Celtics Related Trade Rumors

Cameron Tabatabaie @CTabatabaie
about 2 hours ago
Grant Williams Sign and Trade for a wing player or a combo guard feels likely in the next few weeks. A few names to consider based on teams reportedly interested in Grant: Tim Hardaway Jr. Tj McConnell Gary Harris


Bob
MY NOTE:  Hardaway is 31 years old, McConnell is 31, Harris is almost 29.

Player...............height......mpg.....ppg......3pt fg%.....astpg......TOpg.....rpg
Hardaway-------6'5"-------30.3----14.4----38.5--------1.8-------.8--------3.5
McConnell-------6'1"-------20.3----8.7-----44.1--------5.3-------1.9-------3.1
Harris------------6'4"-------24.7---8.3------43.1--------1.2-------.6--------2.0

I'm not sure where I see any of these players fitting what we need.  Why would we get McConnell unless we're trading Payton, and why are we trading Payton if we just satisfied him by trading away one of the guards ahead of him on the depth chart?  Hardaway is a chucker.  He shot 40% from the field last year and is a career 42% shooter.  Of his 11.9 fgas/game 7.7 of them were 3s.  And Gary Harris' Days of Glory in Denver are way behind him.

Just because these are the teams interested in Grant doesn't mean we have to take wtf they offer.  If Memphis can dig in and hold out for Smart why can't we dig in and hold out for someone we need?


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So the jerks on tv this morning, besides ripping Marcus apart and saying he was overrated said that the Brogden “injury” is more than elbow, it involves his foot. He will never get traded with big health issues. I am wondering why nothing has been said about this before now. Tiring of the naysayer’s saying that Marcus was the reason that there were problems in the locker room.

I heard Grant for Hardaway this morning. I still wonder why he us not being signed here, but who am I

BobH, for years you liked Porzingas, are you happy with this move?

Bob,

The players we'd get back from a Grant S&T may not always be a great fit for us because our real target may be a draft pick. We may have to take back a less-than-perfect player short term to do that.

Still, they should at least provide something to the cause, even if it just one trick. It doesn't seem like Brad would only target a pick without some consideration to need.

The Washington Wizards are finalizing a deal to send Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors for a package that includes Jordan Poole and future draft assets, sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
This affects us since we own the Warriors 2024 first round pick via Memphis.

I read somewhere that Brogdon has had achilles issues in the past, and that they may be chronic. That could be the foot issue referred to. He also has suffered from plantar fasciitis

I didn’t hear or see who was calling Marcus overrated but they are more than wrong.

I think its more that they underrate him and overrate themselves and their knowledge of the game.

Ktron wrote:I didn’t hear or see who was calling Marcus overrated but they are more than wrong.

I think its more that they underrate him and overrate themselves and their knowledge of the game.

Over at Celticsblog it's running 50-50 (love - hate for Marcus), with some ridiculous takes.

Smart had to go because he doesn't shoot like Bird.
This trade is like the one with Vin Baker

They argued endlessly about the idea that we didn't get two first rounders for Smart, we just got one and a 10 pick upgrade. Although both viewpoints are correct, it seemed important to lessen what we got in return because, you know, smart sucked and wasn't worth two picks.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:So the jerks on tv this morning, besides ripping Marcus apart and saying he was overrated said that the Brogden “injury” is more than elbow, it involves his foot. He will never get traded with big health issues. I am wondering why nothing has been said about this before now.  Tiring of the naysayer’s saying that Marcus was the reason that there were problems in the locker room.              

I heard Grant for Hardaway this morning.  I still wonder why he us not being signed here, but who am I

BobH, for years you liked Porzingas, are you happy with this move?

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Rosalie,

Yes, I thirsting for Porzingoose all the way back when he was drafted by the Knicks.

The rap on him is that he's injured too much and shoots too many 3s for a player 7'3".  Well, he played more games than Marcus Smart last year.  With luck that will continue.

As far as 3s go, it's the new NBA.   <sigh>.  In reality he took > 15 fgas/game last year and 5.5 of them were 3s, that's 35% of the total.  That isn't a lot, not according to Joe, especially if you're shooting 38% on them like Zingas.

