What We Know as Celtics Free Agency Begins on Monday

The NBA’s free agency legal tampering period begins at 6 p.m. on Monday, when more clarity should emerge on which direction the Celtics will aim toward entering 2025-26. Two trades to reduce their luxury tax hit, drafting a younger development player in the first round, then trading back in the second sent a strong signal already last week. Boston could take a step back this summer before reloading in one year for Jayson Tatum’s return.

So it’s no surprise Al Horford will reportedly assess his options and won’t decide his future quickly when signings get announced on Monday. Horford and Luke Kornet indicated they would explore their options this summer, and Brad Stevens even encouraged them to do so as he stressed the Celtics will prioritize bringing them back. With no follow-up trades to last week’s deals clearing additional space under the second apron, and rivals sure to pursue the centers this week, that could prove easier said than done.

Multiple reports stated that the Spurs and Clippers will pursue Kornet this week, with both teams in position to offer the full $14.1 million mid-level exception starting salary that almost feels like a given for the big man after his breakout year. In a more cap-conscious NBA with more sparse center depth than any other position, Horford and Kornet could find a favorable market. And unlike Horford, Kornet could field offers from a greater number of teams without as much of a focus on winning or geography.

Kornet has made roughly $14 million in his career, while Horford garnered more than $285 million across 17 seasons. Horford also turned 39 in June, and Kornet will enter next season at 30. While both players have young families and have played in Boston since 2021, stability could factor more into Horford’s free agency decision. He’s been visible at Auerbach Center this month working out ahead of his decision. Retirement appears off the table at this point.

Sitting roughly $7.3 million below the second apron, the Celtics picked up JD Davison’s $2.3 million team option, an interesting move in tandem with reports that the team could re-trade Anfernee Simons or Georges Niang’s salaries. Davison’s deal is non-guaranteed until Jan. 10, according to Spotrac, and a trade isn’t the motive for now since he’s ineligible to move until July 13. He could remain in case Boston moves on from Simons in the coming weeks.

It seems unlikely the team would move on from Sam Hauser without recovering a significant return with the second apron penalties now avoided. Neither the Kristaps Porziņģis nor the Jrue Holiday deals have been finalized, opening the door to additional layers that could shed further money ahead of free agency. While Boston’s executives didn’t allude to further salary reductions, more could be a given if the team wants to have a serious chance at retaining Kornet and Horford.

“No, there’s not a specific number,” Mike Zarren said last week. “It’s just a matter of putting ourselves in a position where we think when, as Brad said last night, when Jayson’s back fully healthy, we’re ready to go, trying to get that next banner, and some of that has to do with the cap rules, some of that has to do with the assets we have, some of that has to do with the players on the roster. We take all those things into account and try to build the next championship team.”

• The Kornet market could include his former Bulls, the Clippers, San Antonio and Milwaukee if the Bucks lose Brook Lopez, among teams that could realistically offer the full mid-level exception. Watch out for the Hornets and their cast of former Celtics assistants, including head coach Charles Lee, after Charlotte traded Jusuf Nurkić earlier this week. The Hornets don’t have a clear starting center at the moment. The Lakers, Knicks and Nuggets have the potential to carve out taxpayer mid-level exception space, though those offers would be easier for the Celtics to match.
• Would any team offer Kornet three-years, $44 million at the mid-level guaranteed? That’s the threshold that could force the Celtics to part ways, since their five-year offer at the minimum would only amount to $19.5 million without additional wiggle room underneath the second apron. A two-year guarantee from rivals at the MLE would fall closer to $30 million, which the Celtics could approach with a slight bump in average annual value.
• The Horford market could prove smaller. Both Los Angeles teams, Houston, New York, Atlanta and Golden State make some sense as contenders who could offer a role. Not necessarily all of them can provide the proximity to family, salaries and roles that he would want. The Knicks have been reported as having interest, though would only have taxpayer mid-level money. The Hawks are worth watching, given Horford’s history in the city and continued presence there. He would reunite there with Porziņģis there, who he had a good relationship with in Boston, and could continue his regular season load management alongside Porziņģis and Onyeka Okongwu. The Hawks look like a legitimate contender to win the east, and can realistically offer the full MLE while retaining Caris LeVert in free agency.
• Looking across the league, it’s hard to identify Simons suitors. The Blazers never dealt him until the Holiday trade, so it’s difficult to imagine there being a robust market until he shows out in a Celtics uniform.
• At the moment, the Mavericks in need of a point guard have reportedly focused on Chris Paul and D’Angelo Russell. Dallas could offer recently extended Daniel Gafford and a wing in a Simons trade. The Bulls have Zach Collins or Nikola Vučević available to play center for Boston if things don’t work out with Horford and Kornet. The Clippers can offer Bogdan Bogdanović and Drew Eubanks. The Jazz intrigue me after adding Nurkić to a front court that already had Walker Kessler and John Collins. Collins recently picked up his $26.6 million option and would comfortably match Simons’ salary. Simons playing on an expiring $27.7 million is a benefit and a challenge, as any team that likes him would need to navigate potentially re-signing him. The Kings look capable of a shake-up too.
• Teams with trade exceptions around the league large enough to absorb Niang: Brooklyn, Minnesota, New Orleans, Chicago, Sacramento, Washington, Miami and Golden State.
• The Malik Beasley investigation shook up the mid-level market. The Pistons are poised to pivot to Nickeil Alexander-Walker, already a loss for Minnesota. That could send the Hawks, Clippers and other teams connected to Alexander-Walker in a different direction if Detroit signs Alexander-Walker.
• It’s unclear, at the moment, what Amari Williams and Max Shulga’s drafting could mean for Drew Peterson. If the Celtics plan to keep Miles Norris and sign their two second-rounders to two-way contracts, that would fill up their three two-way spots.