The Boston Celtics have been busy on the trade market to start the offseason, as both Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have been dealt this week. They aren’t expected to be the only players on the move, as Sam Hauser is another guy who has seen his name pop up in trade rumors frequently as of late.
The allure of trading for Hauser isn’t all that difficult to see. His four-year, $45 million contract is set to kick in next season, and his sharpshooting skill set off the bench at the forward position is something that every playoff contender could use.
While the trade market for Hauser is reportedly “robust,” the Celtics are aware of how valuable he is. As a result, they reportedly are looking for ways to keep him in town, with recent acquisitions Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang being viewed as more likely to get traded away.
“Speculation has surrounded Sam Hauser’s future because it likely wouldn’t be difficult to find a taker for his four-year, $45 million contract (which would also fit inside another team’s non-taxpayer mid-level exception), but the Celtics are said to be more focused on avenues that would allow them to hold onto Hauser, who has proven himself as a valuable rotation piece and one of the NBA’s best shooters,” Jay King of The Athletic reported.
“The team agreed to acquire Simons and Georges Niang this week, but both players are candidates to be moved before they ever play a game for Boston.”
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Hauser averaged 8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game for Boston last season while shooting 45.1% from the field, which included a sparkling 41.6% on three-point attempts.
With Jayson Tatum set to miss the majority of the 2025-26 campaign after rupturing his Achilles, Hauser could be in line for a bigger role with the Celtics if the team holds onto him.
If Brad Stevens and the front office get the right trade offer for him, though, they could pull the trigger on a deal that would send him elsewhere. For now, Hauser remains a trade candidate, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Simons or Niang get moved instead of him at this point.