Rockets Landing Jaden Springer, Second-Rounder From Celtics

The Houston Rockets are acquiring guard Jaden Springer and a 2030 second-round pick from the Boston Celtics in salary-related trade, per NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN.

The Rockets and Celtics are basically swapping two heavily-protected second-rounders as part of the deal. Houston is sending Boston a top-55 protected second-round selection in 2031, detailed Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

The Celtics were expected to move Springer ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline (3 p.m. EST) in a salary-cutting move. As relayed by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, they have been operating below the luxury tax line and were projected to have a tax bill of nearly $66 million prior to the trade agreement with Houston.

By trading Springer, that bill will be brought down to around $50 million. It also opens a second spot on the defending champions’ 15-man roster. Once the deal is official, Boston will have a couple of weeks to add another player to the roster, per NBA rules, which stipulate you must carry 14 guys.

Whoever the Celtics do sign is therefore expected to be on a minimum-salary contract, bumping up the tax bill only a little.

Meanwhile, the Rockets are about $10 million below the tax line, so taking on Springer’s $4 million deal won’t be an issue. Houston has an available roster spot, too. So landing Springer won’t require another move.

The No. 28 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Springer was acquired by the Celtics from the Philadelphia 76ers a year ago at the trade deadline. He’s appeared in just 43 games, playing sparingly.

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