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Celtics' Updated Roster, 2021 Salary Cap After Reported Evan Fournier Trade
March 25, 2021
The Boston Celtics are reportedly set to acquire shooting guard Evan Fournier from the Orlando Magic ahead of Thursday's 2021 NBA trade deadline, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Here's a look at the Celtics' projected rotation with the addition of the veteran sharpshooter:
Starting Lineup
- G: Kemba Walker
- G: Evan Fournier
- F: Jaylen Brown
- F: Jayson Tatum
- C: Daniel Theis
Reserves
- G: Marcus Smart
- G: Jeff Teague
- G: Payton Pritchard
- G: Aaron Nesmith
- G: Tremont Waters
- F: Grant Williams
- F: Tristan Thompson
- F: Semi Ojeleye
- C: Robert Williams III
- C: Tacko Fall
ESPN's Bobby Marks provided details about the salary-cap implications:
Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42Fournier has a $17.15M cap hit that will now get adjusted to $17.45M. The $300K increase is a result of 2 sets of bonuses- 2nd rd. of the playoffs and Conf. Finals now being deemed likely (BOS reached both last yr). BOS is $1.6M over the tax and need to open up a roster spot.
Fournier averaged 19.7 points, 3.7 assists and 2.9 rebounds across 26 appearances for the Magic this season before the trade. He's been sidelined by injuries on multiple occasions, including two stints out of the lineup with back spasms and a groin injury.
His offensive usage will likely dip on a more talented Boston squad, but he should remain an effective asset whether he's in the lineup or coming off the bench. He's knocking down 2.8 threes per game while shooting 38.8 percent from beyond the arc. It's an area the C's needed to improve before the playoffs.
The 28-year-old Frenchman scored 52 points combined in his final two games with the Magic, Tuesday's loss to the Denver Nuggets and Wednesday's victory over the Phoenix Suns, in which he scored the game-winning layup with six seconds left.
"If I spent energy thinking about what might happen, I guarantee you I'm not going to be able to perform tonight, and that's obviously my priority," Fournier told reporters Tuesday. "I want to play good tonight and I want to win. So, I really don't look much into all the rumors and stuff."
Now he'll head to Boston, where he'll play a lot more high-profile games during the final season of his five-year, $85 million contract. He can become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.
Fournier will split time at shooting guard with Smart in what will likely be a pretty even timeshare, regardless of who starts and who comes off the bench.
It's the type of addition that could provide a much-needed spark for the Celtics, who sit eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 21-23 record.
Boston returns to action Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks, but it's unclear when Fournier is going to make him team debut because of COVID-19 protocols.