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NBA rumors: Celtics not done making moves after trading for Kristaps Porzingis

By Jonathan Lurensky

Mar 21, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Washington Wizards center Kristaps Porzingis (6) dribbles the ball against Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the second half at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Washington Wizards center Kristaps Porzingis (6) dribbles the ball against Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the second half at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Boston Celtics made a huge pre-draft move, sending out Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porzingis. It sounds like they might be just getting started.

According to Brian Robb of Masslive, the Boston Celtics are not done making moves after trading for Kristaps Porzingis. They now have a first-round pick, No. 25 from the Grizzlies, and could be shopping for more depth.

The Celtics had been shopping Payton Pritchard but moving Marcus Smart could let them give Pritchard more minutes. Robb says that the Celtics are also shopping Malcolm Brogdon, who was included in a previous iteration of the trade with the Clippers that ultimately fell apart, along with their newly acquired picks.

They might not be able to get a superstar with this package but they can certainly get a upgrade for the team. Robb also says that the team is looking to get assets for Grant Williams in a sign-and-trade, with a small chance they might bring him back though. A team that could help them do that would be the Dallas Mavericks who are over the cap and are heavily interested in signing Williams.

What does this mean for the Celtics?

Boston is in a very bad situation due to the fact that they traded one of their core players for an injury-prone player. Yes, Porzingis is an All-Star when healthy but it would be a huge achievement for him to be able to play more than 60 games this season — something he’s done just twice in his career. He ended up playing more than 60 games this season but this is the first time that he did that since he was a New York Knick in 2016.

This team needed a change after the way last season ended but trading one of the core Celtics players for a player that is not a star is general malpractice, especially, a player who is on such a good contract like Marcus Smart.

If Brogdon was so injury prone, then it might have made sense to try to ship him out for a different offense creator this off-season. This reeks of a trade where the team completely panicked after the trade fell through. Boston’s front office wanted Porzingis so badly that they ended up making a huge mistake.

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