JULY 23: The Celtics have traded Nader to the Thunder rather than waiving him. Our full story on the deal is here.
JULY 21: The Celtics are waiving swingman Abdel Nader, league sources tell Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. Nader was chosen by Boston with the 58th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft and spent a season with the Maine Red Claws, the Celtics’ G League affiliate, before signing an NBA contract with the Celtics last summer.
The Celtics will not be on the hook for Nader’s full 2018/19 salary, as his contract did not become fully guaranteed until August 1. He reportedly had a partial guarantee worth $450K.
The move will leave the Celtics with 14 fully-guaranteed contracts and a team salary of $125.85MM, about $2.07MM north of the tax line. Because the Celtics are in tax territory, they may be looking to enter the 2018/19 season with only 14 players on their roster, a la the Warriors. However, the C’s still have their full $5.3MM taxpayer mid-level exception to spend on a 15th player should they so choose.
Nader, 24, averaged 3.0 points and 1.5 rebounds per game in 48 contests (one start) with the Celtics in 2017/18, his lone NBA season.
Seems like an odd position for the Celts. They are just a hair over the luxury tax yet they still have their MLE to spend, so do they somehow shave the $1.67MM or is there someone of quality out there to spend the MLE on?
maybe they’re just saving a roster spot to target like the actual last free agents to sign, like veterans idk
They could stretch him over 7 seasons like they did to Jackson last year.
Stretch him over 7 years.
Sounds painful
Nader was non-guaranteed so no need. I’m hoping they sign Bird to the 15 man roster.
That would be a comeback for the ages
Bird will fill the 15th slot, with a one year/$1.0mm contract.
Someone will offer him that as an RFA and the Celts will match it.
They should trade Morris and a 1st rounder (the least desirable of the three they own) to the Kings for Skal Labissiere or Harry Giles. It would get the Celtics under the tax line and give them a nice young prospect that could easily spend time in the G League. For the Kings, it could get them back into the 1st round this year, give them a vet mentor for their young PFs, and thin out the logjam of PF prospects as well.
That’s actually not a bad suggestion. The Celts have a decent amount of outside shooting, could use a good young big to study under Horford and take his place eventually. Giles looked good in summer league
Kings need a small forward, a position which Morris is fully capable of playing.
I was thinking of trading Morris to the Kings for their own 2020 2nd rd pick. Then they could sign Bird.
But I like your thoughts as well.
Morris is not going anywhere. He is cheap and needed on the Celtics. Giles is not leaving the Kings. He is there future. Horford has a big to mentor in Williams. Celtics are going for it this year. The MLE is there to win the buyout war.
I was thinking of Skal more than Giles anyway. Robert Williams will be out of the league in less than 2 years. He has no work ethic.
Williams Has a work ethic. He was having blood issues in the past few years. His high school coach said no one worked harder than him.
No way you can get Giles just giving Morris as Spike said he is the future of Sacramento
Wouldn’t want to lose Morris or help out the Kong’s because don’t the Celts have the Kings 1st round pick next year?
Who says he’d be helping out anyone ? It would help the Celtics, by leaving and saving cap money. If he was that much of a “help”, we wouldn’t want to trade him to anyone.
Morris a good player and if someone on this board already thinks a deal for him would help the Kings make it to the playoffs then I’m not interested because the Celts have the Kings’ 1st rd pick
I agree; Norris is a good player, however he is not great and he’s expendable at this point. He’s a UFA in 2019 and if the Celts want to squeeze under the “black cloud” luxury tax, his salary needs to go. It’s just business.
Trading Morris to the Kings won’t help that team make it to the playoffs this year.
sorry, typo. I meant Morris
I like him as a player he should find a roster. Kings make sense off the top. Hope the Mavs take a look though.
He’s just a kid who’s frontal cortex is yet to be fully developed. Give him a brake.
Maybe they should try and get a future pick fir the dancing bear and his 2.6 salary. Would give them enough room for Bird and keep them under the tax and slow the repeater tax by a year