The Boston Celtics have become pioneers in the art of juggling traded player exceptions (TPEs) to maintain cap flexibility and manage their overall luxury tax burden, deftly using second-round draft picks to allow the franchise to add or deal away players
The team possesses three such TPEs of note on top of two smaller ones (for $500,000 from the Moses Brown trade and for $370,564 from the Jeff Teague trade). The smaller ones are unlikely to be used given that such exceptions are the space into which a team completes a non-simultaneous trade. That means any player incoming will need to make no more than $100,000 above the dollar amount in each TPE, which cannot be combined or added to otherwise.
Apart from those, Boston has TPEs for $17.1 million from the Evan Fournier trade, $9.7 million from the Tristan Thompson deal and just over $5 million left from the Kemba Walker trade. They expire July 18, July 7 and May 17 respectively. Today, we’ll look at some of our favorite options the Celtics could trade for with the Thompson TPE.
Navigating cap issues while Boston tries to improve the team is no easy task. https://t.co/C87MLDLLM5
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) September 18, 2021
Collin Sexton - guard - Cleveland Cavaliers
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It’s no secret the Cavs are looking to move Sexton before they have to commit a fair amount of cap to him, earning $6.3 million in 2021-22. There is a legitimate debate to be had as to whether his scoring ability is legit or of the “bad team, empty points” variety, but we feel it a worthy gamble.
But if the cost were to drop to the level of a first-round pick and one of Boston’s young talents apart from Aaron Nesmith or perhaps Payton Pritchard, a deal might make sense for both sides.
Chris Boucher - forward/center - Toronto Raptors
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Boucher might not be an ideal fit for Boston’s needs this season, but he might make sense for a rebuilding Raptors to move on from at 28 years old, who makes $7 million this season. And Boucher’s shooting makes him playable with the Celtics at the four, which is a position they could use help at.
There’s a very good chance Toronto just hangs on to the Saint Lucian despite him being in the final year of his current deal, but if they aren’t interested in signing Boucher to his next deal, it might just be worth the call.
Cedi Osman - forward - Cleveland Cavaliers
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Osman might be the least sexy option on this list, but by that logic is perhaps the most getable. Earning $8 million on a declining deal extending two seasons beyond next, he is a career 34.7% shot from deep, but makes up for his perimeter mediocrity with a solid passing game.
He might not have much more growth at 26, but he is an established rotation player who can help Boston on a quality deal.
JaMychal Green - forward - Denver Nuggets
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After committing to forward Aaron Gordon in a big way recently, Green may find himself wishing for a bigger role than he gets with the Nugs this season, especially if second-year swingman Zeke Nnaji earns a bigger role.
A little older at 30, Green’s established perimeter game will likely age well enough to make taking on his contract — running through 2022-23 and paying him $7.5 million next season — a good plan if the price were right.
Maxi Kleber - forward - Dallas Mavericks
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The apple of the eye of more than a few Celtics fans who would like to see the Mavs big in green and white, there is a chance Kleber could be a fair return should Dallas find itself in the market for a big man given the shaky health and lack of experience of their frontcourt.
Such a move sending out a talented, cheap contract with a better record staying the floor in Enes Kanter might bode well for all involved, with Boston’s tax bill going up modestly in the process of swapping Kanter’s $2.6 million deal for Kleber’s $8.75.
This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!
