Brainstorm Challenge: Jaden Springer and 30

[babyjax13]

Troy Brown Jr
Amir Coffey
Dante Exum
Kris Murray
Torrey Craig
Drew Eubanks

These are all players who make less than Springer.

I like Eubanks, but Phoenix can't take back more salary than they send. Neither can the Clippers unless things go disasterously wrong in free agency, and it would be difficult for the Mavericks. I also don't see Portland moving Murray for the last pick in the first round when they just drafted him. This shows how hard the exercise is!

A few others that may be interesting (also keeping Craig on this list), some of which may require Boston to add?

Torrey Craig
AJ Griffin
Santi Aldama
Jake LaRavia
Julian Champaigne
Marcus Sasser
Delano Banton (irony)

Stevens has to give back his executive of the year award if he trade that package to get Banton back lol.
Aladama is really intriguing….boston needs to add value though…what?

I think Aldama is worth more than 30 this year. He is young and already a rotation player. He has a desirable skillset as a 6-10 guy who rebounds, blocks shots, and hits open threes. That is a rare archetype even if he is not the best of it.

[psman2]

I like Eubanks, but Phoenix can't take back more salary than they send. Neither can the Clippers unless things go disasterously wrong in free agency, and it would be difficult for the Mavericks. I also don't see Portland moving Murray for the last pick in the first round when they just drafted him. This shows how hard the exercise is!

A few others that may be interesting (also keeping Craig on this list), some of which may require Boston to add?

Torrey Craig
AJ Griffin
Santi Aldama
Jake LaRavia
Julian Champaigne
Marcus Sasser
Delano Banton (irony)

Stevens has to give back his executive of the year award if he trade that package to get Banton back lol.
Aladama is really intriguing….boston needs to add value though…what?

I think Aldama is worth more than 30 this year. He is young and already a rotation player. He has a desirable skillset as a 6-10 guy who rebounds, blocks shots, and hits open threes. That is a rare archetype even if he is not the best of it.

I think Aldama is likely worth a very late 1st for the reasons you described. But Memphis is thin in the frontcourt, about the last thing we would consider is selling Aldama for his current value to draft a guy that has very little chance of helping anytime soon. Now if for some reason we were a pick 30 away from landing a desired player in trade and cannot find the value elsewhere then we would trade him to make it happen. But as a stand alone trade I serious doubt this is something we would consider, especially with us likely in the tax and short on roster spots, meaning we likely have either cut Springer and eat his salary or pay to dump him on someone since I don't see him taking the last roster spot here especially with our pick 38 likely demanding a gtd contract and pick 38 and a full gtd roster.

[SkyHook]

Jazz will be operating (way) below the cap and could do a similarly structured 2+1+1 contract though, right?

No. If you have a 2nd rounder cheap for 4 years he is unrestricted. If you have a 1st roun der cheap for 4 years he is restricted. Big contract difference. You either need to have restricted free agency a full year early (and then the larger salaries and sooner to next contract etc, or you need to give up control and just have a 2nd rounder enter unrestricted free agency.

You're absolutely right. I hadn't considered the RFA aspect. Thanks.

[Patsfan1081]

The Celtics have a pretty full roster returning for next season and will almost certainly be operating over the second apron.
They might be looking to trade out of the first round.
I wonder if there would be any win win deals out there for Jaden Springer and pick 30.
Jaden will make 4.018 million next year, so the Celtics must take back less in salary since they are over the 2nd Apron.
He is probably the 10th or 11th guy on the roster for the Cs but has elite defensive ability but needs to improve on the offensive end.
I assume if the Cs did trade him they would want a player they can play in big game minutes that could crack the rotation.
I am guessing they are high on Springer since they traded for him.
Any trades for Jaden Springer and 30?

Boston will have 4-5 roster spots available(depending on Brissett), with only their first and second round pick and minimum contracts to add to the team. I feel like they almost have to use the 30th to draft talent as they haven’t hit on a pick since Stevens has taken over, plus trading back only saves them like 700k if the player signs for the minimum. Honestly they might be better off using a second to get a team to absorb his 4 mill if they don’t believe he can crack the rotation. I don’t see any team trading a young, very cheap, somewhat talented big man for that package.

[jayjaysee]

Another idea that doesn’t go with the OP is betting on yourself. See if Minn/Den/Cleve/LAL (or someone else) do a 2026 swap for 30th. Find a team trying to stay under the tax one last year or a team already limited by the second apron that can add draft picks but not add real salary?…

2026 Boston will be dealing with all the restrictions and Jrue will be aging out, would be nice to maybe draft 16th instead of 28th..

[brackdan70]

Another idea that doesn’t go with the OP is betting on yourself. See if Minn/Den/Cleve/LAL (or someone else) do a 2026 swap for 30th. Find a team trying to stay under the tax one last year or a team already limited by the second apron that can add draft picks but not add real salary?…

2026 Boston will be dealing with all the restrictions and Jrue will be aging out, would be nice to maybe draft 16th instead of 28th..

Yeah that would great for Boston I think. I have a hard time believing another team would be into that since 2026 looks like a really strong draft and Boston almost certainly will still be at or near the top of league.

[brackdan70]

The Celtics have a pretty full roster returning for next season and will almost certainly be operating over the second apron.
They might be looking to trade out of the first round.
I wonder if there would be any win win deals out there for Jaden Springer and pick 30.
Jaden will make 4.018 million next year, so the Celtics must take back less in salary since they are over the 2nd Apron.
He is probably the 10th or 11th guy on the roster for the Cs but has elite defensive ability but needs to improve on the offensive end.
I assume if the Cs did trade him they would want a player they can play in big game minutes that could crack the rotation.
I am guessing they are high on Springer since they traded for him.
Any trades for Jaden Springer and 30?

Boston will have 4-5 roster spots available(depending on Brissett), with only their first and second round pick and minimum contracts to add to the team. I feel like they almost have to use the 30th to draft talent as they haven’t hit on a pick since Stevens has taken over, plus trading back only saves them like 700k if the player signs for the minimum. Honestly they might be better off using a second to get a team to absorb his 4 mill if they don’t believe he can crack the rotation. I don’t see any team trading a young, very cheap, somewhat talented big man for that package.

Yeah that’s probably true. I’d be surprised if they try to dump him though.

As far as roster they have 9 under contract, 2 team options (Hauser and Queta) and Brissett with a player option. And the 30th pick. I think they need to bring back Kornet and Tillman if they can. So yeah they could have 4-5 roster spots, but likely somewhere between 0-2.

[jayjaysee]

Another idea that doesn’t go with the OP is betting on yourself. See if Minn/Den/Cleve/LAL (or someone else) do a 2026 swap for 30th. Find a team trying to stay under the tax one last year or a team already limited by the second apron that can add draft picks but not add real salary?…

2026 Boston will be dealing with all the restrictions and Jrue will be aging out, would be nice to maybe draft 16th instead of 28th..

Yeah that would great for Boston I think. I have a hard time believing another team would be into that since 2026 looks like a really strong draft and Boston almost certainly will still be at or near the top of league.

Washington was willing to trade Gafford for the LAC first. Dallas was willing to trade a 2028 swap for the LAC first..

30th is lower value than the LAC first obviously as there was a chance Leonard and PG get hurt and LAC fell out of the top 6-8 slots, but a 2026 swap is not worth a 2028 swap.. and if it’s a team that already owes a swap (Cleveland/minnesota) there’s less value in that asset as well..

But yeah, I think Boston expects to be a top 3 team in 2026 so getting a swap from any team with a less locked in future seems worth it