It Is Now "Widely Expected" That Brad Stevens Is Going To Trade Dennis Schroder In The Next 10 Days

Adam Glanzman. Getty Images.

First off, if you were wondering why Dennis had been struggling recently, I imagine this right achilles tendinopathy might have something to do with it. His numbers are down, he's not really playing with speed and attacking the paint/putting pressure on the rim, and his three point shot has been pretty short, so I buy that. 

But that's not what I truly care about in that Stein tweet. What matters as we approach the trade deadline is the second part. I think we all expect Brad to be looking for any sort of Dennis trade, that's not exactly news. The second he signed that 1 year deal, everyone pretty much knew the deal. He was a hired gun, would have his chance to showcase, and most likely would not end the season on the roster. It's nobody's fault, that's just the reality of an expiring deal that you probably can't afford in the offseason due to the salary restrictions you can offer. What that return might be is now the big question. Is there a guard needing team willing to throw a low first because they are on the brink of competing? Is it 2 round rounders? Is it a player? 

That's why the last part of Stein's tweet interested me. Reports are swirling that the Celts want to get under the tax this year. On the surface that makes sense, no need to start the repeater tax clock in a year you aren't competing for a title. If that means offloading Schroder for picks, OK. At least they get something for an asset who is leaving. The thing is, there are also ways to stay under the tax and bring in an actual player. They can't make a ton of money, it most likely has to be under what Dennis makes, and then Brad would have to unload other money to get under the tax. That's not impossible considering how close the Celts are to being under. 

I'll also mention we got that Stein tweet not too long after Jaylen this morning

Related? Probably not……..but maybe. 

So, what type of players are out there that make low money that could use Dennis? One where Brad can add a player and still find a way to get under the tax? There are some options

Ben McLemore: The Blazers could certainly use some guard depth, especially with Dame on the shelf. There are also rumors that they could be unloading CJ at the deadline. Why should Brad call? Well, McLemore is a 6'3 SG/SF who is currently shooting 41.5% from deep in his 33 appearances this season. 

He also only makes $2.3M this season. He'd be expiring as well, but this would just be a case of swapping one skillset for another. You could argue this team needs shooting more than backup point guard, so it's worth a shot.

Mike Muscala: Celts need to improve their big man depth, preferably with someone who can stretch the floor. In 40 games this year, Muscala is shooting 42.9% from three. We already know Schroder succeeded in OKC, we know Sam Presti is always down to help Brad, and they need all the help they can get to reach the salary floor. 

Muscala makes $3.5M and has a team option for 2022, which Brad can always decline if he chooses.

Nicolas Batum: The Clippers are another team that could use some guard depth help. If George is out for the year and they decide to not bring Kawhi back, perhaps they'd be open to selling off some parts. In 31 games this year, Batum is shooting 41.2% from deep. 

The one tricky part here is while Batum's salary is only $3.1M, he does have a $3.3M player option for 2022. That's not a huge number, but who knows if Brad would potentially want that on the books.

Jalen Smith: The Suns turned down Smith's team option, making him an UFA this summer. Essentially, he can walk for nothing. They are a Finals contending team that needs guard depth. Celts need a stretch big to make it possible to not play Enes Freedom. Seems like a situation that benefits everyone. Suns get an impact player now for their title quest, Celts fill a need of their own.

Now Smith's salary is a little higher at $4.4M so there'd be some work to do to get under the tax, but it's doable. They also could lose him for nothing, but I see this as a McLemore situation. You're just swapping one expiring need for another. Who knows, maybe Smith enjoys his time in Boston and they work something out in the offseason. 

Once you start to get to the names with lower salary, it's mostly young guys still on their rookie deals who aren't going to be available. While there's always the potential of 3 team trades and all that, as you can see there are a couple options for Brad to potentially call about that would fit a need and keep them in a good position to get under the tax.

So while Stein is saying the Celts don't want any salary back, I wonder if it's really "no salary back that prevents them from having a path to get under the tax"

Either way, all signs are pointing to the Dennis Schroder Era coming to a close in just 10 days. I'd say they got out of him what most expected, now it all comes down to what type of return he brings.