The Boston Celtics have traded guard Jaden Springer to the Houston Rockets, marking the end of his tenure with the team just a year after they acquired him at last season’s trade deadline.

In exchange for Springer, the Celtics received a conditional second-round pick for 2031 while agreeing to send a 2030 second-round pick and a conditional second-round pick for 2027 back to the Rockets.

This transaction is primarily aimed at giving the Celtics some relief from luxury tax implications. Springer is in the final year of a four-year contract that he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers as a first-round draft pick in 2021, earning just over $4 million this season. He was traded to the Celtics in February of last year.

If the Celtics had retained Springer, he could have significantly increased their luxury tax bill, potentially costing them nearly four times more due to repeater penalties, given that the team has found itself in the tax bracket in three of the last four seasons.

Since joining Boston, Springer has played in 43 games, averaging 1.9 points and 1.0 rebounds in approximately 6.3 minutes of playing time per game. He also participated in four playoff games during Boston’s quest for the championship last season.

This latest move reflects the Celtics’ ongoing strategy to manage their financial commitments while reconfiguring the roster as the season progresses.