11:13am: The trade is official, the Celtics and Heat announced. The second-rounder going to Miami is a protected 2019 selection, according to the Heat.
11:07am: The Heat are sending enough cash in the deal to cover Dragic’s salary, reports Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).
10:49am: The second-rounder going to Boston is for 2020, reports Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel (Twitter link).
10:11am: The Celtics are acquiring Zoran Dragic from the Heat, reports Dan Le Batard of the Miami Herald and ESPN (Twitter link). He’s the brother of Goran Dragic, who’s OK with the deal, Le Batard adds. The Heat are also sending out a second-rounder, with another heavily protected second-rounder heading from Boston to Miami, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It looks like the Heat aren’t taking salary back in the deal, so they’ll be able to reap luxury tax savings on top of the more than $1.706MM owed to Dragic for this coming season.
Miami has been carrying about $90.9MM in guaranteed salary, above the league’s $84.74MM tax threshold. The Dragic deal won’t take the team under that figure, and the Heat continue to look for takers for Mario Chalmers and his $4.3MM salary, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link). Miami would be subject to repeat-offender tax penalties if it’s above the tax threshold at the end of the regular season.
The Celtics use cap space to take in Dragic. Boston is set to complete the David Lee trade later today, but as that move has lingered as unofficial, the C’s have been able to operate as a team with cap space, making moves like the Perry Jones III trade and signing Jordan Mickey for more than two years. Boston had already been in line to carry 16 fully guaranteed contracts for the season ahead, so it would seem Dragic’s place on the opening night roster for the Celtics is not assured.
Miami also whittled its tax bill down with Sunday’s agreement to trade Shabazz Napier to the Magic. The Napier and Dragic deals stand to save the Heat around $11MM in salary and tax penalties combined, depending on other transactions, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.
What the??
Yay ANOTHER guard!!
The last thing that the celtics need is another guard smh
Why? They don’t need any more guards and they damn sure don’t need to help the Heat out of their financial problems.
Lol at all the comments thinking it’s Goran
Wtf is Danny doing? Seriously? ANOTHER F****** GUARD?!?!
lol so does this mean Winslow can take that #12 since it’s available
I didnt think this would happen cuz of goran
Zoran plays forward
we only picked him up to trade him. something is going to happen soon, watch out.
I’m kind of surprised at the comments here…. Folks, the C just received ANOTHER 2nd rounder for taking on this contract/trade fodder. Great move.
Wat the f Danny
Zoran is a 6’5 shooting GUARD. No matter, just read that he was immediately being waived by the Celts, with the Heat paying his remaining salary. We basically got an unprotected 2nd round pick for absolutely nothing.
I’m slightly less inclined to want to move Chalmers right away after moving one of our combo guards, thought i probaby think theyre still workin to do so. Still, I would assume the Heat don’t think Zoran will improve his shooting, and therefore decided to get his money off the tax. He also has lapses defensively. I like his game. If he gets playing time somewhere, I think he can contribute. I like Tyler johnson and Josh Richardson better though lol