The Boston Celtics may use frontcourt depth this offseason. How a couple of 7-foot-3 huge man who can shoot threes?
Boston is pursuing Washington Wizards star Kristaps Porzingis and has “been in discussions on a possible framework” for an opt-in-and-trade deal involving the veteran ahead, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday.
UPDATE (3:30 p.m. ET): The Celtics, Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers are in “robust talks” on a three-team commerce that might ship Porzingis to Boston, Malcolm Brogdon to Los Angeles and Marcus Morris to Washington, Charania experiences. The deal is taken into account a “excessive chance,” per Charania, with Boston probably together with Danilo Gallinari and his $6.8 million expiring contract within the commerce.
In a sign-and-trade state of affairs, Porzingis would choose in to his $36 million participant choice with Washington for the 2023-24 season, then be dealt to the Celtics, the place he’d be on an expiring contract.
It is unclear what Boston must half with to land the 27-year-old, however one package deal that might work from a monetary perspective may contain guard Malcolm Brogdon ($22.5 million cap hit for 2023-24) and large man Danilo Gallinari, who simply exercised his $6.8 million participant choice. Our Chris Forsberg additionally puzzled if a 3rd staff may very well be concerned in a Porzingis-to-Boston deal.
Porzingis is coming off a really robust 2022-23 marketing campaign wherein he averaged 23.2 factors, 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per recreation for the Wizards whereas capturing 38.5 % from 3-point vary. He’d give the Celtics a much-needed offensive increase within the frontcourt and a reputable third scorer to pair with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The most important disadvantage with Porzingis, after all, is his harm historical past: The No. 4 decide within the 2015 NBA Draft has missed not less than 15 video games in each season since his rookie 12 months and missed all the 2018-19 marketing campaign on account of a torn ACL.
Nonetheless, the Celtics ought to all-in on profitable Banner 18 in 2023-24, so it is value not less than pursuing a participant of Porzingis’ caliber.