When I set aside my personal heavy bias for Smart I see the deal as:

Z + 2 first round picks for Smart + Moose + Gallo.

That's a winner for us IF he stays healthy.   Moose is an end-of-bencher now.  Gallinari is coming off an ACL and may need the next year to regain his game.  He may even be done.  The only truly valuable piece we gave up is Marcus Smart.  It breaks my heart this has happened, but we have all agreed we need to get help for a declining Al and an oft-injured Time Lord.  Z plus two picks for Smart plus our 14th and 15th players is pure robbery.  

At least on paper.


Bob

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League sources say the Celtics are absolutely NOT done yet.

Strap yourself in.  The ride's not over.


Bob


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bobheckler wrote:League sources say the Celtics are absolutely NOT done yet.

Strap yourself in.  The ride's not over.


Bob


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I approve of this message.

I have to tell you I am going to miss those nights when Marcus flies in out of no where and gets the ball throws it to a flying Tatum and we get 2 points out of nothing Or him ripping the ball right out of a players hands throwing his body around for the sake of the team yes we may have had to do something but I never thought he would go I pictured him a lifetime Celtic I know no one stays with one team for their career anymore but I thought he might be the exception I am truly going to miss him

Me too Rosalie. Marcus is a remarkable player and human being. A giver to the core.

I like Z and think he will improve our team, but I will still miss Smart. Someone once said, "Grief for the departed is proof of the persistence of love after death." A lot of us will love Marcus for a long time.

The sad thing is I read that he was totally devastated by this trade, I know it is a business, but usually when someone has been around as long as Marcus, and has given so much to the team and the community, they get fair warning. I just hope this was not a knee jerk move out of fear of losing Porzingas that made them trade him. I know, I know, someone was going to have to go, but this is one sad day in Celtic history

I told my gal about this tonight. She was shocked and started to cry.

I heard Marcus was blindsided by the trade.

It was not the Celtics first option but it seems the speed of moving to plan B had to have been a previously discussed option.  

In the end it is a business.  

Marcus gave the best part of himself to the Celtics and their fans.

dboss wrote:I heard Marcus was blindsided by the trade.

It was not the Celtics first option but it seems the speed of moving to plan B had to have been a previously discussed option.  

In the end it is a business.  

Marcus gave the best part of himself to the Celtics and their fans.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/22/sports/marcus-smarts-initial-reaction-celtics-trading-him-was-said-be-complete-shock/

‘Complete shock’: Inside what went down after Marcus Smart learned he was being traded
By Adam Himmelsbach Globe Staff, Updated June 22, 2023, 1:03 p.m.

The Celtics frequently sought big splashes during Marcus Smart’s career in Boston, and as the team’s young, talented defensive anchor, he was often at the center of trade rumors. Smart usually would brush them off, and whenever the smoke cleared, he found himself back with the Celtics, helping guide a team that has been one of the NBA’s most consistent powers over the past decade.

This offseason figured to be calm and uneventful for Smart. The 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year helped guide the Celtics to a Finals berth last year and nearly did it again this past season. When word spread that the team wanted to clear up congestion in the backcourt, Malcolm Brogdon and Payton Pritchard were the most logical candidates to depart.

And on Wednesday afternoon, league sources said, the Celtics were close to finalizing a three-team deal that would send Brogdon to the Clippers and bring Wizards big man Kristaps Porzingis to Boston. But concerns about the forearm strain that limited Brogdon during the playoffs ultimately led Los Angeles to back out.

With Porzingis’s midnight deadline to opt into his $36 million player option for next season looming — a necessary step to allow them to complete a deal for him — the Celtics were forced to decide quickly.

A league source said the framework for a secondary plan that would send Smart to the Grizzlies in a three-team deal had been formulated earlier in the day as a backup. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens then chose to act on it.

Just like that, Smart — the most tenured Celtic, the sixth pick in the 2014 draft, the backbone of this franchise — was gone. According to league sources, Smart reacted to the news with disbelief.

