At this point where we’re hard cap by apron. We need more data before talking about trade. If Reed really struggles early on we might even see Reed, Tari and 1st round picks to get starter caliber guard. Best case is Reed averaging around +12ppg on +45% shooting.
The Rockets trading for anyone require a lot of caveats. They can't add more salary than they take in. They need to ensure the trade results in them still having 14 players. They need to wait till near the deadline so most of the roster becomes actually tradeable. They also have players with implicit NTC due to losing bird rights in a trade, so they need these players to agree to said trades if involved. This includes FVV who has to be in any deal for players that making any significant money. I know GMs, including Stone himself, often talk about flexibility when they decide not to make certain moves. And while some of the time it's just GM making up stuff because the owner wouldn't spend. But in this case, yeah, Stone should've given himself some more flexibility in case something like this happens.
Payton Pritchard? More a combo guard than FVV who can actually run an offense against starting lineups. Doesn't fulfill all of FVV's role but is a better shooter plus will be 28 by mid season on a friendly contract with 3 years remaining. Has been getting playoffs minutes with this Celtics since his rookie year.
Not against it. Derrick White would be a major move and I'm sure the Celtics would want Reed, Tari, and plus some decent picks.
While I'd love to have White, that's too much. If we're gonna give up Reed, Tari, and picks, I'd like to exercise our optìon on Booker. Contract be damned... They're gonna be one of the worst teams in the NBA, and will come a calling at the deadline.
I'm sure it's been mentioned elsewhere, but how realistic is it for the Rox to get the "Disabled Player Exception"? That would give us some very nice cap room.
Unfortunately it does not nullify existing salary, just allows you to add to it. So hard cap is still hard cap
Let’s see what the young guys can do, and maybe pick up a vet closer to the trade deadline or buyout market
I'm a self-confessed idiot when it comes to the NBA salary cap(s). The only aprons I truly understand are worn in a kitchen.
Here's a crash course on the different cap levels .... First Apron (2025–26 threshold: $195.9 million) Crossing this threshold triggers a hard cap if a team uses certain exceptions: Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (NTMLE) Bi-Annual Exception (BAE) Acquiring a player via sign-and-trade Signing a buyout player who made more than the NTMLE Using more than 100% salary matching in trades Using a trade exception created in the prior season First Apron Triggers A team becomes hard-capped at the first apron only if they do any of the following while over it: Use the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (NTMLE) This is the larger mid-level exception, typically used to sign quality free agents. Use the Bi-Annual Exception (BAE) A small exception available every other year. Acquire a player via sign-and-trade If you bring in a player this way while over the apron, you're locked in. Sign a buyout player who made more than the NTMLE Prevents rich teams from scooping up high-salary veterans mid-season. Use more than 100% salary matching in trades Normally, teams can send out less salary than they take back. This is restricted above the apron. Use a trade exception created in the prior season Teams above the apron can't use leftover trade exceptions from the previous year. Second Apron (2025–26 threshold: $207.8 million) This is the more severe threshold. Teams above it face major limitations: Cannot use the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (TMLE) Cannot aggregate salaries in trades Cannot sign buyout players who earned above the NTMLE Cannot use preexisting trade exceptions or expanded traded player exceptions Draft pick penalties: If a team exceeds the second apron in 2 of 4 seasons, their first-round pick seven years out is moved to the end of the round
We basically can't "go out and get a guard" until December 15th at the earliest, unless you are willing to give up Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson, or Alperen Sengun in the deal. Pretty much everyone else on the team just signed a new contract and cannot be traded, and we are hard capped this offseason in terms of adding free agents. With that being the case, I feel like it's a little too far out to speculate on the best trade targets. Injuries will happen in the first couple months of the season, players will emerge, players will disappoint, players will become disgruntled, some teams we think will be sellers will not, some teams we think will be good will suck and decide to trade players away. Furthermore, I think we should given Amen and Reed a chance to prove themselves as a viable backcourt, because the fit on paper is excellent, and I for one still believe Amen is our primary ballhandler of the future.
I agree with this for the most part, the first paragraph is fact .... and I do believe they have to see how Amen & Reed play together. The one concern I have is that neither of them were pretty poor as pick and roll ball handlers. Amen produces .84? ppp and Reed .70 as the ball handler in the pick and roll. Neither were close to "Good" .... Jalen was .92 ppp, the best on the team on any volume. FVV was .87 which sucks too. KD was a respectable .92 for the Suns last year but I really don't think you want to ask him to run the offense on a regular basis and wear him out by December .... I think the biggest mistake Stone made this offseason was signing DFS instead of going after Ty Jerome who landed in Memphis for much less. Jerome was 7th in pick and roll frequency and had a very solid 1.03 ppp as the ball handler in the pick and roll while shooting 39% from 3 and 85% from the stripe along with a 3:1 assist to turnover ratio at 6'5". He'd have been the ideal get this past offseason to at to the back court. Maybe Amen and or Shepard improves .... but looking at last years numbers is scary.
Don’t need or want anything more than a role player on a very team friendly contract. Only on ball. We have 2 players that need it KD and Sengun run the offense through. PLUS Amen and/or Reed need touches to grow PLUS Eason / and both Smiths need their’s. That is a lot of capable people. PLEASE don’t bring in a ball dominant player, it’s not going to work. This season’s cap is not truly the biggest concern. The problem is the player traded for fitting within the cap going forward as other players NEEDING their share of the cap come of rookie scale contracts. KD takes a lot of the cap space hopefully he is worth it. AND FVV player opinion may come into play
Nick Smith Jr. averaged 9.9 ppg for Charlotte last season. Not saying he could replace FVV but given the situation we're in, he is probably our best option for the two-way spot.
You're onto something, the year before a bench group made up for not having a bench scorer....... Yes, the team lacked a closer like KD but they also lacked a bench scorer like Ty Jerome who could also run the pick and roll to near perfection. Now they lack a starting PG who could calm down situations too.
