The Boston Celtics have suffered a quiet but significant setback as the 2023-24 season ended. Trade exceptions have long been a valuable tool for roster construction. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, the CBA has become a perishable commodity for teams in the second apron of the luxury tax.
The Celtics navigated much of last season over this threshold. The Celtics have now lost several key trade exceptions . These exceptions, worth millions, expired unused as the regular season ended—marking a missed opportunity for the team.
NBA Business: Celtics Lose Valuable Trade Assets Impact of the New CBA on Trade Exceptions The new CBA, enacted in July 2023, introduced harsher penalties for teams that exceed the second apron. This is a tier of the luxury tax set to penalize high-spending franchises. One of the most critical penalties involves the loss of trade exceptions if they aren’t used by the end of the regular season.
Trade exceptions allow teams to absorb a player’s salary in a trade without having to match salaries. This creates flexibility in building a roster. However, under the new rules, failing to use these exceptions in time results in them expiring, with no compensation.
For the Celtics, this deadline passed without action. The team had notable trade exceptions that could have been used to acquire additional assets during the 2023-24 season. With the close of the 2023-24 season, these trade exceptions expired, rendering these Celtics’ options obsole.