Celtics' Starting Lineup, Salary Cap, Draft Picks After Kristaps Porziņģis Trade
The Boston Celtics are reportedly finalizing a major trade on the eve of the NBA draft.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics acquired Kristaps Porziņģis from the Washington Wizards, with Marcus Smart headed to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Celtics also received 2023 and 2024 first-round picks from the Grizzlies, per Wojnarowski, who also noted the Wizards received Grizzlies point guard Tyus Jones and a 2023 second-round pick. The Wizards also received Mike Muscala and Danilo Gallinari in the trade, per Wojnarowski.
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To facilitate the trade, Porziņģis will have to exercise his $36 million player option for the 2023-24 season.
Kristaps Porziņģis, PF: $36M (2024)
Jayson Tatum, PF: $32.6M (2026)
Jaylen Brown, SG: $28.5M (2024)
Malcolm Brogdon, PG: $22.5M (2025)
Derrick White, PG: $17.6M (2025)
Robert Williams III, C: $11.6M (2026)
Al Horford, PF: $10M (2025)
Payton Pritchard, PG: $4M (2024)
Luke Kornet, C: $2.4M (2024)
Sam Hauser, SF: $1.9M (2025)
Justin Champagnie, SF: $1.9M (2024)
Grant Williams, PF: RFA
Blake Griffin, PF: UFA
Mfiondu Kabengele, PF: RFA
J.D. Davison, PG: RFA
Celtics Starting Lineup
PG: Malcolm Brogdon
SG: Derrick White
SG: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Kristaps Porziņģis
Per Spotrac, the Celtics now have a total salary cap number of $192,918,569, giving them -$56,918,569 in cap max space and -$39,220,851 in practical cap space.
In terms of draft picks, the Celtics moved up 10 spots in the 2023 NBA draft as part of the trade, sending the No. 35 overall pick in the second round to Memphis, and landing the No. 25 overall pick in the first round.
That will be the Celtics' only pick in the 2023 draft, plus they now have their own first-round pick and the Golden State Warriors' top-four protected first-round pick in next year's draft.
The Celtics are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2022-23 season that saw the team lose to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Boston overcame a 3-0 deficit in that series and had Game 7 at home, but the Celtics were blown out 103-84 to end their season.
Porziņģis at minimum should be a huge boost to the offense. He averaged 23.2 points on 49.8 percent shooting (38.5 percent from three), 8.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists last year.
It remains to be seen how he would mesh with established Boston stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but that trio should be very hard for teams to contend with on a nightly basis.
Losing Smart will impact the Celtics on both ends of the floor. The point guard averaged 11.3 points, 6.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds last season, but has a reputation as one of the top defensive guards in basketball. The onus would presumably be on Malcolm Brogdon and Payton Pritchard to assume a bigger role next season.
Ultimately, the clock is ticking on this era of Celtics basketball, which has seen the team routinely get close to the promised land but fall short. Perhaps this is the move that will finally get the team over the hump.
