Jaden Springer trade options – CelticsBlog

Due to the new CBA and the second apron, it is very hard for the Celtics to make trades. Essentially, they can’t put two salaries together in a deal and they can’t take back more money than they are sending out in any deal, not even by a dollar. Here’s HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto listing Jaden Springer as Boston’s potential trade chip:

“Following a strong end to the preseason for Lonnie Walker, the Celtics gauged the trade market on Jaden Springer, league sources told HoopsHype. Teams across the league hoped to pry future draft pick compensation from the Celtics for taking on Springer’s $4 million salary, sources said. However, Boston wasn’t interested in giving up future draft capital to move the 22-year-old former first-round pick. The luxury tax penalties for signing Walker IV to the 15th spot were ultimately too steep for Boston to retain him into the season.”

This lines up with Jake Fischer’s report from October that the Celtics had shopped Springer in hopes of keeping Walker in the preseason. Since that point, Springer has completely fallen out of Boston’s rotation, having only played 21 minutes thus far this season.

Springer makes a ton of sense for the Celtics to trade. Let’s say you want the Celtics to trade Xavier Tillman instead; well, any player they acquire needs to make less than the $2.2 million that Tillman makes, which not a lot of players do.

Boston also can’t aggregate players in a trade. For example, although Raptors forward Ochai Agbaji makes less ($4.3m) than Tillman and Baylor Scheierman make combined ($4.6m), since the Celtics are over the second apron, they cannot stack salaries in a trade, making that trade illegal.

Team payrolls decide each team’s apron. The Celtics’ payroll is $199 million this season, over the $188.9 million second apron that was set for the 2024-25 season.

CelticsBlog alum Keith Smith made a graphic this summer detailing all the rules teams face when going over the 2nd apron.

The Knicks were able to trade for Mikael Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns this summer because they are not a second apron team, they are only over the first apron. As a result, they are allowed to aggregate salaries in trades. The Celtics would not have been allowed to make those two trades since they are over the second apron.

This is why Springer is a value trade chip to the Celtics: plenty of players around the league make less than Springer’s $4 million, which is why moving him ahead of the season to keep Lonnie Walker would have been a mistake.

So, let’s get into some options for a potential Springer trade now

Torrey Craig: Salary $2.8 million

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The Celtics have used a bunch of different players in the Oshae Brissett role from last season. Jordan Walsh took a bunch of swings at it early in the season and in Sunday’s loss to the Cavaliers, Drew Peterson got his first crack. Torrey Craig is a player that is more reliable for that role than Walsh or Peterson is, especially in a playoff series.

Craig has not had a big role this season for the Bulls, only playing in six games thus far, including one start, so Chicago is probably willing to make a trade. He also wouldn’t have a big role for the Celtics, but he can still help the team. Over the last 3 seasons with the Suns and Bulls, Craig has shot 39% from 3-point land on 3.1 attempts per game. He could give the Celtics pretty good size as a backup 3 or 4 option off the bench as a part of the ‘Stay Ready’ group.

Day’Ron Sharpe: Salary $3.9 million

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Sharpe has yet to play this season due to a left hamstring strain, but Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez said that he is progressing well.

This one really comes down to how you feel about the Celtics’ options at center behind Kristaps Porzingis, who looks awesome by the way, and Al Horford. Sharpe has shown that he is a good rebounder, averaging 15.2 rebounds per 36 minutes last season, but beyond that, he hasn’t been outstanding during his career.

The Celtics would likely need to add draft compensation to any Sharpe for Springer trade, so this deal is likely only made if Joe Mazzulla loses faith in Neemias Queta, Xavier Tillman, and Luke Kornet as options for the backup bigs.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think Queta is a playoff player at this point. His defense is not good enough, and his defensive rebounding is a problem. Sharpe is a player who would bring me a lot more comfort to put on the court than Queta.

I don’t think a center who doesn’t space the floor and has no positional versatility would be a good move for the Celtics to make. However, with Al Horford’s age and Kristaps Porzingis’ health struggles, if Mazzulla doesn’t like any of the current options on the team, Sharpe could be a player the Celtics look to acquire.

Shake Milton: Salary $2.8 million

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Another Net makes the list. Milton has played a role, though small, for the Nets this season as they have had guards in and out of the lineup. He’s played pretty well when given the chance, averaging 4.9 points and 1.9 assists in 14.6 minutes per game this season. He has also shot the three-ball solidly this season, shooting 14/33 from beyond the arc, 42%.

The Celtics don’t have a ton of guard depth behind Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Payton Pritchard and Milton could be a good option as a 4th guard. Milton wouldn’t have a big role on this team but another ball handler who can space the floor for Tatum and Brown should never be seen as a bad thing.

Nick Smith Jr: Salary $2.5 million

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Smith was the 27th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, so it would likely cost the Celtics some draft compensation to pull off this swap and even then, I am not sure the Hornets would do it.

However, they might because over his first season-plus in the NBA, it hasn’t been great for Nick Smith Jr. In a career sixty NBA games, Smith has averaged 5.4 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists while shooting 39% from the field, 43% from 3 and 35% from 2-point range.

There would not be a role for Smith on this Celtics team, but the Celtics clearly want to add young controllable players and Smith fits that bill. The three-point shot has looked good and they can help him put on strength to become better around the basket. A floor spacing ball handler is always something the Celtics should be looking to add and Smith can play that role.

Smith is a project, but the Celtics have been willing to take on projects over the last few seasons.

These last 2 players I am listing are, admittedly, pipe dreams but we can hope that maybe they become available.

Amir Coffey: Salary $3.9 million

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Amir Coffey has become a really important player for the Clippers, so it is unlikely they would trade him. However, if Bleacher Report can put him in a trade to the Celtics, then so can I.

Coffey has had an awesome season for the Clippers, averaging career highs in points per game this season at 9.7 while shooting a career high 41.5% from beyond the arc. He would be a perfect fit next to Tatum and Brown as a floor spacing forward who is very good defensively. His ability to guard bigger wings and hit open threes is something that the Celtics are always looking for.

It could be tough for him to find minutes in a playoff series but in the regular season and situationally in the playoffs, Coffey would be a great addition to the Celtics.

Jake LaRavia: Salary $3.3 million

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LaRavia has become an important part of this Memphis team and they are unlikely to deal him, but they did decline his fourth-year option on October 31st so maybe they’ll move him.

He has had his up and downs throughout his career but his defense has started to turn a corner this season. He is not going to wow anyone at that end and there are still some mistakes in there, but he is not a total disaster on that end.

Meanwhile, the three-point shot has been awesome this season, as LaRavia has shot 40% from beyond the arc, according to Cleaning the Glass. He has shot 53% on non-corner threes this season — something that I wrote about the importance of on this Celtics team.

LaRavia likely wouldn’t crack this team’s top 8, but he would still be a very important piece on this Celtic team. His size and three-point shot would complement this team very well.