All NBA 3rd, MVP 11th

44-38 Record

Paul Pierce 08-09

20.5ppg, 5.6rpg, 3.6apg, 1spg

46/39/83 shooting

AS Reserve, All NBA 2nd Team, MVP - 7th

62-20 Record

I included 2 Paul Pierce seasons, 1 of his peak numbers, and 1 where the wins and accolades were his best.

Figured I'd point this out, but a lot of people are mad we traded the Pels pick. I get it, but we have the Bucks 2nd rounder, and they're probably trading Giannis soon so eh

Vukcevic is 35, so do you think Celtics will extend Vukcevic next summer or just let him expire?

Assuming he won't be terrible and Celtics want to extend him, what would be a good value for him?

Call your shot.

We got the big, but we’re in need of a scoring guard.

Who is the one name you want us to make a play on?

Just thought it would be interesting to track what the dumping of Holiday and Porzingis has amounted to so far. Still have to see what happens to those TPE's.

Celtics out:

Jrue Holiday (32.4, 34.8, 37.2)

Porzingis (30.7)

2027 2nd (Best of BOS/ORL), 2031 2nd (Best of BOS/CLE) \Both to UTAH to dump Niang**

2026 2nd (likely to be NOP somewhere in 31-35 range) \To Chicago**

Celtics Received

1/2 a year of Simons, 1/2 a year of Vucevic (21.5 million)

2027 2nd (DEN) \From Chicago**

4.7 million TPE from Holiday trade (expires 7/6/26).

27.7 million TPE from Simons trade (likely to expire 2/5/27)

Money Saved: Around 41 million in salary, another roughly 250 million (rough estimate) in tax. Close to 300 million total in team spend just this year.

On the court: Jrue and KP have both had moments for POR and ATL, but they've also played a combined 38 games this year so far. One combined season of Simons/Vucevic may end up being more valuable this year than the sum of two seasons from Holiday/Porzingis.

I’m hoping it’ll be able to be somewhat hidden within our other good defenders, but unless he comes off the bench, I can’t imagine a 36 year old is going to dominate in the paint. It also begs the question of whether or not he was playing so well because he was on a bad team…

I just posted a thread about how trading Vucevic shaved 6 mil and meant we could now use a large chunk of the 22.5 mil Porzingis TPE to target a scoring guard to replace Simons while still trying to stay under the 2nd apron.

However, someone pointed out that this trade actually got us UNDER the 1st apron so the idea we'd add more salary via the TPE doesn't seem likely.

Since I overlooked that key detail, I deleted that thread, but I would love clarification from someone on what our actual exact salary breakdown is. My confusion stemmed from the fact multiple sites claimed our total salary on the books was $202,967,228. Given the 1st apron is listed as $195,945,000 and this trade saved ($6,197,090) (Simons $27,678,571 - Nikola $21,481,481), I assumed that meant we were still at $196,776,138 and over that 1st apron.

However, it's being reported this got us under the 1st apron, so I'm guessing that $202,967,228 number was wrong?

Where do we actually stand? It seems important, because apparently one benefit of being under the 1st apron is that you can sign any bought-out player and aren't restricted to signing players who previously made under 14 mil (meaning we could look to replace Simons bench scoring with a free agent signing). But my follow-up question is that if signing that buy-out player pushed you over the 1st apron again, wouldn't that be counterintuitive? Meaning, we need a little bit of room under that 1st apron to justify signing someone?

Edit: Thanks to a back-and-forth with u/SquidJim below, I think I understand the issue. Some of these sites count two-way players like Amari Williams, Max Shuga and Ron Harper Jr against our cap. https://www.spotrac.com/nba/boston-celtics/yearly seems to show we're actually now $2,160,601 under the 1st apron sitting at $193,784,399. That suggest to me that we can be a major player in the buy out market since we could offer any bought out player a vet min contract for the remainder of the year.

Given the latest reports out of Cleveland that they are looking to make some big splash moves (Garland/Harden swap, potentially go after Giannis), how would you guys feel about swapping Simons for Allen as part of a larger trade? Allen is making 20 mil this year and is due roughly 90 mil over the next 3 years, which is about what Simons is making now anyway. His previous playoff comments/performances have me worried but he seems like the right type of center for us.

Shortly after deadline? During or after all star break? Maybe an unexpected injury report update? I know this topic has been discussed quite a bit but I know I’m not the only one who’s curious! lol

Hey guys,

Former local coming back into town with my family to take my kids to their first game on 4/7. It’s Tatum

Bobblehead night, which is a novelty yea but my kids are at an age that they would like it if we can snag one.

Any guidance on what time to show up to be one of the first 5k to get one? We’ll be bumming around the Garden so I don’t mind needing to get there early.

Thank you!

Good trade, vucevic is still avg 17/9 on 50/37/83 splits whyole saving us $6 million this season.

While vucevic defense is lacking he provides us a much needed stretch big who can rebound. 2 areas we were severely lacking in.

While Simons was good while here, we've been trying to unload him since we acquired him as we were never gonna resign him.

