Is another big trade on the horizon for the Boston Celtics?<\/p>\n
President of basketball operations Brad Stevens has completely re-tooled Boston\u2019s roster this offseason in response to the franchise\u2019s urgent desire to cut costs, a directive clarified by Jayson Tatum\u2019s Achilles rupture<\/a>.<\/p>\n Though Tatum is reportedly ahead of schedule<\/a> in his recovery, the Celtics are still expected to be without their superstar for all or the vast majority of the upcoming 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n Back in June, Stevens and Boston\u2019s leadership decided to lean fully into a \u201cgap year\u201d with ominous luxury tax penalties looming and Tatum sidelined. While the Celtics still expect to have a winning season<\/a>, Stevens\u2019 moves from this offseason suggest a plan for a renewed title push in 2026-27.<\/p>\n Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday were traded. Luke Kornet wasn\u2019t retained, and Al Horford isn\u2019t expected to be, either. After acquiring Georges Niang in the Porzingis deal, Stevens traded Niang<\/a> \u2013 a proven NBA rotation player \u2014 less than one month later to the Utah Jazz for RJ Luis in another cost-cutting move.<\/p>\n Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n Stevens has succeeded in dropping Boston\u2019s salary sheet under the second apron, thereby avoiding penalties.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Is Stevens now eyeing further money-saving moves, perhaps to get under the first apron?<\/p>\n Trading Sam Hauser ($10 million owed next season) would be one way to move towards that objective, but on the other hand, Hauser has somewhat surprisingly survived the chopping block thus far, which indicates that the Celtics, in the words of Sports Illustrated\u2019s Chris Mannix<\/a>, \u201cwant Sam Hauser to be part of their future.\u201d<\/p>\n Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n