Keeping Kristaps Porzingis this summer would almost certainly mean that one of Derrick White or Jaylen Brown gets traded, and that’s not worth it. The Boston Celtics are seemingly determined to get under the second apron, meaning they need to shed at least $20 million, but the number is actually much higher than that.
That $20 million merely gets them just below the apron, but that’s without factoring in the need to sign their rookies and re-sign Al Horford and Luke Kornet. If the Celtics don’t ship out Porzingis’ $30 million in a trade, it will be extremely difficult to get under the apron without also trading one of White or Brown.
And that’s not a smart trade-off, barring a bewildering offer.
Why should the Celtics trade Kristaps Porzingis?
First and foremost, it seems as though a Jrue Holiday trade is imminent. He’s slated to make $32.4 million next season, and teams around the league are reportedly showing interest in adding his services.
But moving Holiday almost certainly won’t clear up the full $32.4 million. Players will come back in a trade. The only team that would have enough salary cap space to absorb Holiday’s entire contract is the Brooklyn Nets, and they have no need for the veteran guard at this point in their rebuild.
Plus, the Celtics are reportedly looking to get positive value back in a deal, and dumping Holiday’s contract completely likely wouldn’t accomplish that goal.
A quick peruse of potential trade partners reveals that the Celtics could probably, at best, shed around half of Holiday’s salary. Obviously, there are scenarios where they could dump a lot more, but teams like the Dallas Mavericks (PJ Washington) and Sacramento Kings (Malik Monk) have salaries that are around the middle-ground mark.
From there, trading Sam Hauser would be the logical next step if the Celtics wish to keep Porzingis. Theoretically, if a team like the Detroit Pistons is interested, the Celtics could fully dump his salary for picks. He makes just over $10 million, and his three-point shooting is a valuable commodity.
But even if the Celtics do all that work and everything turns out to be perfect, they would have very little wiggle room under the second apron. Keeping Horford and Kornet, and signing their rookies would become extremely difficult.
However, cutting down another big salary would help a ton.
That’s where Porzingis comes in. And if it’s not him, it might be one of Brown or White.
Trading two of their top-five biggest salaries this summer is the best way to shed enough salary to keep Horford and Kornet, sign their draftees, and provide the necessary flexibility to work under the second apron while cutting down on luxury-tax spending.
And if the Celtics try to keep Porzingis so they can extend him on a cheap deal moving forward, it probably means that they shipped out one of Brown or White. (But that also means they probably got an insane trade offer for one of those two guys.)
It is far from impossible for Brad Stevens and the Celtics to figure out a way to keep all three guys (Porzingis, Brown, and White) and get under the second apron. But without trading two of their five massive salaries this summer, that math gets extremely tricky. And if the right deals aren't made available, it may just not be in the cards.
