The negotiating period of NBA free agency begins Sunday night, but the Celtics reportedly plan to ensure a key rotation player doesn’t enter the open market.
According to The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach, citing multiple sources, Boston plans to pick up Sam Hauser’s $2.1 million option before Saturday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline. Himmelsbach added the sides are expected to begin negotiations on an extension for the 26-year-old after the window for those discussions opens July 9.
Celtics president of basketball operations didn’t reveal details but made it clear extending Hauser was a priority; it’s also a priority to extend Derrick White, too, according to MassLive’s Brian Robb.
Hauser signed a two-way deal with the C’s in 2021 and became a key part of Joe Mazzulla’s rotation this season. He played an important role in helping the Celtics win the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. the three-year forward averaged 9.0 points on 42.4% 3-point shooting while playing 79 games on 22 minutes per game.
Boston will be tied up in cap restrictions — especially when negotiating Jayson Tatum’s expected supermax contract extension — but it will be focused on signing long-term deals with the rotation that helped it win Banner 18 so it can try to repeat next season.