“A gut punch,” said one source close to the point guard. “Complete shock.”

Smart joined a brief call with his closest confidants late Wednesday night, sources said, and expressed hurt that out of all the guards on the roster, the Celtics decided to part ways with him. He had come so far with the franchise and was determined to hang its first championship banner since 2008. He believed they were so close.

But as frustration began to swell, sources said, Smart quickly reset. He reminded those close to him that as personal as it might feel, and as strong as his ties to the organization seem, this is ultimately a business. And this is sometimes how things go.

Smart met with the Grizzlies when he was a restricted free agent in July 2018. He ultimately re-signed with the Celtics, but Memphis’s interest in him never waned. Sources said the Grizzlies attempted to trade for Smart multiple times over the years.

Now they have added him to a team that finished second in the Western Conference this past season. With star point guard Ja Morant facing a 25-game suspension to start the year for brandishing firearms in social media videos, Smart will likely be tasked with conducting the Grizzlies offense for the first few months next season. Sources close to Smart believe it will be a situation in which he can thrive, and that his winning mentality will give Memphis a boost.

But the sources also stressed that, at the moment, it’s still a lot for Smart to process.

“Marcus loves Boston,” one source said. “He thought he was going to retire there. He wanted to retire there.”

Last month, Smart sat at the dais following the Celtics’ Game 7 loss to the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals, and his frustration about the defeat was offset by optimism about what appeared to be a bright future with this franchise.

He said he planned to spend the offseason working on his jump shot and finding new ways to help make his teammates better. He was determined to figure out what it would take to bring this city another championship.

“We’ve been doing this for a long time, a lot of us have,” Smart said then. “And that’s the beauty of it. We get another chance.”

What a classy guy.

gyso wrote:

Ktron wrote:I didn’t hear or see who was calling Marcus overrated but they are more than wrong.

I think its more that they underrate him and overrate themselves and their knowledge of the game.

Over at Celticsblog it's running 50-50 (love - hate for Marcus), with some ridiculous takes.

Smart had to go because he doesn't shoot like Bird.
This trade is like the one with Vin Baker

They argued endlessly about the idea that we didn't get two first rounders for Smart, we just got one and a 10 pick upgrade.  Although both viewpoints are correct, it seemed important to lessen what we got in return because, you know, smart sucked and wasn't worth two picks.  

Fans opinions vary depending on who they like at the moment, but as for some of the pundits, Its amazing that some of these folks get paid to tell everyone how much they don’t know.

Oh it is bad. Felger is having a field day, Phil perry, who I feel knows nothing about basketball and has disliked Marcus for years, is out there spewing words of ridiculous talk. Idiots on morning tv Bertrand and zolack who know nothing, think giving up smart is no big deal. It is amazing. They made fun of Grande and said his words were that of someone who had made a friend of the player. It goes on and on. These Boston reporters stink. No one says he is flawless, but boy, they do not see anything but flaws, period. Sickening

Someday we should retire #36.

Phil Perry has a history of disrespecting Marcus’ talent. At times it almost appeared personal.
Some of his concerns were legit and echoed what a lot of other only saw-that at times Marcus shoots too much and takes bad shots.

They would also see Marcus Make one of his patented defensive plays and This is all they saw.

We know that there is so much more to Marcus’ game than just simply making spectacular plays but these folks don't get that because they really don’t understand the game. -Marcus either makes great plays or takes bad shots and needs to go.
Perry needs to stick to football and annoy everyone over there with his ‘know it all” attitude.

Felger is so fake that he even he believes his own Bull$$%t
Felger a former Boston Herald hack who could never get a job in linear nor digital media based on his knowledge of sports.
His clown act and fake annoyance is what keeps him working.
If he acted like a normal human being he certainly wouldn't be on TV or radio.
Thats his legacy. I hope he can live with himself. Never mind. No I don’t.

Betran I thought was a little more level headed earlier in his career but his wide load has been sitting in that chair at the Sports Hub for so long he too is beginning to believe his own Bulls*^&&8t.

