The Celtics could not make many moves during the trade deadline last season.
They acquired Grizzlies center Xavier Tillman, and seemed to be done after that.
Five minutes before the deadline, President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens made one final move. The team would acquire 22-year-old wing Jaden Springer from the Philadelphia 76ers for a second-round pick.
Who is Jaden Springer?
A 2021 first-round pick, Springer was never really able to crack the 76ers rotation.
Only seeing 50 games across two and a half seasons, he spent the vast majority of his time in the G-League. Springer reached career-highs in minutes in 2023, tallying ten minutes a night. He averaged four points across the season on 39/20/83 splits. His offense was not what made the Celtics interested in the young wing, though.
Springer has been a strong defensive player throughout his young career. On the Sixers, some nights he was tasked with guarding stars such as Luke Doncic, Steph Curry, and Trae Young. The Celtics have a strong defensive team, and All-Defensive guards Jrue Holiday and Derrick White may be impactful for Springer’s development. The Celtics must be confident in their abilities to develop players like Springer, as they have a great example in Derrick White. White shot 30% from three point range in San Antonio, and in his first full season in Boston shot 39%.
The issue with this is the Celtics might not have the time to develop him.
The Celtics need to win now, and Springer might not be the player for that. Lonnie Walker is, which causes some issues for Springer. Walker has been a good offensive player his entire career, scoring around ten points a night all season. For a team wanting to maximize their window right now, bringing in a player to win now is much more important than developing a player for the future.
The Preseason
During the Celtics’ last two preseason games, Springer’s role has seemingly been in jeopardy.
Against the 76ers on Saturday night, Springer received zero minutes. Fourteen other players played in a 50-point blowout of the Sixers, yet Springer was unable to receive any minutes. The night after, the Celtics’ entire top six, Luke Kornet, and Xavier Tillman all sat. Springer came off the bench in favor of Jordan Walsh and Lonnie Walker. He received limited action in the game, receiving the fifth-lowest minutes of the 12 players who played.
When Oshae Brissett left in the offseason, it caused a rotational spot to open on the Celtics.
Springer was expected to step up and take the role immediately. He did not. In two recent articles by The Lead, writers Keith Savage and Henry Daley wrote about Walsh and Walker. All three have been battling for that open rotational spot, and Springer has been losing the battle. With eight of the top ten players out, both Walsh and Walker received 30 minutes. Springer received 17. Springer missed a charge during his first few minutes, to which Coach Mazzulla got upset at him for.
https://twitter.com/John_Karalis/status/1845607547274723427
After this happened, Springer was pulled midway through the second quarter and did not see the floor again until the fourth quarter. For a player battling for a rotational spot, everything is going wrong for the young wing.
What can the Celtics do with Springer?
The Celtics cannot cut Springer.
For a team trying to save money, cutting Springer would cause a four-million-dollar tax hit. They can trade him, however. Springer is only 22 and will be a restricted free agent in 2025. Perhaps a team will be willing to take a flier on Springer, and the Celtics could acquire a draft pick for him.
The answer to this will happen in the following days, and we will see the decision Brad Stevens makes.
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