The NBA trade season is always a wild ride, and for the Boston Celtics, it’s been a while since they’ve been active participants rather than mere spectators. This summer, however, change feels inevitable. Boston faces a financial crunch, needing to shed roughly $20 million from their payroll to avoid being a second-apron team for the third straight season. Teams spending above the $207.8 million threshold face steep penalties, and those who do so three times in five years get the added punishment of having future first-round picks automatically drop to 30th overall.
My mom sparked this discussion earlier today, just as I was about to dive into my Johni Broome scouting report. “Do you think they’d trade Jayson [Tatum] this summer?” she asked, half-wondering about a blockbuster swap for Giannis Antetokounmpo rather than a salary dump. A Reddit post in the Celtics subreddit this week also stirred the pot, asking fans to weigh in on the idea. While superstar trade daydreams are fun, this one just doesn’t add up.
No, the Celtics should not—and will not—trade Jayson Tatum this summer. Technically, they could, as long as it happens after July 6. But that should be the end of any serious Tatum trade talk. Even the most ardent Tatum critic shouldn’t want him dealt right now. If I had to rank the worst possible times to trade him, the summer of 2025 would top the list.
From a pure basketball perspective, trading Tatum now makes no sense. Less than a month ago, he tore his Achilles, a devastating injury. If Brad Stevens, the Celtics’ President of Basketball Operations, started taking calls, offers would be well below market value. No opposing GM would pay full price without knowing if Tatum will return to his elite form. Why risk it?
Beyond the court, the human element looms large. Tatum’s eighth season in green ended in gut-wrenching fashion with the injury, but the years before were remarkable. His resume outshines 95% of Celtics legends: five All-NBA selections, five Eastern Conference Finals appearances, two NBA Finals runs, and, of course, leading Boston to their 18th title in 2024. The St. Louis native has been a stellar role model for kids in New England and beyond since being drafted in 2017. He’s embraced the Celtics’ legacy, representing the organization with class and commitment.
Trading him now would be a massive slap in the face to Tatum. If Boston moved him and then stumbled into a championship drought, fans and analysts would point to that deal as the start of a “Tatum curse.” The day the Celtics trade Jayson Tatum is the day they surrender their soul—abandoning loyalty, legacy, and the heart of a franchise cornerstone for a gamble that’s unlikely to pay off.