The latest Boston Celtics trade centers around dollars and roster-building sense.
The Celtics on Thursday agreed to trade Bol Bol, P.J. Dozier and a future second-round NBA Draft pick to the Orlando Magic in exchange for a future second-round pick, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Bol leaves without ever playing for the Celtics, and Dozier didn’t have the chance to reacquaint himself to Boston because they both have been injured since the Celtics acquired them Jan. 19 from the Denver Nuggets in a trade.
Wojnarowski, The Athletic’s Jared Weiss and other NBA observers view the Celtics-Magic trade as a cost-saving measure, which brings the Celtics under the luxury-tax threshold.
“Celtics manage to get under the tax without giving up any rotation players, with two roster spots to bring in 10-days for the rest of the season if they don’t make another move today,” Weiss wrote in a tweet. “They now have two ~$2m TPEs.
“Celtics are far enough under the tax that if (Brooklyn Nets star James) Harden sits out All-Star game (I mean how could he not after all this) and Jaylen Brown gets added in, they are still clear of the tax while somehow climbing up toward the pack in the East. Would be a feat to…contendish??? out of tax.”
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said last month the acquisitions of Bol and Dozier gave Boston flexibility for the future. The Celtics didn’t wait long to make another roster adjustment, and they might further moves Thursday before the 3 p.m. ET NBA trade deadline.
