It has been a couple of days since Marcus Sensible was traded for Kristaps Porzingis and the mud continues to be selecting that deal. There’s only a lot to course of past the emotional “love and belief is gone” side.
The Boston Celtics won’t be “working it again” with the identical core group. Brad Stevens determined that we wanted a unique look and was as soon as once more decisive in making a daring transfer and I’ve a couple of leftover ideas to get down on “paper” earlier than we transfer on to free company.
As many analysts have identified, the Celtics obtained the man most imagine to be the very best participant within the commerce and nonetheless obtained two first rounders out of it. That’s a “win” in most individuals’s eyes from a pure asset perspective.
I do assume it’s value noting the extra transferring items, too. The Celtics traded Sensible, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, and the quantity 35 decide in trade for Porzingis, a Warriors protected 2024 first rounder, and the twenty fifth decide on this yr’s draft. They moved 25 for a number of 2nd rounders and used a type of to pick out Jordan Walsh (who they may have picked with the thirty fifth decide). All advised, that’s worth plus plus.
Photograph by Omar Rawlings/Getty Photos
The opposite shoe that should drop is Grant Williams. It very a lot seems that he’s out of the image now. We simply don’t know the way he’ll be leaving and what choices which will go away the Celtics with going ahead. NBC Sports activities Boston’s Chris Forsberg summarizes it like this:
The Celtics are not in place the place they’ll simply afford to splurge to retain Williams (at the very least not with out first transferring Brogdon’s wage). The truth is that if head coach Joe Mazzulla was reluctant to play Williams at occasions final season — together with within the postseason — the crew can’t afford to pay $12-plus million for a depth piece.
Boston can assist a crew land Williams by facilitating a possible sign-and-trade, however don’t anticipate a lot of a return. A crew with cap house doesn’t essentially want the Celtics’ help. What’s extra, Williams’ standing as a base-year compensation participant complicates sign-and-trade offers.
On paper, the Celtics roster is extra nicely balanced now. They’ve three ball handlers in Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon, and Payton Pritchard. Behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, they now have each Sam Hauser and Jordan Walsh who may present a situational offense/protection platoon. And naturally, the bigs at the moment are Porzingis, Al Horford, and Robert Williams III, every of whom is an damage danger in his personal means (however there’s nonetheless Luke Kornet round to sop up minutes within the common season).
With that mentioned, it doesn’t really feel like Brad Stevens is completed but. I’m not saying that he’s going to make any extra trades on the extent of the Sensible deal. I very a lot assume Jaylen Brown is sticking round on the supermax. However everybody on the earth is aware of that Brogdon was minutes away from being traded and I’m nonetheless not offered that Pritchard is content material staying in Boston. One thing has to occur with Grant, even when which means getting one other 2nd rounder and a TPE (that probably received’t be used).
I’m additionally absolutely anticipating to listen to a couple of Porzingis two-year extension introduced within the first day of free company. He and his agent absolutely knew that there was curiosity across the league (the Jazz, apparently) and used that leverage to pressure the Celtics hand earlier than the deadline to choose up his provide.
Then comes the superior degree calculus that hurts my head. If the Celtics lock up Jaylen with a supermax and lengthen Porzingis, we’re taking a look at a really costly crew long run. They’ll have Tatum, Brown, White, Porzingis, and perhaps Brogdon below contract for a couple of years and little or no wiggle room below the 2nd apron. Or in the event that they resolve to go all in and provides Grant a contract and blow by way of the apron, they’ll be placing themselves squarely within the sights of the brand new CBA (particularly designed to punish groups like that). If Wyc needs to put in writing the examine for that, who am I to inform him to not? I simply fear that there’s plenty of damage danger there and no good outs if issues don’t go completely subsequent season.
Clearly, there’s rather a lot left to work out right here. Fortunately, I usually belief Brad Stevens and Mike Zarren to have this mapped out nicely past something I may consider. Issues are altering rapidly within the NBA as of late (oh look, John Collins lastly obtained traded). The groups that can thrive would be the ones that may adapt the quickest. So, we’re going to be taught rather a lot right here within the subsequent week or so.
