A storm has been brewing atop the Celtics camp ever since ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed this week that Sam Hauser, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are considered to be the “primary focus” of the club when it comes to dealing away players in negotiations this summer.
The Boston organization has a clear priority this offseason, as they expect to get under the restrictive second apron of the NBA’s luxury tax threshold while potentially moving on from these three NBA stars. However, there might be other players being considered by the franchise.
The truth is, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens doesn’t have it easy, as his fiscal-based decision might include Jayson Tatum. However, NBA insider Kevin O’Conner recognized recently that even Derrick White and Jaylen Brown are potential targets to move out.
“Besides Tatum, the Celtics are at least listening to offers for everybody out there, whether it’s Derrick White or Jaylen Brown,” said the Yahoo Sports reporter. “Shams said big offers have been made for those guys. How can you not listen?”
The insider then added: “Now, as Shams said, and I’ve heard as well, I don’t think Boston wants to trade Jaylen Brown or wants to trade Derrick White. They want to go the Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Sam Hauser route for getting under the second apron.”
While painful in the short term, clearing the cap space with players like Brown or White might solve the team’s issues with a single blow. “Ultimately, they want to avoid Brown or White trades. That’s what is going around the NBA. That’s what everybody’s talking about. But teams are making offers, so you at least have to listen,” he said.
O’Connor guarantees that other NBA teams are showing interest: “If somebody comes over the top with some absurd offer on draft night or the day before the draft, maybe that’s the route that makes more sense for you to go if it seems like it’s too good to be true that it’s actually an offer being made to you.”
