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CLEVELAND, OHIO – NOVEMBER 30: Payton Pritchard #11 and Sam Hauser #30 of the Boston Celtics celebrate during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on November 30, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 117-115. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
In Monday night’s disappointing loss to the top-of-the-East Pistons, Celtics sharpshooter Sam Hauser played all of just four minutes before he had to pull himself off the floor with an ankle injury early in the second quarter. He had taken one 3-point shot on the night, and missed it, and did not return to the game. Hauser hobbled off under his own power, leaving open some hope that the ankle injury won’t be that serious.
Still, there’s a chance that Hauser will miss a few games with the injury, which is not great timing. That’s because, while some are still holding out hope that the Celtics will change their trade deadline plans drastically in the coming weeks and seek to add a player for the stretch run, the fact is, the Celtics have not come off their intention of cutting payroll, getting themselves under the luxury tax threshold, and allowing team president Brad Stevens some breathing room going forward.
While trading Anfernee Simons would be the preferred way to accomplish that goal, Simons’ hefty $27.7 million salary for this season is prohibitive–dealing away Hauser and the $10 million salary he has for 2025-26 is the easier path.
Celtics Seeking to Get Below Luxury Tax
The Celtics are, currently, $12 million over the luxury tax threshold, so they would need to trade Hauser, perhaps as part of a multi-team deal, along with at least one other player to get below the penalty. Doing so will open up more trade freedom as well as cap exceptions, and remove them from the repeater tax list.
If Hauser were having his standard-issue season as a 3-point marksman, that might not be too difficult. Hauser is signed for three years after this one, at $45 million total, a reasonable number for a player with a career 41.2% 3-point success rate.
It has not been a standard Hauser season, though. He is averaging 6.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists after Monday’s short stint, and has missed his last 12 3-point attempts, dropping him to a career-low 34.0% on his 3-pointers.
GettyBrad Stevens of the Boston Celtics.
Sam Hauser Struggling With Shooting
That makes finding a trade partner on Hauser tough sledding for the Celtics. Teams might be willing to overlook his season’s struggles considering his reputation as a 3-point shooter over the years, but the fact that he still has three years on the deal after this one, and now has an ankle injury, will give potential suitors pause.
Writes John Hollinger of The Athletic, “(A Sam Hauser offer) would be a more tempting package if Hauser were shooting better, but his struggles from deep (just 34.2 percent on 3s, and a 9.3 PER, in 2025-26) have put a lid on his value. On the other hand, if a rival team thinks it’s just random variance and believes more in his career 41.2 percent mark from 3, it might be thrilled at the price they could get.”
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney
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