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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 7/22/25
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ARTHUR HILL
11:01
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll get started with a question about the Celtics.
TetraZonic
11:01
Will the Celtics dip below the first tax apron for the upcoming season?  And if they do, isn’t it then likely that they will stay there through the ‘26-‘27 season so they can reset their “repeat offender” status entirely?
ARTHUR HILL
11:12
The Celtics only need to clear about $332K to get below the second apron, so that's virtually certain to happen. Getting beneath the first apron requires unloading about $12.2MM, and that also seems likely. Moving below the luxury tax threshold will be trickier because it means lowering payroll by more than $20MM. Anfernee Simons ($27.7MM), Sam Hauser ($10MM) and Georges Niang ($8.2MM) have been mentioned as the top trade candidates, but it's not going to be easy to get rid of that much salary and still remain somewhat competitive. Even if the Celtics' front office manages to do it, it will just be a one-year commitment. Once Jayson Tatum is healthy again, the focus will be on winning titles rather than the repeater tax.
Marcus Smart
11:12
Will I return to form and actually help the Lakers or am I past my prime?
ARTHUR HILL
11:18
Marcus Smart will be a great addition for the Lakers if he turns back into the defensive stopper he was in Boston. But there are reasons to be concerned now that he's 31 and coming off two injury-plagued seasons. Smart appeared in 34 combined games with the Grizzlies and Wizards last year, and he was used as a part-time player, averaging just 20 minutes per night. It's a good gamble for L.A. to take, and Luka Doncic's endorsement means a lot, but there's no guarantee that Smart can return to a full-time rotation role without his body breaking down.
Thigmus
11:18
What is the most the Knicks can offer Ben Simmons?  And does he go to NY or SAC....or Mystery Team?  does he play like a 30 yr old former high draft pick.....or like a 30 yr old fmr high draft pick.......with the back of an 80 yr old?
ARTHUR HILL
11:29
The Knicks are hard capped at the second apron and only have about $3.7MM to work with, so whoever they sign will likely get the veteran's minimum. Simmons may not get regular playing time in New York and he wouldn't be with a contender in Sacramento, so I'd expect him to keep exploring his options before making a final decision. The Celtics and Suns were mentioned yesterday, and a few other teams could be looking at him as a low-cost option. Simmons will never be the player he was before the injuries and other issues, but he can still be useful if he stays healthy. He's a decent inexpensive gamble, even if he only plays half a season.
JD
11:29
Even if Paul George had stayed healthy, are the Clippers better off now than they would be if they'd re-signed him? That $50+ million per year he would've been making has really been spread across a lot of players
ARTHUR HILL
11:36
The Clippers have assembled a deep, talented roster, and most of the moves they made this summer wouldn't have been possible if they were still paying George. The additions of Brook Lopez, Bradley Beal and Chris Paul, along with the trade for John Collins, give L.A. one of the best collections of talent in the league. The Clippers may have hit their ceiling with George and Kawhi Leonard as their best players, so it was probably for the best that George moved on. Not re-signing him looked like an error last summer, but the Clippers' front office took full advantage of the cap flexibility it gave them.
Phoenix
11:36
I'm sure the Suns took the best deal they could for KD, but I'm not sold on the Jalen Green/Devin Booker fit. Will Green still be a Sun in a year?
ARTHUR HILL
11:44
There's too much overlap between Booker and Green, and it feels like they'll be competing for the same shots. The Suns need to surround Booker with a roster that will maximize his talents, and I think they'll realize pretty quickly that Green doesn't do that. From what has been reported, Houston's offer was by far the best that anyone made for Durant, so Phoenix took it as a starting point toward rebuilding the team. Green is still young enough and talented enough to deliver on the potential that made him the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft, but it's not likely to happen playing alongside Booker. He'll probably be moved by next summer, if not at the deadline.
Scott S
11:44
I know Lillard probably isn't playing next season but will the Blazers really need both him and Jrue the year after? Any chance of the Celtics reacquiring Holiday?
ARTHUR HILL
11:53
The timing works out pretty well. The Trail Blazers need Holiday this season, but probably not afterward once Lillard is cleared to play. The Celtics are looking at a "gap year" while Jayson Tatum heals up, and they'll want to return to title contention in 2026/27. Holiday was a perfect fit in Boston, and he could probably be obtained fairly cheaply after the season. If they want to pursue that route, the Celtics have a chance to reform the core of their championship roster next summer. Kristaps Porzingis has an expiring contract in Atlanta, and Al Horford is likely to get a one-year deal, whether it's with the Warriors or another team. It's not impossible that the old Celtics could be back together by next July.
Guest
11:53
I'm not really seeing any team I think will beat the Thunder in the playoffs next season. Who do you think has the best chance?
ARTHUR HILL
12:01
Several teams, mostly in the West, have upgraded their rosters this summer to make a run at Oklahoma City. The Rockets and Clippers both look like legitimate challenges, but I'd give the Nuggets the best chance of taking down the Thunder. Denver's season ended in chaos with its coach and GM both getting fired, but the Nuggets were able to extend OKC to seven games, even with a shallow bench. David Adelman will have a full season in charge, and he'll have a lot more depth with Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas all being added. I like the trade to bring in Cameron Johnson, and DaRon Holmes' return from injury should also help. The Thunder will likely be better next season, but Denver is the one team they should want to avoid in the playoffs.
Thanks for the great questions. We'll talk again next Tuesday.
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