NBA Notebook: Tough Celtics offseason decisions loom outside of Jaylen Brown

Grant Williams' surgery turned attention back toward the most pressing matter of the summer for the Celtics after the NBA Draft. While debates rage about Jaylen Brown's future, the most likely outcome of Boston retaining Brown on a long-term extension and figuring out the rest of the salary cap implications later forces the team to start setting up its long-term financial future now. 

That starts with Williams -- expected back on the floor within 6-8 weeks according to ESPN -- whose injury won't threaten his training camp ability but does paint his postseason in a different light. Williams suffered the hand injury in March and aggravated it in the East finals, compounding a right elbow injury he revealed in Milwaukee weeks earlier that coincided with his shooting slump and eventual exit from the rotation. The Celtics maintain matching rights on whatever offer sheet Williams signs in free agency and the typical freeze on restricted free agents alongside Williams' struggles last season could score Boston a deal, but what qualifies as one for a player Joe Mazzulla largely sat last season?

Boston and Williams discussed a roughly four-year, $50-million extension before the fall deadline that would've fittingly kept him on the roster next year below the second salary cap apron threshold, with some wiggle room to fill out the rest of the roster. A similar structure makes sense now, with the Celtics roughly $13.4 million below that number now, but reporting during the season indicated Williams wanted closer to $14-15 million at least, and as much as $20 million annually. He cited his responsibility as a representative for the player's union to hold the bar high in negotiations, and while his market doesn't take shape until next month, numerous teams carry significant cap space into this summer. The Celtics, in turn, acquired cheaper players at his position in Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala who can return under similar terms next year, but didn't factor at all into Boston's postseason run. 

"You never want to take a bad deal for no one around you," Williams said in October. "You look across the league, you look at the role I play as VP for the player's association, you understand where the league is going in the future and you understand where the league is currently at. For me, it wasn't a matter of life-changing money, it was a matter of value ... I think both sides, we all negotiated to get to that point, and there was no ill will, there was no frustration, it was one of those things where we couldn't come to terms. It doesn't mean the deal doesn't get done next year, it doesn't mean that the deal won't get done in the future ... I wanted to make sure that not only the deal that I take is something I feel comfortable about, it's something that doesn't mess up the guys around me, doesn't mess up the market for the guys that do the things that I do." 

The Celtics could offer Williams more annually over a short-term contract while facing the consequences of the second apron more immediately, knowing Williams' value exceeds that of a mid-level player while maintaining the team's depth for their immediate runs at championships before freeing up that contract by 2025-26. Something like a two-year, $40-million deal could return Williams to unrestricted free agency ahead of his 27th birthday. In tandem with Brown's extension, that still carries a heavy hit in 2024-25 and kicks the Celtics' first-round pick in seven years to the end of the first round. It feels like a stretch to imagine Williams back at any significant salary. 

If his departure ends up serving the interest of both sides, Boston could pursue a sign-and-trade, though even those become more difficult under the new CBA where teams become hard capped at that second apron for receiving more than 110% of the salary back that they send out in a trade. That prohibits higher spenders from taking Williams along with the already-existing S&T hard cap, but for a team like the Pacers that has the cap space to sign Williams outright anyway, a sign-and-trade could become a way to shed a salary like old friend Daniel Theis and for Boston to maintain Williams' salary slot. Theis makes $9.1 million next season before a $9.5 million team option awaits in 2024-25. The Celtics know and love him, he can play at the four and five positions, sit whenever necessary and Boston can save additional money by declining Muscala's $3.5 million team option, something Brian Robb wrote they may look to do anyway even if they bring him back. 

Then Malcolm Brogdon's future comes into play. The 2023 sixth man of the year suffered a partial tear in his right arm he said he'll consider undergoing surgery on, something Brad Stevens didn't shed much light on last week nor have any reports followed up on since. Missing significant time after surgery and regaining his shooting form after may give teams pause on an already hefty contract that allowed Boston to acquire him for the relatively low cost of Aaron Nesmith, Theis and this year's No. 29 overall pick in the first place. Brogdon makes $22.5 million this season and in 2024-25 before becoming a free agent the following summer. 

The idea of selling low on Brogdon didn't sound right until considering his injury alongside his presence often sending Derrick White to the bench in crunch time and Marcus Smart's excellent contract that keeps him in Boston through 2026. Love or hate Smart, his value over the next three seasons alongside Robert Williams III's contract of the same length play instrumental roles in maintaining a roster around Brown and Jayson Tatum as supermax players. Payton Pritchard struggled during the 2022 playoffs as a primary backup, but projecting some growth for him and keeping him on a second contract that won't break the bank makes some sense. 

That'll depend on Boston's ability to find suitors for Brogdon who can offer complementary pieces in return, particularly at the wing. CelticsBlog suggested Kelly Olynyk and Tim Hardaway Jr. as targets who fill different positions and down-size long-term money. Those kinds of deals may also help in allowing the Celtics to make a more competitive offer to Williams. Unfortunately for Boston, all these trades downgrade the overall talent on their roster compared to last year. That's the point of the new CBA. 

