In the short term, most other teams in the NBA would trade places with the Boston Celtics. They are a top contender to win the NBA Championship this year, and they have two of the best stars in the league, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. In the long term, most teams would still make the swap, but the waters get murky very quickly.
As a second-year second-apron team, the Celtics will have some very tough decisions to make after this season. Bill Chisholm just bought the team, which some took as a signal that Boston could be willing to pay the enormous luxury tax bill it would take to keep their roster together.
But current owner Wyc Grousbeck (who is sticking around as CEO) made it very clear that a willingness to pay isn’t what’s getting in the way.
Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis could be on Celtics trade block
During an appearance on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show, Grousbeck detailed how impossible it is to stay in the second apron for more than two years.
"You can't stay in the second apron," Grousbeck said. "Nobody will. I predict for the next 40 years of the CBA no one's gonna stay in the second apron more than two years."
Considering this is the second year the Celtics have been a second-apron team, it seems almost certain that they will dip under that mark heading into next season. Grousbeck almost said as much.
And with that, there are two players who have become obvious suitors to be traded this summer.
Jrue Holiday
Perhaps the most obvious of the bunch, Jrue Holiday could very well be looking at his last playoff run in Boston this year.
Set to make $32.4 million next season (and with two more years on his contract after that at an increasing rate), trading Holiday would do wonders for Boston’s luxury tax problems, should they find the right deal.
According to Spotrac, the Celtics are projected to be a little less than $18 million over the second apron next season. Trading Holiday’s contract would allow them to get under that mark and have a little wiggle room to re-sign guys like Luke Kornet and Al Horford.
Plus, with Derrick White and Payton Pritchard holding down the fort at the guard position, the Celtics have a little flexibility there.
Kristaps Porzingis
If the Celtics want to keep the best defensive backcourt in the NBA in tact, then they could instead look to trade Kristaps Porzingis.
The Latvian big man will make $30.7 million next season, so trading his contract would achieve virtually the same goals as trading Holiday’s would.
Boston’s big man position is a bit less sturdy than their guard spot, but Porzingis’ injury history could be a factor in them trading him over Holiday.
In addition, if other teams would rather take a chance on Porzingis’ upside than Holiday’s defense, especially seeing that the guard will be 35 next season, maybe the Celtics could get a more ideal return for the big man.
Trading Tatum or Brown doesn't make much sense, as they are the pillars of the organization, and White's age and skill set make him the ideal fit alongside those two guys. That leaves Holiday or Porzingis as the odd man out.
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