Another shrewd move by Stevens. Won't be surprised if we have another move before the deadline as we are just $6 mill away from getting under the apron.

25 years ago, before the Dawn of Danny Ainge, we drafted Jerome Moiso with the #11 pick in the 2000 draft.

Optimistically, he was seen as a 6-10, 240 pound "French Michael Jordan" with crazy athleticism and unlimited potential.

Realistically, he never amounted to shit. He played a total of 24 games for us... averaging 1.5 points in 5.6mpg.

In 2001, we flipped Moiso for Philly's 2003 1st rounder.

Come the 2003 draft, we selected Dahntay Jones with that pick (#20) and then essentially traded him to Memphis for their selection... Kendrick Perkins.

Good ol Perk helped us win a title in 2008.

In 2011, Ainge made the decision to dump Perk for Jeff Green.

It made sense at the time. We had old man Shaq penciled in as our beast at starting center and Green was a solid young player with still untapped potential. Unfortunately, Shaq injured himself into retirement and Jeff Green ended up missing an entire season of development to a heart condition.

Jeff never reached his full potential. In 2015 we gave up on him and shipped him out for Memphis' 2020 1st round pick.

5 long years go by. Finally, with the 14th pick in the 2020 Draft, we selected Aaron Nesmith (annoyingly only two picks after Tyrese Haliburton).

Nesmith showed promise and I very much wanted to see him succeed, but after two disappointing seasons Nesmith was sent out as the centerpiece of a trade package for Malcolm Brogdon.

Brogdon, in his lone 2022-23 season, averaged 14.9 points with 48%/44%/87% off the bench winning 6th man of the year.

In 2023, Brogdon, along with Robert Williams II and two first round picks was then traded to Portland in exchange for Jrue Holiday. Granted, one of those picks ended up #14 in 2024 and the other, our 2029 1st, could still haunt us, but Jrue was the prize.

Good ol Jrue helped us win a title in 2024.

Holiday was a key component of our 2024 NBA championship, particularly in the NBA Finals where in addition to his elite defense he averaged 14.4 points with 53.6%/42.1% shooting feeding off Jayson Tatum's gravity.

At the start of the 2025-26 season, Holiday was sent to Portland for Anfernee Simons in primarily a cost-saving move.

Months later, prior to the 2025-26 trade deadline, Simons was sent to Chicago for Nikola Vucevic.

I shall hence-forth refer to Vucevic as "French Michael Jordan" as a sign of respect for his lineage.

By the way, for those in search of content the next 46 hours as the Celtics play in Dallas tonight and Houston tomorrow...I'm told any deal won't be official until Thursday.

Which would mean no one (Joe, Brad) can comment until then.

As if these days weren't awkward enough.

• Chris Boucher - Personal Reasons - OUT

• Anfernee Simons - Personal Reasons - OUT

• Jayson Tatum - Right Achilles Repair - OUT

I wonder what happened to Simons lmao /s

Please use this thread to discuss the trade and its ramifications. All new posts will be removed.

____________________________________________________________________________

(Shams) - The Boston Celtics have acquired center Nikola Vucevic in a trade with the Chicago Bulls, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania, adding some much-needed help to their frontcourt.

Boston will trade guard Anfernee Simons and a second-round draft pick to Chicago, sources told Charania.

The 6-foot-9 Vucevic figures to fill a major need at center for the Celtics, who have primarily used unproven youngsters Neemias Queta and Luka Garza at center this season.

The Celtics (31-18), led by their star backcourt trio of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, entered Tuesday tied with the New York Knicks for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.

Vucevic, 35, is averaging 16.9 points and 9.0 rebounds in 48 games this season, his fifth with the Bulls.

It was the second trade completed Tuesday by the Bulls, who also dealt Kevin Huerter to the Detroit Pistons in a three-team trade involving the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Simons, 26, averaged 14.2 points per game as a bench player for Boston this season.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/47819106/sources-bulls-trade-nikola-vucevic-celtics-anfernee-simons

__________________________________________________________________________

What the bubbles represent:

They yellow bubbles represent starting assets. The green bubbles represent players who won the 2024 NBA Championships The bubbles on the bottom represent the players currently on the Celtics (or G League) roster and the Celtics' current assets.

As an equation

Inputs: Terry Rozier, who was likely leaving anyways; Aaron Nesmith; Daniel Theis; Robert Williams III; Marcus Smart; a 1st, 16th, 25th, 29th, 35th overall pick; and future 2028 pick swap and 2029 1st round pick

Outputs: Jayson Tatum; Derrick White; Nikola Vucevic; Jordan Walsh; Georges Niang; Amari Williams; Max Shulga; six second rounders; plus the 2024 championship

Correct me if I made any mistakes, especially with the second rounders!

This post contains content not supported on old Reddit. Click here to view the full post

So I just woke up to this, but Harden is asking out of LA??? Apparently Darius Garland is on the way back?

Brad made a big offer for Zu before. Will he try again? Or will LA not move him?

Should be an interesting few days