In a heartbreaking development for Boston Celtics fans, the Los Angeles Lakers are signing Marcus Smart, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
The 11-year veteran has already secured a buyout from the Washington Wizards. While Charania reports that the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns were serious suitors for Smart, Luka Doncic successfully recruited him to wear the purple and gold.
The franchise residing in the nation's capital also agreed to buy out Blake Wesley, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The former 25th overall pick converted on 37 percent of the threes he hoisted in the second half of the 2024-25 campaign. He's also a defensive bulldog on the perimeter.
Wesley joined the Wizards in the trade that sent Kelly Olynyk to the San Antonio Spurs. The six-foot-five wing averaged 4.3 points and 2.4 assists in his three years in the Alamo City.
Should the Celtics sign Blake Wesley?
The former Notre Dame Fighting Irish star turned 22 in March. He has made significant strides in his three years in the Association and offers plenty of upside.
In a vacuum, it's worth it for Boston to see what its infrastructure can do for Wesley's development. However, there are significant additional factors that will weigh heavily in that decision.
The Celtics are over the second apron. They have also filled 15 roster spots. That's the regular season maximum.
They could waive JD Davison's non-guaranteed option. However, gaining flexibility is the organization's priority. Deciding to do the former may not come with a corresponding move.
Signing Wesley doesn't figure to break the bank. Still, his market might go beyond what Boston's restrictions allow.
That could change if the franchise sheds significant salary in an Anfernee Simons trade. However, that also seems unlikely. The Celtics are $20.3 million over the luxury tax.
The goal could be to get below that threshold, perhaps with an eye on resetting the repeater tax by remaining underneath it for two years. If so, offloading enough salary to then sign Wesley without going over the luxury tax again seems difficult to accomplish.
Signing Wesley could obstruct another priority
Adding the Indiana native would be a welcome and intriguing addition. However, he could get in the way of the development of recent draft picks.
Wesley, now a seasoned NBA veteran, is more ready to play at this level than the Celtics' first-round draft pick, Hugo Gonzalez. The 19-year-old is acclimating to a style that is dramatically different from how the game's played in Spain.
Gonzalez is also a raw prospect. He averaged 11 minutes per game on a Real Madrid team loaded with former NBA players. Allowing him to work through his growing pains will do more for his development than competing with Wesley for opportunities.
The same goes for Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh. If Wesley signs with Boston, the former shouldn't feel threatened. However, his playing time could cut into the minutes Scheierman is in line for without that acquisition.
If he outplays Walsh, then the writing is seemingly on the wall for the latter.
Wesley could arrive in Boston and become a contributor who sticks around for multiple seasons. However, the restrictions shackling the Celtics and the need to develop the younger talent on the roster are significant reasons to pass on this potential opportunity.