A trade that barely registered at the time wound up helping set off one of the offseason’s biggest stunners.
The chain starts with the Philadelphia 76ers’ move at the 2024 trade deadline, when they sent Jaden Springer to Boston in what was essentially a salary dump. Springer had some promise, but he never became what the Celtics hoped he might. Even so, the deal mattered in Philadelphia because it created cap room, and that flexibility helped the Sixers land Paul George the following summer.
George arrived as a big-name addition, even if he was already in his 30s. His stint in Philadelphia didn’t go especially well, but the logic behind the move was still tied to that earlier Springer trade. Without that cap maneuver, the George signing would not have been possible.
From there, the ripple effect reached Boston.
The Celtics were already open to moving Jaylen Brown, and the George path gave them a route to do it. In the end, they landed on the best deal available from Philadelphia, at least in their view at the time. That choice helped produce one of the offseason’s most surprising trades.
Looking back, it’s striking how much one low-profile deadline move ended up mattering. Springer didn’t change much in Boston, George wasn’t embraced in Philadelphia, and yet those pieces still connected to a swap that nobody saw coming.
And while Brown is the better player right now, Boston clearly valued George’s fit. The Celtics weren’t making the move just for future cap flexibility. On paper, George lined up better with what they want on the floor as a team.
In Other News...
Jayson Tatum Sends A Clear Message As Celtics Pressure Rises
The new NBA landscape has given the Celtics an immediate measuring stick, and Jayson Tatum sounds ready for it. Philadelphia's offseason overhaul, which brought in Jaylen Brown via trade and added LeBron James, only sharpened the intrigue in the East, and Tatum said he is excited about the challenge of facing a more competitive 76ers team and a deeper league overall.
For Boston, the conversation naturally turns to how Tatum handles the added pressure as roster dynamics shift around him. He acknowledged the difficulty of the road ahead, but his emphasis remained on the same place Celtics fans would expect - leading the group, staying locked in, and meeting a tougher season head-on as the competition rises. [Read more 🡒]
Payton Pritchard Just Put Boston In A Tough Extension Spot
Payton Pritchards next contract is quickly becoming one of the more delicate front-office conversations in Boston. The Celtics are weighing a potential extension for the guard, and the framework being discussed could reach three years and as much as $67 million, a price tag that reflects both his value and the leaguewide cost of keeping useful guards in place.
Boston also has to navigate the reality of its own cap situation, which makes every negotiation a balancing act. One possible reference point is Keyonte Georges recent five-year, $157.5 million extension with the Jazz, a deal that shows how teams and players can settle on a number that keeps a player in place without pushing things all the way to the maximum. For the Celtics, though, the talks around Pritchard may take time to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Could Still Chase The Easts Top Seed After Jaylen Brown Trade
Even after the Jaylen Brown trade, there is still a path for Boston to stay in the mix near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, at least in the regular season. NBA insider Chris Mannix said the Celtics could still chase the No. 1 seed, pointing to a roster that may have enough surviving talent and supporting pieces to remain dangerous over the long haul.
Paul Georges health and Jayson Tatums recovery from an Achilles injury loom large in that equation, and Boston will also need meaningful help from new addition Mitchell Robinson and improved play from Payton Pritchard. Even so, Mannix stopped short of putting the Celtics in the championship conversation right now, which leaves their season outlook hanging somewhere between a strong regular-season finish and a much tougher postseason reality. [Read more 🡒]