An NBA trade idea sending Brooklyn Nets guard Terance Mann and Toronto Raptors forward Ochai Agbaji to the Boston Celtics has been created.
NBA writer Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report created the following trade idea between the Celtics, Raptors and Nets:
Boston Celtics get: Terance Mann, Ochai Agbaji and a 2030 second-round pick from Toronto
Toronto Raptors get: Anfernee Simons
Brooklyn Nets get: RJ Barrett and a 2031 second-round pick from Boston
The Celtics are trying to trade Simons, who has one year left on his contract. Simons will make $27.7 million next season. Boston acquired the combo guard from the Portland Trail Blazers in the Jrue Holiday trade.
Mann played for the Los Angeles Clippers and Atlanta Hawks last season. He was traded to the Nets this offseason. The 28-year-old averaged 7.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.2 blocks in 2024-25 while shooting 49.6% from the field, 36.8% from beyond the arc and 69.1% from the free-throw line.
Meanwhile, Agbaji appeared in 64 games for the Raptors last season. He averaged 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks while shooting 49.8% from the field, 39.9% from beyond the arc and 70.8% from the free-throw line.
Mann will make $15.5 million next season, while Agbaji will make $6.4 million.
“As previously mentioned, this deal is primarily about cutting costs for Boston,” Bailey wrote. “Letting Al Horford walk and trading Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis helped the Celtics get under the dreaded second apron, but there’s still some work to do to dodge the first or duck the luxury tax entirely.
“And again, for a team whose best player will be spending the year rehabbing a ruptured Achilles, avoiding the penalties that come with hefty payrolls makes a lot of sense. If Boston can somehow reset their ‘repeater tax’ by getting their roster under the $187.9 million luxury tax line this season, building in the future could be far less painful (and expensive).
“This move doesn’t quite achieve that ultimate goal, but it would bring the Celtics below the first-apron line, while also giving them a flyer on a young(ish) wing in 25-year-old Ochai Agbaji and another potential trade chip in Terance Mann.”
The Celtics won’t be a title contender next season since Jayson Tatum is expected to miss the entire campaign recovering from his torn right Achilles tendon.