How will NBA’s new CBA impact Celtics?

On Sunday, Jon Lyons and KJ Carson were on WEEI and hit on many topics, including Jaylen Brown being left off the Olympic team. That discussion led to the guys giving thoughts on the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and how difficult it will be for the Celtics to keep the team together after 2026.

“The NBA CBA blows,” Lyons said. “I think that’s really one of the major driving forces behind the Celtics sale. The second apron means it’s going to cost the Celtics $500 million just to have the roster show up in two years. We’re seeing it here with the Celtics having to sell. We’re seeing it with Klay Thompson having to leaving the Warriors in part because of that. We’re going to see smaller market teams struggle in the years to come to keep their stars…OKC is the team. Watch what happens with Indiana, OKC, or Orlando.

“One of those three, maybe more than one, is going to start losing their stars and their core because they won’t be able to afford the second apron. We’re lucky here, the Celtics have signed these guys for now and look like they can afford the second apron and can pay it. Golden State, they paid it. But there is going to be teams that can’t afford it.”

KJ and Lyons went back and forth about how those teams could save money to keep stars and if the Celtics’ new owner would be willing to pay the tax.