The Celtics got better, but I’m not really happy about it.
Going into the offseason, the Celtics had a clear problem with their roster; while they had a lot of depth in the backcourt, they were lacking big depth (or at least scoring from their bigs). Robert Williams III is a fantastic and versatile defender at center, and provides the threat of a lob on the offensive side. Horford is also a valuable defender, shot the ball very well from deep this past season, and has a decent post game, but he is aging and cannot be relied on to carry an offensive load. Grant Williams, should he be kept, is also a good piece on the defensive end, but all he’s shown he can consistently provide on the offensive end is the occasional corner 3.
Porzingis quietly had a career year in Washington this past season, putting up 23-8-3 on 50/39/85 shooting, while also averaging 1.5 blocks and a steal. One of his best games of the season was actually against the Celtics. Better yet, he was healthy and played 65 games for the Wizards. Porzingis provides a resounding answer to the problems of the Celtics frontcourt, which provided almost nothing offensively in the playoffs. This move makes a roster that was already in contention for the best in the league even better, and should put them up with Denver as title favorites. In fact, after this move, the Celtics are Vegas’s title favorite at +400.
The improvement did not come without a price however. Before getting into the bigger piece, I’ll quickly mention that Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala are on their way to Washington in this deal. Mike Muscala is a decent piece, but seeing him go shouldn’t bother anyone for the return they’re getting. It is sad to see Gallinari go, however. He was a big signing for the Celtics last offseason, and he seemed like he was really excited to be a part of this organization. He was even posting childhood pictures of himself in Celtics gear. Unfortunately, before he could even suit up for a game, he tore his ACL, missed the season, and was traded out, just like that. It makes what would’ve been a feel good story kind of sad.
Now the hard part. Marcus Smart has been the heart and soul of the Celtics for years. He was also a high level player, capturing the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022. He was undoubtedly the emotional leader of the team, and always set an example with his hustle and determination. The (now former) longest tenured Celtic has given his all for this team for nine seasons since he was drafted 6th overall in 2014. Shipping him out to Memphis will leave a massive void in the Celtics identity that the other players (Tatum and Brown specifically) will need to step up and fill. The guy bled green (and even frequently had his hair dyed green) and was the perfect kind of guy for Boston. He showed grit and wanted nothing more than to bring success and banner 18 to the city.
This move is reminiscent of the Celtics trading Isaiah Thomas in the Kyrie Irving trade in 2017. Although the trade probably makes the team better, it’s at the expense of a super loyal player who wore their heart on their sleeve, and was a massive fan favorite. I sure hope Porzingis works out better for Boston than Kyrie “Team Wrecker” Irving. This move is even up there with the heartbreak and frustration of losing other major Boston stars, like Brady and Mookie Betts. Now, I’m not going to kid myself and act like this is near the level of Brady leaving, but it sucks nonetheless, and is made worse by the fact that it wasn’t even Smart’s decision. It just sucks.
Logistically, however, the move makes sense. The Celtics had Smart, Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon, and Payton Pritchard all at the guard spot, and not enough minutes for all of them. Now, I figured they would just get rid of Pritchard for a modest return and call it a day. When the first iteration of a Porzingis-to-Boston trade was announced earlier in the day, it featured Malcolm Brogdon going to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team deal. Although it would have been sad to see the 2023 Sixth Man of the Year go after one outstanding season in Boston, I was content with the move, as it kept the main core together and added great talent in Porzingis. It seemed too good to be true. Turns out, it was, as the Clippers backed out at the last minute with concerns about Brogdon’s health, resulting in the much more gut-wrenching trade happening later in the night. Getting rid of a guard to add a solid big was a no brainer move, I just never thought it would be Marcus Smart.
Moving forward, where does such a significant move leave the Celtics as the offseason continues? The Celtics actually did get great value out of Smart (and a second round pick): Porzingis, a 2023 first, and a 2024 first. This allows the Celtics to either make a pick to try and further develop their future, or try and use these assets to execute a trade that will add yet another piece to an already loaded roster. The Celtics don’t have a ton of needs, but they could use more bench depth at the right price. Regardless of any more moves they may make, what they have is already a championship-caliber roster.
With the absence of Smart, there is a question of who’s going to be the distributor in the offense. Smart has improved greatly at this aspect of the game over the years, and showed great chemistry with Brown and Tatum, so someone will need to pick up the slack. The responsibility could fall primarily on the shoulders of Derrick White, who has proven to be a capable, high-quality guard in his time with the Celtics, making that Celtics-Spurs trade back in 2022 look more and more like a steal. Will he, Brogdon, and Pritchard all be sharing this role? Pritchard has been hidden away on the bench, and Brogdon, who had been often injured throughout his career (and currently dealing with an injury) would have to step up big time to make this feasible. The Celtics may even consider having Tatum play the LeBron role of being both the distributor and the primary scorer if they believe he can do this consistently. He’s proven capable in the past when doing this at select times, but having this as his full-time role would be a big change. Or maybe the Celtics aren’t done shaping their backcourt. Salary cap permitting, they could try to bring in a talented floor general. I’ve heard Chris Paul may be available…
The Celtics are primed for a championship run, and frankly, the season will be a bust if they don’t get the job done. I know there are other good teams, and the Nuggets deserve reverence for being defending champs, but the Celtics have been knocking at the door for a long time without ever coming in, and they just made a move to get them across the threshold. If they don’t win it all, their trading away of a beloved Celtic becomes a waste. I’m optimistic about their chances, though. It’s tough to see Smart go, but now we have to accept and embrace the new big three of Tatum, Brown, and Tingis Pingis in Boston. Banner 18 or Bust.
WOW, Jack/Aidan, you are spot on. I was so sad this morning when I saw that the deal was finalized as I do believe Smart had a certain je ne sais quoi and he always brought it-heart and soul.
We-the C’s need a big guy; now the question is will he be able to blend with the team in place and ‘bring it, heart and soul? 🙂
-Marie
Thanks for the read, Marie! I think the team will be fine as long as the stars (Tatum and Brown) can step up as leaders in place of Smart. Looking forward to the season!