Zolak know nothing about basketball. His claim to fame is being a NFL back up quarterback. He doesn't appear to be too bright either.

These guys try so hard to act like they're not fans of local teams. It’s laughable because there is nothing wrong with being a fan of your local team as long as your objective. It’s more endearing to the local fans who watch and listen. You’d think they’d want that.

They are not National Network sports personalities who cannot and should not put their fandoms on display.

Tommy was great at it.
A big homer locally but when he was doing National games he never appeared to me to display a hint of bias.
Some fans would say he did but thats only because they knew him as a former Celtic, did not like the Celtics and looked for bias that was not there.

Try not to let it bother you what those knuckleheads are saying. It’s all fake and contrived to score points which in my opinion is quite shallow.

The Don Gillis’ Jimmy Myers, Eddie Andelmans no longer exist in the  ‘Not so new and improved’ sports landscape.

worcester wrote:Someday we should retire #36.

I think so. I also believe that someday he will be back in Boston doing something with the team. He may be too pissed to think about that now and one cannot blame him.

Pardon the pun but Marcus is a smart guy and once his head clears a bit he’ll see it a lot differently.

They all can say “Its business” but it has to hurt like hell when its a player like a Marcus.
He is a perfect fit for Memphis which is a plus on his side. I dread facing him next year.

Cue the tribute video..

RosalieTCeltics wrote:I have to tell you  I am going to miss those nights when Marcus flies in out of no where and gets the ball throws it to a flying Tatum and we get 2 points out of nothing   Or him ripping the ball right out of a players hands  throwing his body around for the sake of the team  yes we may have had to do something but I never thought he would go  I pictured him a lifetime Celtic  I know  no one stays with one team for their career anymore but I thought he might be the exception  I am truly going to miss him

        +1

All of those announcers try hard not to support the Celtics, making fun of fans, calling "us" Green Teamers!! Yup, I am and proud of it. It is ironic that these idiots are on the channel that supposedly the "home of the Boston Celtics" Even Michael Hollley, who used to cover the team not only for the globe but on television, has become afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve. So, we are stuck with these fools. I just do not turn the television on when they are on I am not looking for a sugar coating, but I am looking for someone who cares about what they are covering

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2023/06/grant-williams-trade-scenarios-for-celtics-examining-7-potential-suitors.html



Grant Williams trade scenarios for Celtics: Examining 7 potential suitors


Published: Jun. 27, 2023, 12:00 p.m.


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



In the wake of the Kristaps Porzingis trade, the next obvious shoe to drop for the Celtics in free agency is with Grant Williams.

The 6-foot-6 forward failed to reach terms on an extension last offseason with Boston despite a four-year offer from the team per league sources. After an up-and-down year, Williams appears to be a strong candidate to move on now following the acquisition of Porzingis for a host of reasons.


With the new CBA, it’s tough to find a way to keep Williams on the books for the long term and still maintain roster flexibility to build around the team’s new core. An extension for Porzingis would only make that tougher. Boston could elect to move Malcolm Brogdon now (to help reduce salary burden) to help give the Celtics more spending power to keep Williams in the short term but that’s a development we will have to wait on before going down that road.

In the meantime, a few things are evident:

1. The Celtics aren’t going to lose Grant Williams without compensation as a restricted free agent if they can afford to.


2. Grant Williams’ free agent market may not be as pricy as he may have hoped.

3. The Celtics are going to need another rotation big to replace Williams if he leaves (Taxpayer mid-level may be an option here).

There is also the complicating factor with Williams that he would be a base-year compensation player in any sign-and-trade scenario in restricted free agency. Essentially, that makes salary matching scenarios a bit trickier due to CBA rules, although his new contract shouldn’t be big enough to keep Mike Zarren and company from overcoming this potential obstacle. However, finding fits that give Boston back a player will be tough since the C’s could only take back roughly $6-8 million in salary depending on Williams’ starting salary. Trading Williams into cap room for a TPE and a second-round pick seems like the likelier scenario if the team moves on.


So what teams have the cap space to make a run at Williams? Let’s look through the list for potential fits.


