The Boston Celtics are widely regarded as one of the best teams in the NBA, and for good reason. Coming off their impressive 2024 championship win, the team is poised for another deep playoff run and has some of the best odds to repeat as champions. With a roster loaded with talent, depth, and excellent team cohesion, the Celtics appear to have no significant weaknesses. However, even if they were to contemplate making moves at the upcoming trade deadline, the newly implemented Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) could make it much harder for them to do so.
According to Forbes contributor Bryan Toporek, the new CBA has introduced significant restrictions on trades for teams above the first and second luxury-tax aprons, which is especially problematic for high-spending teams like the Celtics. Under the first apron, teams are still able to combine contracts to make trades, but they can no longer take back more salary than they send out. For teams over the second apron, like the Celtics, the rules are even stricter. Not only are they prohibited from taking back additional salary in a trade, but they also cannot aggregate multiple smaller contracts to acquire a player with a higher salary.
The Celtics are a prime example of how these new restrictions work. With the team currently over the second apron by nearly $7.7 million, they are unable to aggregate contracts or take back more salary than they send out in any trade. This means that unless they are willing to move one of their top seven rotation players—Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, Al Horford, or Payton Pritchard—the Celtics will be limited in their trade options. After these seven players, the next highest-paid player is Jaden Springer, earning around $4 million. They could trade him for a player on a minimum contract, but other trade options are quite restricted.
This marks a stark departure from the previous CBA, which allowed luxury-tax teams far more flexibility in trade negotiations. Under the old rules, teams could take back up to 125 percent of the salary they traded away, plus an additional $100,000. They could also freely aggregate smaller contracts to make trades financially feasible. These changes to the CBA now limit Boston’s front office in their ability to make moves at the trade deadline compared to past seasons, reducing their flexibility.
Despite these new trade restrictions, the Celtics’ situation may not be as problematic as it initially seems. The current roster is already one of the most well-rounded in the league, featuring elite players such as Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday, along with key contributors like Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, and Al Horford. The team’s balanced mix of offensive firepower, defensive strength, and veteran leadership has positioned them as one of the top contenders for the championship.
Given the talent already on the roster, the Celtics may not need to make any significant moves at the trade deadline. With a championship-winning team already in place, sticking with the current roster could very well be the most sensible strategy. Despite the constraints imposed by the new CBA, the Celtics are in an enviable position—well-equipped to defend their title without needing to make further adjustments.
