The Celtics should be in the market for center help this summer, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. Kristaps Porzingis is a prime candidate to be traded because of his $30.7MM salary for next season, while Al Horford and Luke Kornet are both headed to free agency. There’s no guarantee that Horford, who turned 39 earlier this month, will continue playing as Boston may take a step back from title contention in the wake of Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tear.
Robb notes that the Celtics will miss Tatum’s rebounding prowess next season, as none of the team’s current options in the middle are particularly strong on the boards. Tatum averaged 8.7 rebounds this year, and Boston was dominated off the glass without him in its Game 6 loss to New York.
Robb adds that the Celtics will have to take back some salary in the expected deals involving Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and possibly others, so that may be an avenue to find help in the middle. Boston would be limited to veteran’s minimum offers in free agency, and Robb suggests that would involve players in the class of Mason Plumlee, Jaxson Hayes or Paul Reed.
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Steven Adams‘ new contract in Houston takes a prominent center off the free agent market and could increase the value of Horford and Kornet, Robb adds in a separate piece. Once the top names such as Myles Turner and Naz Reid are off the board, Robb suggests that Horford and Kornet could get offers at the taxpayer midlevel exception ($5.7MM) or higher. The Celtics hold Bird Rights on both players.
- Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins could serve as an inspiration for Tatum as he works his way back from the Achilles injury, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Wilkins ruptured his Achilles in January of 1992 when it was considered a potential career-ending injury, but he was able to return for opening night of the 1992/93 season and averaged 29.9 PPG while finishing fifth in the MVP voting. “That injury is a serious injury,” Wilkins told Washburn. “And Jayson had the same type of injury I had, meaning he had a complete tear because there is no way you could walk off the floor. That’s a devastating injury, but the thing is the work he puts in is going to determine what he gets out of it. I worked twice a day every day for nine months and came back quicker than anybody. But it was my level of commitment and Jayson is a kid that loves the game and I have a lot of respect and am a fan of his. I have no doubt that he’s going to put in the work to get back to the same level he was.”
- Justin Quinn of Celtics Wire takes a look at all the players the team has hosted for pre-draft workouts, including prominent names such as Cedric Coward and Drake Powell. Boston has the 28th and 32nd picks in this year’s draft.
4 teams really want to reduce luxury taxes
They could sell the starters for cheap
Celtics
Cavs
Suns
Wolves
Kornet had a career year, and will be 30 years old. Anybody have an opinion on what his market will be?
Contenders looking for a cheap backup.
I can’t imagine any team overpaying him by that much but who knows with todays NBA. He could get a 3 year/30 million dollar deal.
I’m fine with queta getting more minutes
Dallas: Jrue Holiday and the 28th overall pick
Boston: PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford
Washington: Kristaps Porzingis
Boston: Marcus Smart and the 40th overall pick
Boston save money from the KP salary dump and reload up with good depth.
White Brown Hauser Washington Gafford
Pritchard Smart … … Horford
You’re then got Walsh Scheirman Tillman Queta plus picks 32 and 40.
Tatum will return eventually
PJ and Gafford both will need extensions eventually but for now both are only 26 and really help fill the void down low and provide some athleticism. Smart helps replace Jrue and can serve as a leader for the young guys.
Plus you’ve got plenty of back ups worth developing and giving some extra minutes too.
Simmons>Russ,
You missed the storyline. The Celtics are trading away long-term contracts for expiring contracts so they can get under the cap.
Washington and Gafford are both UFA’s at the end of the season, on expiring contracts. The entire point of acquiring them for Holiday’s 3 year deal is to dump them asap, not retain them. The same applies to Smart.
There are a lot of teams desperately needing guys like Gafford and Washington. Each of Them should bring a decent Player and a first rounder back to Dallas. Just Look at the Lakers Trading for Gafford.
Both for a 35 year Old pg? Funny idea.
@ Aristotle….storyline? Do you work in Boston’s front office? You already seem to know how they are approaching this off season. They don’t really have to trade anyone. Stories, rumours, facts? Relax….you like other GSW Warrior fans do have a Celtic hate button. Why? Not like the two have had some monster rivalry. Or were you guys lakers when San Fran sucked?
Kornet deserves better than the minimum.
Celtics have two decent picks in draft. There will be bigs there. I don’t see Kornet coming back. Al could but it would have to be at a discount.
Celtics are still a playoff team next year. Even with a Holiday trade. I don’t get all this break them up stuff. If Celtics really want to retool. Then Jalen Brown to Spurs gets it done. Barnes an expiring contract plus picks, young talent. Definitely try for Castle.