Sam Hauser looks a lot safer in Boston now than he did a few weeks ago.
The Celtics spent the offseason making the kind of moves that usually come with some collateral damage, and Hauser looked like a logical candidate to get squeezed out. Instead, Boston’s latest decisions point in the opposite direction.
Between the money saved in the Jaylen-for-Paul George trade - with George waiving his trade kicker being the key piece there - and the waiver of Dalano Banton, the Celtics moved below the luxury tax. That puts them in a strong spot to steer clear of the repeater tax, which is clearly part of the long game here.
That matters for Hauser because there was a real case for moving him if Boston wanted to upgrade. But the Celtics also had a different path available: stay competitive, stay under the tax, and avoid making a trade just for the sake of making one.
Right now, that’s the lane they’ve chosen. There hasn’t been any intel or rumors suggesting they’re actively shopping Hauser, so his roster spot is secure for the moment.
And honestly, Boston has good reasons to keep him.
Hauser’s contract is friendly, his shooting is elite, and he’s become one of the Celtics’ better development stories this decade. That’s not the kind of player you casually move unless the return is clearly better or he’s part of a bigger package for another star.
If that opportunity comes along later, sure, the conversation changes. But it’s not there now.
There’s also the basketball fit. This season made it pretty clear that Hauser’s best role is coming off the bench, where his shooting can juice the second unit.
He can start in the NBA, no question, but Boston gets more out of him as a weapon for that group. The Celtics have plenty of wings, but not many who can stretch the floor the way he does.
Boston can survive without him. That’s not really the issue.
The issue is that they’re better with him than without him, and on paper he should be back in the role that fits him best this season. Until an upgrade actually becomes available, the Celtics have every reason to keep him around.
In Other News...
Chris Cenac Jr. Gave Celtics Fans Exactly The Rookie Promise They Crave
Bostons summer league opener gave fans a first look at the kind of rookie impact theyve been waiting to see, and Chris Cenac Jr. delivered plenty of it in an 83-80 overtime win over Toronto. The Celtics had to rally from a double-digit deficit, but Cenacs debut offered the blend of activity and poise that can make a summer showcase feel a little more meaningful than the average July box score.
He finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, giving Boston a frontcourt presence that showed up on both ends and kept the game within reach when it mattered. Dillon Mitchell also flashed with defense and energy, while Hugo Gonzalez, Amari Williams and John Tonje each had their own stretches, leaving the Celtics with a promising opening-night mix and a few more reasons to keep watching this group closely. [Read more 🡒]
Derrick White Gets Real About Celtics Pressure After Chaotic Offseason
The Celtics offseason has already delivered enough twists to keep the locker room on edge, and Derrick White sounded like a player trying to make sense of it all while keeping the focus on the same old standard: winning. He spoke about the changes around Boston, including the shock of seeing Jaylen Brown moved on and the arrivals of Paul George and Mitchell Robinson, while making clear that his respect for Brown remains intact and that the teams expectations have not changed.
White also touched on the ripple effects inside the roster, from Neemias Quetas new contract to his own push for a better season. He said he wants to sharpen his shooting and clean up a few small areas after feeling he did not play as well as he wanted last year, a reminder that even amid the roster churn, the Celtics are still measuring themselves against the same internal bar. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Brown Move May Have Created A Bigger Celtics Problem
Jaylen Browns departure from Boston was framed as a harsh but necessary cap decision, the kind of move Brad Stevens said the Celtics had to consider when so much of the roster-building money was already tied to Brown and Jayson Tatum. It was the sort of front-office choice that can reshape a contenders present and future at the same time, especially when a team is trying to keep its title window open without boxing itself into impossible financial corners.
Now that decision may be echoing beyond Boston. Victor Wembanyamas reported willingness to accept a rookie extension below the maximum has sparked the idea that stars could start viewing a little short-term sacrifice as a way to help their teams stay flexible, and that is exactly the kind of precedent the Celtics would not mind setting in the abstract. The lingering question is whether this becomes a one-off gesture or the start of a broader shift in how elite players approach their next big deals. [Read more 🡒]