With just over 24 hours to go before the 2023 NBA Draft, moves and trades are being discussed around the league as teams better position themselves heading into Thursday night. It should come as no surprise that the Boston Celtics are beginning to get their wheels turning on their offseason as well.
UPDATE:
Sources: Wizards, Celtics and Clippers are in strong talks on a trade that would send Kristaps Porzingis to Boston, Marcus Morris and draft compensation to Washington and Malcolm Brogdon to Los Angeles. Sides are still working through details and Porzingis’ $36M player option.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 21, 2023
Following a slew of coaching hires, including the addition of former Duke Blue Devil and friend of Jayson Tatum Amile Jefferson, the Boston Celtics are reportedly looking to pull off a big trade with the Washington Wizards for Kristaps Porzingis.
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Celtics are looking into an opt-in and trade for the Latvian bigman as the Wiz look at completely tearing their roster down to the studs following the Bradley Beal trade. Porzingis is mulling over his options, as he holds a $36 Million player option for the upcoming season.
Boston has had interest in Kristaps Porzingis for a while now. They tried to trade for him before the Knicks moved him to the Mavs.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 21, 2023
With the Celtics salary cap being in its current state, Boston would be unable to sign Porzingis outright, or at least not at the figure he wants. As Washington is entering a rebuild, acquiring a player like Malcolm Brogdon in return for Porzingis wouldn’t make much sense. The Suns had previously been mentioned as a potential suitor for Malcolm Brogdon, especially after sending out Chris Paul in the deal for Bradley Beal.
Since the terms of that trade have not been set in stone, is there a possibility that Boston jumps in on the trade, and Washington reroutes Brogdon to Phoenix with another piece like DeAndre Ayton ending up in D.C.? Outside of that, the only other logical move that could happen would be a Grant Williams sign-and-trade, which has reportedly been on the table with multiple teams contacting the Celtics on a potential trade for the restricted free agent forward.
There’s certainly more news to come on this situation as it develops, but it appears that Boston is looking to make some big changes ahead of the 2023 NBA draft as well as free agency.
