3 Former Boston Celtics Players Waived

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/3-former-boston-celtics-players-waived/ar-AAZDars?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=f817d33c41de49118e903eff65ecb994

Ben Stinar - 3h ago

The Indiana Pacers have waived four players after making a trade with the Boston Celtics.

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On Thursday, the Indiana Pacers waived four players; Duane Washington, Jr., Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts and Juwan Morgan.

Three of the players (everyone except Washington Jr.) were just acquired in a trade with the Boston Celtics.

On July 1, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the deal that sent Malcolm Brogdon form the Pacers to the Celtics.

The Pacers signed Phoenix Suns star Deandre Ayton to an offer sheet, and to clear space for the offer sheet they had to waive these players, according to Wojnarowski.

Woj: "The Pacers are waiving guard Duane Washington and waiving and stretching the three players who arrived in the Boston trade for Malcolm Brogdon: Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan and Nik Stauskas, sources tell ESPN. That'll create the cap space to sign Ayton to the max offer sheet."

In the end, the Pacers are not ending up with the former first overall pick, because the Suns have matched the offer for Ayton, according to Wojnarowski.

Woj: "As soon as the Suns received the four-year, $133M offer sheet, the franchise matched it. Deandre Ayton returns to Phoenix and can't be traded without his consent for a full year."

The Pacers had a tough year (missing the playoffs) finishing as the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference, while the Suns and Celtics made the NBA Playoffs.

The Suns lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the second-round of the playoffs in seven games.

As for the Celtics, they lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games in the NBA Finals.

"Deandre Ayton returns to Phoenix and can't be traded without his consent for a full year."

There's the critical pivot point.  Ayton was willing to leave.  Was it just for the money, and now he's happy wherever he is, or are there still hard feelings on either side?  I believe he can be traded, with his consent, after January 15, 2023. That's just 2 months into a 6 month season.


Bob


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cowens/oldschool wrote:They could have kept those guys to insure losing and getting a top pick next year. Your rebuilding right?

But the reason for waiving them was to open up space for the Deandre Ayton offer sheet.  Phoenix matched Indy's offer, so the waived players were waived and stretched for nothing.  Indy cannot take them back under their original terms.

Teams cannot make an offer first, have it accepted and then clear cap space.  They have to clear cap space first, then make the offer, and then accept the consequences, good or bad.

Either way being on the Celtics or Pacers was not likely in the cards for those three ex Cs and now ex Pacer players.