progresifjaya.id, JAKARTA – The Boston Celtics are currently overhauling their line-up to reduce costs due to a record-breaking luxury tax bill after the 2024-25 season. Veteran players Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have been sacrificed in this overhaul.
For the latest issue, the next player to be sacrificed by the Boston Celtics in this overhaul is Samuel David Hauser or who is familiarly called Sam Hauser. The veteran player with the number 30 jersey has great appeal in the market and has been linked to the Denver Nuggets.
This overhaul effort has indeed helped the club nicknamed The Green Machine move to a better position from the salary cap ‘hell’ that they will face. The Boston Celtics can now get out of the second apron. And if they want to be more free to shake up the roster, it means the Boston Celtics must also get out of the first apron. And the release of veteran player Sam Hauser this July is one of the efforts.
According to Jay King of The Athletic, the Boston Celtics currently still have $332,000 left over the line that separates the first apron from the second apron in the NBA league. And clearly this is a top priority for Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens to navigate the 2025-2026 season with the new ownership group.
“Sam Hauser is a player who has the potential to cut costs for the Boston Celtics and is still being considered. And it just so happens that the Denver Nuggets have the Traded Player Exception (TPE) or an exception for players traded for the salary mechanism. So it matches,” said Brad Steven as quoted by Chowder & Champions recently.
Sam Hauser himself, who is now 28 years old, has been a main rotation player for the Boston Celtics for the past three seasons. He has even been a starter when needed. Sam Hauser has appeared in 71 regular season games for the Boston Celtics since the 2022-23 season.
The release of Sam Hauser also means that The Green Machine will lose a 3-point shooter with a 42% success rate for the 2025-2026 season.
A bitter reality that Boston Celtics fans around the world have to swallow, of course. Heavy. But this decision was made entirely based on money calculations. Not from Hauser’s contribution on the field. So there’s no need to compare it anymore. It’s actually very difficult to discuss.
The long absence of mega star Jayson Tatum for the 2025-2026 season must also be admitted, making the projection of being in second place seem impossible for the Boston Celtics. The prospects for next year are also still unclear so there is no reason for The Green Machine to pay a high luxury tax bill.
Moreover, the overhaul of the player line-up to reduce salary costs has been carried out. And veteran player Sam Hauser is almost certain to be the third victim in the overhaul. (Bembo)