Pritchard's potential departure through trade if the Celtics keep Brogdon and last year's backcourt underscores the difficult position their moves in recent years put them in to sustain long-term under the new rules. They lack a young, affordable talent pipeline to both help winning, project to grow alongside Brown and Tatum and even if they nail the No. 35 overall pick and bring Juhann Begarin over from France, it's hard to imagine those players being in position to help in the postseason if Sam Hauser couldn't. 

That's why a Brown trade may become worth exploring before he becomes as highly paid as $50 million annually beginning in 2024-25. Difficult cuts around the edges of the roster now become unavoidable once White and Brogdon become free agents in 2025, and Al Horford only stays on the books and projects to remain a consistent contributor for that long at most. A trade where the Celtics receive Anfernee Simons, the No. 3 overall pick and perhaps additional compensation if the size and scope of the trade increases, originally suggested by Kevin O'Connor, becomes more appealing beyond the names and faces on paper today. It may allow for a more sustainable roster around Tatum. 

It's easy to look at the next two years and say keep the team together, take two massive swings at the championship and leave the future to chance, but Tatum only turns 26 next season and his best seasons could exist beyond that timeframe. The Celtics need to think 5-10 years out in ways we and fans don't. That could set up some surprising moves as soon as this summer, particularly given the way the team exited the postseason. For now, Boston still awaits a finalized CBA from the league and player's union. 

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...

Boston: Hired former Celtics champion, long-time NBA point guard and most recently 76ers assistant coach Sam Cassell to lead Joe Mazzulla's new staff of assistants. With reports indicating Ben Sullivan, among other former Ime Udoka assistants, will depart this summer, Mazzulla may have to fill an entire bench after Brad Stevens said the Celtics tried but failed to replace Damon Stoudamire, who departed in April to coach Georgia Tech. Jake Fischer reported Boston also targeted Bucks assistant Charles Lee. Several teams targeted Lee after Milwaukee fired Mike Budenholzer. Lee finished as a finalist for the Detroit head coach job.

Brooklyn: Damian Lillard named the Nets as a potential top destination if he ever left the Trail Blazers in a recent podcast appearance. Whether Brooklyn lands Lillard or not, it lends confidence in the franchise's decision to retain Mikal Bridges despite reported strong offers for the wing. The Nets also hired Corey Vinson, a former Suns assistant who Bridges credited with helping him transition to a high-usage role during Chris Paul and Devin Booker's absences last season. If Portland decided to trade Lillard, Shams Charania pointed toward the Nets likely formulating a trade around Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris and first-round picks. 

Charlotte: The Hornets control the NBA Draft board in two weeks after the Spurs inevitably select Victor Wembanyama, and while many mock drafts point toward Charlotte selecting scoring forward Brandon Miller from Alabama, G-League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson will visit the Hornets on Sunday after his Trail Blazers workout. Amen and Ausar Thompson worked out for Charlotte on Friday, likely the No. 4 and 5 selections in the draft who provide additional wing options for a team built around LaMelo Ball at guard. Michael Jordan's expected sale of the Hornets to minority partner Gabe Plotkin and Hawks owner Rick Schnall also complicate a highly-anticipated selection ahead of a No. 3 Blazers pick that could transfer to another team in a trade. 

Chicago: Keith Smith expects Patrick Williams to receive a five-year, $100-million extension after Coby White could sign back with the Bulls for $18.7 million annually. That's hefty for a team already sitting at $122.3 million in salary commitments next year, $39.7 million south of the luxury tax. Lonzo Ball's $20.5 million cap hit for 0 games played alongside Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan combining for $68.7 million led to mediocre results in 2022, and while Williams and White represent the team's young core, changes feel overdue here. Andre Drummond said he'll pick up his $3.4 million player option while the Bulls reportedly began extension talks with Nikola Vucevic. 

Cleveland: The Cavaliers never considered firing J.B. Bickerstaff after their first-round exit, according to The Athletic, as they appear poised to run back a young group that dominated in the regular season. Chris Fedor also expressed little regret internally from the Cavs for buying out Kevin Love in February before joining the Heat and helping them reach the NBA Finals as a starter. Love shot 38.9% from the field with Cleveland before finishing the regular season with the same mark in Miami (36.7% FG playoffs).

Dallas: Kyrie Irving reportedly asked LeBron James to join him and Luka Dončić on the Mavericks in a move that's unlikely to come to fruition. Despite Irving pushing back on any external reports on his intentions, the move points toward Irving returning to Dallas in free agency and relenting to his inability to join the Lakers. Dallas previously indicated it would not sign and trade Irving. 

"He's reached out to LeBron from what I'm told, he's made contact with him, they've had a back-and-forth now for a couple years. Now, do I think it's unlikely LeBron James goes to Dallas? I do," Shams Charania said. "I think he's happy in L.A., I think he's happy being there, being a Laker and his son Bronny James going to USC next year. There's a lot of reasons why staying in L.A. makes the most sense for LeBron James."