The 18-time NBA champion Boston Celtics may insist they do not see this season as a “rebuilding year,” but the reality tells a different story. Thanks to the restrictions imposed by the new “second apron” provisions of the NBA collective bargaining agreement (CBA), Brad Stevens, the team’s president of basketball operations, was forced to largely dismantle the squad that captured the 2024 championship and followed up with a 61-win season last year.
### Key Departures and Challenges
Under the new financial restrictions and penalties for exceeding the second salary “apron,” Stevens had little choice but to trade away some key players. Two-time All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday and 10-year veteran “unicorn” big man Kristaps Porzingis were both moved to comply with the CBA limits.
The Celtics also lost other important contributors from their championship run. Backup center Luke Kornet signed with the San Antonio Spurs in free agency. Meanwhile, 39-year-old, 19-year veteran Al Horford—arguably the spiritual heart and soul of the team—departed for the Golden State Warriors.
Perhaps the most devastating loss came on the court, as four-time All-NBA first teamer Jayson Tatum suffered a torn Achilles tendon during a playoff game against the New York Knicks in May. He is expected to miss the entire 2025-2026 season.
### Limited Draft Capital in Recent Years
With a recent run of success, the Celtics have not had a top-10 draft pick since selecting Tatum No. 3 overall in 2017. In fact, they haven’t had a pick higher than No. 14 since then. However, on Thursday, the team showed strong confidence in their 2024 first-round pick, selected No. 30 overall out of Creighton University.
### Celtics Pick Up Option on Baylor Scheierman
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Celtics have exercised the third-year $2.74 million team option on Baylor Scheierman for the 2026-27 season. The team faced a Friday deadline to decide whether to keep the 25-year-old forward for another year.
Surprisingly, as recently as Wednesday night—following a 20-point win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden—Scheierman told MassLive that he had not yet had any conversations with team officials about his future. Nonetheless, the following day, Boston officially secured his contract for the next season.
### Scheierman’s Role and Financial Impact
Scheierman had an uneven rookie year, appearing in 31 games under Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. He averaged 3.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in about 12.4 minutes per game. So far in the 2025-2026 season, the 6-foot-6, 205-pound forward has played in four of five games, logging an average of 8.5 minutes per contest.
The primary motivation behind retaining Scheierman is likely financial. By exercising the team option, Boston commits just $2.74 million for next season, a modest increase from the $2.6 million paid this season.
### A Smart Move Amid Salary Cap Constraints
As Brian Robb of MassLive points out, “Those low-cost deals are the types of contracts the Celtics will need to fill out their roster after having a couple of supermax contracts taking up a large chunk of the cap.”
These supermax deals include Jaylen Brown, who in 2023 signed a five-year extension worth $285.4 million, and Jayson Tatum, who in 2024 received his own supermax contract totaling $313.9 million over five seasons.
Retaining Scheierman gives the Celtics a cost-effective piece as they look to rebuild and reassemble a winning unit, both on the court and financially.
https://heavy.com/sports/nba/boston-celtics/baylor-scheierman-contract-option/
