Former Tennessee guard Jaden Springer is headed to the Lone Star State.
According to a report from Shams Charania on Wednesday morning, the Boston Celtics are sending Jaden Springer and their 2030 second-round pick to the Houston Rockets. Charania also reported that “both teams are also exchanging heavily protected second-rounders.”
Boston’s move with Springer appears to be a financially motivated decision.
“The Boston Celtics will create net savings of $16 million against the payroll and luxury tax by getting off Jaden Springer’s $4 million salary,” NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan posted to X. “They create a $4 million trade exception and still have 5 second-round picks available. They have two weeks to get back to 14 players.”
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Springer played one season at Tennessee under Rick Barnes before being drafted in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 6-foot-4 guard spent his first three seasons with Philadelphia and did play some with the 76ers’ G-League squad but was traded to the Boston Celtics during his third season in the association. Springer was a Boston pick-up during last season’s trade deadline and was on the roster for the Celtics’ NBA Championship win over the Mavericks last summer.
Springer has played 26 games with the Celtics this season but is only averaging 1.7 points in 5.4 minutes on the court per game. While Springer does have a strong defensive presence to his game, the Celtics needed to open up some space and the former Vol was a prime candidate.
“Boston moving Jaden Springer is about opening an additional roster spot and reducing their tax bill,” NBA analyst Keith Smith wrote on X. “Roughly $15M in actual dollars saved by the Celtics in this move, before signing a replacement player. Houston takes a flyer (assuming they keep Springer) and picks up an additional asset by renting out some room under the tax.”
The Houston Rockets are currently third in the Western Conference standings with a 32-18 record on the season. Springer joins an organization that is looking for its first NBA title since 1995.
The Boston Celtics are trading Jaden Springer and their 2030 second-round pick to the Houston Rockets, sources tell ESPN. Both teams are also exchanging heavily protected second-rounders. pic.twitter.com/rhcmgvvJQo
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2025
