The Celtics, who were reported last week to be in discussions with Dennis Schröder, have made a contract offer to the free agent point guard, league sources tell Jordan Schultz of ESPN (via Twitter).
According to Schultz, the Celtics’ offer to Schröder is a one-year deal worth the taxpayer mid-level exception (approximately $5.9MM). However, Schröder is seeking a second-year player option and a deal worth the full mid-level exception (about $9.5MM), per Schultz.
[RELATED: Values Of 2021/22 Mid-Level, Bi-Annual Exceptions]
Going above the taxpayer portion of the MLE would hard-cap the Celtics, which the team wants to avoid, Schultz notes. There have also been reports that Boston wants to create as much cap flexibility as possible in 2022, which may make the club reluctant to tack on a second-year player option for Schröder.
Despite the current impasse, there’s reason to believe the Celtics and Schröder could be a good match. Boston has been in the market for a new point guard after having traded Kemba Walker to Oklahoma City in June, and opportunities around the league are drying up for Schröder, who was viewed as one of the top point guards on the market entering free agency. A short-term deal that gives the Celtics another backcourt play-maker and scorer and gives the 27-year-old a chance to rebuild his value could benefit both sides.
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Celtics are exploring possible trades involving Kris Dunn and/or Bruno Fernando before “concluding” their conversations with Schröder. If Boston could shed salary in a deal involving Dunn and Fernando and create more breathing room below a potential hard cap, perhaps the team would be more willing to go above the taxpayer mid-level for Schröder.
Beggars can’t be choosers. Schroeder should take the Celtics deal. He can start and if he has a good year, maybe he’ll get a decent offer next offseason. Probably not 84 million tho.
Add Schroeder, Celtics are a playoffs team
Salary dump Landford and Dunn $9 million to Thunder for nothing
Currently Celtics have $1 million tax room
Celtics were a playoff team without schröder, he could benefit from having tatum on the court with him and however long Jaylon brown misses, all I know if if he does sign a contract for 5.9 million it should make lauri decide his fate sooner because he ain’t gettin near what he thinks
Same applies to Celtics
Our Celtics are not going to go into hard-cap territory, no matter what! That’s Brad Stevens mandate. Now that I realize that, that we’ve written off this year, I’m ok with it. Take this year to develop our young talent & build a well-oiled team. Hopefully, one with a defensive identity & with more guard height. No pressure for our new coach. And we can surprise since we have Tatum & Brown. Who knows?
You mean waste another year of Tatum and Brown’s prime?
That’s what I think as well. One year less of those two in their primes. Boston wasting time and it’ s starting to look bad.
Neither one are in their prime yet
This
A team would only prioritize avoiding the hard cap if it was a team that might exceed it. No FO has a mandate to avoid a hard cap being imposed; the mandate would be to avoid paying luxury tax or avoid crossing the Apron (the hard cap line) which is 6 mm above the tax line. Perhaps, BOS doesn’t want to pay luxury tax and that’s the mandate.
Why not a sign and trade with LA? Although the Lakers probably don’t want to take back salary, I’m pretty sure they could entice a 3rd team to accept a lesser salary player for a trade exception.
I think all of the moves the Lakers and made recently pretty much took that off the table. At least that’s what articles have indicated.
Lakers cannot do that or they will be hard capped. They are way over the tax already.
Signing-and-trading a player to another team doesn’t create a hard cap — only acquiring a player via sign-and-trade does.
Technically the Celtics wouldn’t have to sent out any salary in a sign-and-trade if they used the TPE they created in the Thompson trade (about $9.7MM).
But acquiring a player via sign-and-trade would also hard-cap them, which they apparently want to avoid. The only way I could see a sign-and-trade working is if the Lakers sent them a draft pick or another asset.
I wouldn’t mind a Tpe, and even giving one of those 3 2nds we just accrued from Wash to get one…….
But I don’t think Genie is going to spend another Dime on this team this year
It’s a touch odd as the new renovations to the surrounding area are going to bring in piles of cash soon but they are probably still digging themselves outta the hole from Covid-
Lakers def don’t have as much cash as Nets/GSW to burn
I understand the tax bill that would come with it, but why not sign a 1-year $10M deal to return to the Lakers. He was an effective player when he was the first player off the bench.
its called humiliation. Turn down $80 million for $10 million would be humiliating. He would rather sign for less with another team and claim he didn’t like playing for the Lakers.
Exactly
Nobody will believe that. He overplayed his hand, and lost. I get humiliation, but an extra $5M can easy that pain.
Schroder. Take the offer or pound sand.
C’s still need to make moves. I see them making it work for Schroeder and Markkanan, so I expect them trading more guys for cap flexibility
Hard to believe the Celts won’t at least offer him a player option for a 2nd year. Pretty standard when a guy signs below cap-free market value. They can’t want him that badly. As far as flexibility next year goes, give me a break. Are they really going to give the starting PG job to a guy they think might not be movable at 6 mm per year after one season?
They don’t want to tie up money for next year. They’re going to make a run for Beal in free agency. I think the stories of Beal wanting to play with Tatum are true. And, the Celtics don’t want to trade Brown to get him. Especially, since they can just get him in free agency next year.
Understood. But a contract only ties up money if it can’t be traded into another team’s cap space. If DS exercises the option, he’ll be at 6 mm on a 1 year deal. If someone thinks that contract is potentially untradeable, then they don’t think much of the player.
There’s no rule that says a FA contract has to be a bad one, that can’t be traded for value. Yes, it usually works out that way, but its not a rule.
Celtics need a PG. Schroeder is best available. And he has a chip on his shoulder. They can fix the cap issue after giving him the midlevel. He’s not taking less than that. Celtics also need a rim protector if they are for real. So they can’t stop with Schroeder. If you bring in Schroeder. It means you are going for it this yr. Its the right move imo. He and Smart can definitely hold down PG. They still need a rim protector to be an East contender. They don’t need Fernando or Dunn.
Gsw!!! Only backup to curry is Poole Lee and choizza? Come on guyz
Well. Shoutout to everyone who predicted a disasterous offseason for Schröder that I didn’t see coming.
Is it just me, or do the Celtics have a ton of guards and bigs, with only Tatum and Smart as noteworthy wings?
Celts are owned by hedge fund guys. Hedge funds want profits above winning. So they aren’t total sportsmen. Likely why former GM Ainge filled out the roster w youngsters & other cheap contracts. Nothing’s changed. Stevens’ hands are tied. Don’t expect Celtics spending one cent more than needed.