Rockets ($64.2 million in cap room)

Notable signed bigs: Sengun, Smith Jr., Tate

Analysis: Houston has more money to spend than any other team but MassLive has not heard any whispers about the team making a run at Williams. They could certainly use another big but Ime Udoka and this team’s front office have their sights set on bigger names than Williams by all accounts. Maybe a team to watch if they strike out on bigger names but they don’t seem to be a big threat.


Spurs ($41.8 million in cap room)

Notable signed bigs: Jeremy Sochan, Victor Wembanyama, Zach Collins

Analysis: Another team that will surely be in the market for a big to play alongside their No. 1 overall pick. The guess here is they are looking for a bigger body than 6-foot-6 Williams since they could probably find it on the trade market for minimal cost.


Kings ($33.5 million in cap room)

Notable signed bigs: Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis

Analysis: A surprise entry into the cap race after their draft night deals. They will be looking to fill a void at power forward if they elect to let Harrison Barnes walk. However, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reports that they may have their eyes on Kyle Kuzma if their attempts to land Khris Middleton or Draymond Green fall short.


Pacers ($32.2 million in cap room)

Signed notable bigs: Jarace Walker, Myles Turner, Isaiah Jackson, Jalen Smith

Analysis: This is a team to watch on the Williams front league sources tell MassLive. There are ingredients for a sign-and-trade that work under the BYC restrictions with a couple of smaller salaries in Smith or Jackson the C’s could be interested in. Boston could just try to get a second round pick and a TPE to use later this season from the Pacers for not matching an offer. Whether the Pacers are motivated to bring in another big in Williams after drafting Walker remains to be seen but his 3-point shooting would certainly hold appeal around Tyrese Halliburton.


Pistons ($30.8 million in cap room)

Signed bigs: Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duran, Marvin Bagley, James Wiseman

Analysis: That looks like a pretty stocked frontcourt. Barring another move, can’t see the Pistons throwing a long contract at Williams when there are so many other needs across the roster.


Magic ($23.9 million in cap room)

Signed notable bigs: Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.

Analysis: They’ve got a lot of cheap bigs on the bench and a roster glut in their backcourt. Orlando has the ability to take one big swing if they want to in free agency but their roster composition suggests this will be an active team in the next week. Williams could slot in nicely here as a top bench big.


Thunder ($18 million in cap room)

Signed notable bigs: Too many to list

Analysis: Williams isn’t going here after the team traded for Davis Bertans last week amid a host of other young bigs on this roster.


Worth a mention

Jazz — They are only down to $12 million in cap room and just traded for John Collins so they would seem to be out of the mix now as Jake Fischer reported Tuesday.

Hawks/Nets — Both teams have TPEs that could technically fit Williams but each franchise is either close to the luxury tax already (Hawks) or have their own free agents to worry about (Nets).


Other scenarios

There is the possibility of the Celtics dealing WIlliams to a team with no cap room but is still under the salary cap apron via a sign-and-trade. Boston would demand compensation in said scenario to facilitate that kind of a deal but salary matching would be tricky under BYC rules as outlined earlier. A number of teams could also try to sign Williams to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception but it’s likely the Celtics would consider matching that kind of a deal since he was offered something similar last fall.


Final Thoughts

This is going to be a fascinating market for the Celtics and Williams to navigate. Moving on from Williams creates a new hole for Brad Stevens in a frontcourt that isn’t exactly durable as currently composed. If the Celtics do manage to find a sign-and-trade for Williams, the bet here is with Indiana. However, finding a big deal for Williams (beyond taxpayer mid-level money) does not feel like a slam dunk given the lack of teams in the market for bigs.


Bob
MY NOTE:  We need Grant (or someone like him) and a guard.  I very much doubt we will get another big like Luke in the trade, that is a 5 and that's it.    We're stocked on 5s with Z, RWill and Luke, with Al being a combo 4/5.  We need a 4 that can defend 3-5 and if that's not Grant then we need a replacement for Grant.  Personally I'd like a quality rotation guard in return for Grant but...  


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