Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has had plenty of late nights at Auerbach Center this month, but there’s still work to be done as the Celtics reshape both their roster and personnel of coaches after falling short of league expectations last season.
So what exactly is on Stevens’ to-do list moving forward? Let’s start with a reset of Boston’s position following the acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis in a pre-draft blockbuster:
Depth chart and paycheck
The Celtics have 11 players under contract for next season and can add a 12th if No. 38 pick Jordan Walsh is signed to the parent roster. A look at Boston’s potential depth chart:
The Celtics could add another ball handler if 2022 second-round pick JD Davison is elevated to the parent list after being a two-way player last season. Kornet is on an unsecured contract, while Champagnie, picked up at the end of last season, would see a good chunk of his salary guaranteed on opening night if he remained on the roster.
With Porzingis and his team-high $36 million salary now on Boston’s books, the Celtics have committed about $175 million. That leaves them with around $7.5 million from the second deck ($182.5 million).
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Boston could use the $5 million taxpayer mid-tier, but would cap themselves at the second line of the apron, potentially handcuffing the team in any in-season maneuvers. The Celtics would probably prefer to add without immediately using this path.
Boston will almost certainly make an $8.5 million qualifying offer to Grant Williams this week, but it’s hard to see a realistic path to the Celtics matching any offer Williams receives in restricted free agency.
JThe Enigma of Grant Williams
The Celtics are no longer in a position where they can easily afford to splurge to retain Williams (at least not without moving Brogdon’s salary first). The reality is that while head coach Joe Mazzulla was reluctant to face Williams at times last season — including in the playoffs — the team can’t afford to pay more than $12 million for a piece of depth.
Boston can help a team land Williams by facilitating a potential signing and trade, but don’t expect much in return. A team with cap space doesn’t necessarily need help from the Celtics. Additionally, Williams’ status as a player in base year pay complicates signing and trade deals.
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If Boston saw Williams as a staple in its core and someone who could eventually rise to a starting role, it would be worth splurging to retain him and just pay a hefty luxury tax bill. Adding Porzingis just makes it hard to see the team match what others might offer.
The case of Malcolm Brogdon
After the first three-team iteration of a deal with Porzingis fell through, Stevens phoned Brogdon hoping to make sure the player knows he’s still valued in Boston.
“Malcolm is really important and it was tough,” Stevens told NBC Sports Boston. “He certainly doesn’t deserve this. I feel for him and we’ve spoken, obviously, since then.
“There are a lot of narratives out there because of [the failed trade] which are certainly inaccurate. Ultimately right now he is going through a period of 4-8 weeks where he is resting and rehabilitating [an arm injury]as suggested by our docs, as suggested by the third party doc he went to see.
“He feels good and we expect him to be back. [at the] start of the season and having the great year he’s had every year he’s been in the league. So we’re happy about that. But it’s hard for him. That’s the other part, being in the gossip and stuff, it stinks.”
The question is whether Brogdon will remain on Boston’s roster or be dealt with in a new trade. Reports suggested the Clippers couldn’t get a physical in time and a tight window to strike a deal with Porzingis given that his joining deadline precluded the possibility of Brogdon landing in Los Angeles. The teams could certainly revisit a deal, but the salary matching is getting tricky.
The Celtics stockpiled second-round picks on draft night that could help facilitate a move, and Stevens joked that we might be waiting a while for him to actually use a first-round pick. He has now traded Boston’s first pick in each of the last three drafts.
Jaylen Brown and the supermax
It seems strange that such a monumental moment in the offseason should be nested so deeply in a story of priorities. But, unless unforeseen, both parties must be motivated to put ink to paper.
The Celtics can make a $300 million supermax contract offer to Brown on July 1. Brown couldn’t be traded for at least six months, but the supermax is far bigger than any other deal he might sign in the short term.
Stevens told NBC Sports Boston he spoke with Brown in mid-June before Brown began his summer travels and suggested the player was eager to get back on the court after a disappointing end to the playoffs in Boston. Boston.
Thinking about an extension of Kristaps Porzingis
Porzingis arrives with just one season remaining on his own maximum contract. Initially, we wondered if this flexibility might help the Celtics consider options next summer when Brown’s supermax deal begins. But indications are that Boston will instead explore extension options as early as July, when Porzingis would be eligible for a two-year, $77 million extension. A longer extension would be possible from December.
Why would Boston rush to get an extension, especially with an injury-prone player? More importantly, you don’t want to lose an asset after a season, especially after sending a core core item (Marcus Smart) to facilitate the trade. While there is undoubtedly an injury risk, Porzingis is coming off his healthiest and most productive season since his ACL issues. We also wonder if he agreed to facilitate the deal with some kind of agreement that an extension would be explored. Now in his fourth team since 2019, Porzingis is likely yearning to stop the constant transition.
Boston’s finances are getting complicated quickly as supermaxes for Brown and Tatum start to come into play, and adding a bulky third salary would be tough. But Stevens seems to prioritize building a championship-caliber roster and figuring out how to piece the money puzzle together further down the road.
Still, it’s hard to see how Boston can have Brogdon’s hefty salary on the books next season, making it seem like there’s still some shuffling to do.