NBA Trade Rumors: Celtics predicted to deal $45 million champion wing saving luxury tax money

The Boston Celtics could potentially trade away another part of their championship team in Sam Hauser. The Celtics have already traded away key players in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday this offseason to shed payroll.

But in an article published on Monday, The Ringer's Michael Pina brought up the possibility of the C's parting ways with the sharpshooting wing to save more luxury tax.

Pina points out that Boston is still in the second apron and about $20 million over the luxury tax after the Porzingis and Holiday trades, and that it would be a "true stunner" if Brad Stevens doesn't make more moves to prevent repeater tax penalties.

“The likely casualties are Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang, but no one should be shocked if/when Sam Hauser gets traded,” Pina wrote.

Boston had a good run last season as the defending champions. They made it to the Eastern Conference semi-finals, where the Knicks knocked them out with a 4-2 record.

However, that series took a big toll on the Celtics roster. Superstar Jayson Tatum suffered a torn Achilles tendon and will probably miss the next season.

With the C's unlikely to be title contenders due to Tatum's absence, they have made some major moves to get away from the second apron, and Hauser could be another casualty.

Hauser is entering his first year of his four-year $45 million extension with the franchise, which he signed in July. He averaged 8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists on 41.6 percent shooting from downtown.

Celtics president confirms second apron concerns as reason behind recent trades

When the Boston Celtics traded both Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in a short time frame, it left the fans wondering if the 2024 champions were entering a rebuild.

However, earlier this month, the franchise's president, Brad Stevens, talked with ESPN and confirmed that concerns about the second apron facilitated their decision to trade the two star players.

"We've known for a long time that hard decisions were coming," Stevens said. "The second apron is why those trades happened. I think that is pretty obvious. And the basketball penalties associated with those are real. ... So that was part of making the decision to push and put our chips on the table and go for the last two years."

Porzingis was traded to the Hawks in a three-team deal, which saw Boston end up with Georges Niang and some draft capital with cash. On the other hand, Holiday's trade was a plain old a player for a player trade. Boston received Anfernee Simons for Holiday in a deal with Portland.