Boston Celtics beat reporter's strong message on trade involving several ex-Cs: 'This is very depressing'
MassLive's Brian Robb had a brutally blunt take on a deal that sent two former Boston Celtics from last season, Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala, to the Detroit Pistons and Marvin Bagley, Isaiah Livers, and two second-round picks being routed to the Washington Wizards.
"This is a very depressing trade," Robb wrote.
The explanation from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on why the deal took place confirms that sentiment.
"Detroit moves Bagley’s contract ($12.5M in 2024-2025) for two future second-round picks," Woj prefaced before saying, "Livers ($1.8M), Gallinari ($6.8M) and Muscala ($3.5M) are on expiring contracts."
Bagley, remember, was the No. 2 overall pick in 2018. Just six years later, his contract is considered one that needs to be attached by the league's most embarrassingly underperforming franchise to two second-round draft picks.
That is perhaps the most depressing part of this deal. Or the fact that it means nothing in relation to the NBA's standings, or even lottery race, since both teams are already in the bottom-four Association-wide.
Gallinari and Muscala don't figure to be keepers for the Pistons, with a buyout the most likely ending to both men's time in Detroit. On the flip side, Bagley having a long-term future in the Nation's capital would be somewhat shocking.
Boston Celtics definitively won the Kristaps Porzingis trade
The three players the Celtics traded away in the Kristaps Porzingis deal have either already been traded again, and the third, Marcus Smart, is being included in mock trades himself. Meanwhile, Porzingis has fit in and adequately sacrificed to become the league's best No. 3 option.
It goes without saying, but the Houdini will certainly take the time to say it: the Celtics definitely won the Porzingis trade.
Of course, even Boston will have regrets if there's no Banner 18 raised by, at latest, Fall 2025. But for now, it's not even close when it comes to re-grading this trade.