One NBA insider thinks the Boston Celtics haven’t had an impressive offseason despite acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards. The team traded Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies and Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks.
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated believes the Celtics “have had kind of a meh offseason.”
“Am I the only one who thinks the Celtics have had kind of a meh offseason? The agreed-upon sign-and-trade that will send Grant Williams to Dallas will net Boston a couple of second-round picks and keep the team below the dreaded second-tax apron, but it leaves the Green perilously thin up front, dangerous when you consider Boston’s big men amount to two centers with injury histories (Robert Williams III, Kristaps Porziņģis) and 37-year old Al Horford,” Mannix wrote.
“Say what you want about Grant Williams—and based on my social media feeds a lot of Celtics fans were happy to see him go—but he’s a sturdy, versatile defender who shot 41.4% from three-point range before the All-Star break last season. He tailed off in the second half—some in Boston believe his looming free agency got in his head—and fell out of Joe Mazzulla’s rotation in the playoffs, but, at 24, Williams has plenty of upside and $13-ish million per season is not an overpay for a player with his skill set.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kristaps Porzingis, Marcus Smart, Grant Williams & Boston Celtics Updates
The Celtics lost to the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals in seven games. Brad Stevens acquired Porzingis from the Wizards in a three-team trade with the Grizzlies. Many Boston fans were not happy to see Smart get traded.
Williams, who was a restricted free agent, was traded to the Mavericks in a sign-and-trade deal. Malcolm Brogdon was nearly traded to the Los Angeles Clippers before the Clippers backed out of the deal due to Brogdon’s forearm injury.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kristaps Porzingis, Marcus Smart, Grant Williams & Boston Celtics Updates
It will be fascinating to see how many games the Celtics win next season. A Big 3 of Porzingis, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown looks good on paper, but games are won between the lines.
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