The Celtics are willing to listen on offers for sharp-shooting swingman Sam Hauser.
“The primary focus for the Celtics has been Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Sam Hauser,” ESPN’s Shams Charania said on the Pat McAfee show
Holiday and Porzingis have been discussed may times over but Hauser’s market is something that has flown under the radar.
Last summer, Hauser signed a 4-year, $45 million extension through the 2028-29 season.
His salary for the 2025-26 season will be $10 million, worth 6.5% of the cap. The new CBA allows for teams to use their mid-level signing exceptions in trades now, something that used to only be for free agents. As a result, this opens up more ways for Boston to deal Hauser and not take any incoming money back in a deal.
A career, 42% three point shooter, Hauser has never had a season in which he shot under 41% from three and over the past three seasons, he has taken over 5 threes per game.
Everybody needs shooting and Hauser is on a good contract. If you compare it to the 5-year $90 million deal Duncan Robinson signed in the summer of 2021, he had shot 43% over the previous two seasons before signing his big deal and was going to be worth over double the percentage of the cap that Hauser is going to be at over the next 4 seasons.
Is taking on 4-years of Hauser’s contract something that some teams won’t want to do? Yes, but this is a good player that we have seen play well in the biggest moments of the playoffs, I think somebody will want to want trade for him.
It has been talked about a lot but it is important to keep hammering home. The Celtics have to get under the second apron. With the basketball penalties that come with being over the second apron, namely the fact that their 2032 pick is frozen and is pushed back to the end of the first round, they need to get under.
Currently, $20 million over the 2nd apron, trading Hauser and taking no additional salary back would get Boston, half way to getting under the apron. It would also save the Celtics $80 million against the luxury tax.
So if you are wondering why Boston is hoping to trade Hauser, that is why.
There are a lot of teams who can acquire Hauser, the Pelicans, Sixers, Clippers, Blazers, Warriors, Kings, Pacers, Bucks, Wizards, Jazz, Hornets, Spurs, Hawks, Grizzlies, Pistons, Bulls and Nets are all teams who will either have their non-tax payer mid-level or cap space.
The Hawks, Nets, Bulls, Kings, Mavericks, Pelicans and Heat all have a suitable trade exception to trade for Hauser’s salary as well.
Using Hauser in a trade up scenario makes sense. For example, Boston could trade Hauser and the 28th or the 32nd in the draft to the Hawks for the 22nd pick.
I think Atlanta is a team that could make the most sense to acquire Hauser. They aren’t tanking because they have Trae Young and owe their picks to the Spurs, the fall back in the draft would not be drastic at all and they have enough room under the luxury tax threshold that Hauser would not be the only piece they could get this summer.
Maybe the market is robust enough that the Celtics are able to get a whole first round pick in a Hauser trade but I am not don’t believe that it will be. Using Hauser to move up in this draft is smart business and a route that I think the Celtics will likely end up going.
