Celtics Predicted to Make Trade With Utah Jazz Before NBA Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt John | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 5:06 PM ET

The Boston Celtics are in a pickle this offseason. They want to avoid the NBA's second tax apron while remaining a title contender. That will mean some players will have to go to make it work.

It is a shame because Brad Stevens cleverly constructed a title team, but in the modern NBA, maintaining a title status has become more complicated than ever. The NBA's tax aprons force teams to pull the plug on their teams sooner than they would in the past.

Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have been the trade candidates that have come up the most. Both played a massive role in the franchise winning its 18th title in 2024. However, even if Boston trades both, they may not be the only ones who get the axe.

Another candidate is Sam Hauser, who will enter the first year of a four-year, $45 million contract next season. PhillyVoice's Adam Aaronson proposed a deal in which the Celtics would trade Hauser and the No. 32 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to the Utah Jazz for the No. 21 pick. He explained why both sides would agree to a deal.

"Boston needs to trade Hauser this summer as part of their cost-cutting measures despite his elite three-point shooting and valuable contract," Aaronson wrote. "...The Jazz seem to be looking to improve after posting the worst record in the NBA last season, and dropping 11 spots in this range to add a shooter of Hauser's caliber on such a team-friendly deal is an obvious win."

New: My third 2025 NBA Mock Draft is live!

Projected the first 35 picks to account for each of the Sixers’ selections, and also had a handful of trades.

Where will Ace Bailey go if the Sixers don’t take him? Where will Kevin Durant get traded?

And more:https://t.co/em6DZklcN2
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) June 20, 2025

Stevens would make a trade with his front office predecessor, Danny Ainge. While that connection could make a trade more likely, Stevens has gotten in the way of the Jazz's offseason plans before, as they wanted Porzingis and Holiday two years ago before the Celtics got them.

That could factor into whether Utah wants to deal with Boston.