Trade Grades: Kristaps Porzingis Is A Celtic
Blockbuster trade alert! We had a serious three-teamer go down and Kristaps Porzingis is heading to the Boston Celtics. Who won the trade and why? Let’s hand out some trade grades to the deal sending Porzingod to Boston.
Celtics Acquire Kristaps Porzingis, Pick 25, Golden State 2024 first round pick
*The first part of this is what I wrote for the first iteration of the trade. I’m not deleting it. I will drop the new grade under the old grade.
How do you not love this deal for the Celtics? The sins of the past have been righted. Brad Stevens actually listened to me about Malcolm Brogdon. He was never needed and now he’s gone. The Celtics are already a better team because now Derrick White has access to more minutes. We’ll see what it means for Payton Pritchard but the third guard spot should have always been his. He actually has a path to playing time now.
Porzingis, 27, is also coming off a career best year. Check out some of these numbers from Kevin O’Connor at The Ringer.
Kristaps Porzingis stats from his career-best season:
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 21, 2023
Points Allowed Per Pick-and-Roll
1. Anthony Davis (0.91)
2. Steven Adams (0.92)
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo (0.92)
4. Kristaps Porzingis (0.93)
5. Walker Kessler (0.93)
One of the best drop P&R defenders in the NBA. And on…
This should be viewed as a great buy for the Celtics. It gives Boston so many things they didn’t have before. They actually have a big that can score now. It adds another spot up three-point shooter too. Porzingis should just be heading into his prime now. He’s a 40% catch-and-shoot three guy and has gotten markedly better as a defender as he’s put on more mass. You can’t teach that kind of length.
I’ve wanted Porzingis on the Celtics for a long time. I wish it had happened when the Celtics were looking to move Kemba Walker. However, Boston fans should still be happy about adding the former 4th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft now.
Porzingis is a perfect fit in so many ways. Forget about the skillset he provides. He’s the perfect third guy this team has always needed. There won’t be pressure on Porzingis to be the dude like in years past. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are already one of if not the best duo in the NBA. They command a ton of attention. To put a 7-foot-3 demi god on the floor with them to knock down shots and clean up around the rim? Where do I sign?
The haters may scoff but what exactly is the risk? Yes, the cap number went up and maybe that prevents them from keeping Grant Williams but we don’t know that part yet. In terms of THIS trade, Brad Stevens essentially turned Daniel Theis and a late first round pick into Porzingis. Every single person in human history takes that risk given the circumstances. Is Marcus Smart the 6th best player on this team? Absolutely incredible.
Grade: A
New Grade: B-
I’m not sure how you can love this new version of the trade if you’re a Celtics fan. Injury prone Brogdon was off the team. Marcus Smart is the heartbeat of the team. This team was soft with him and now becomes charmin soft without him. Getting two firsts is nice but both of whom will be later on. Was moving up 11 spots really worth it? Plus Brogdon is still on the team so that’s a nightmare. I like KP but not at the price of losing Smart. If they nail the picks this trade can work out but if they miss it’s a disaster. History tells us they’re more likely to whiff this late in the draft.
Clippers Acquire
*Void* Not deleting it for reference.
The Clippers deserve some credit here too. Most of you know that I’m not a Malcolm Brogdon fan. That being said, Marcus Morris was a negative asset at this point. Morris is a regressed asset and is in the final year of a deal that pays him more than $17 million. This gives the Clippers a real point to actual control the offense, unlike the chaotic players they’ve used in the past like Reggie Jackson, John Wall, and Russell Westbrook.
I’m not sure I would have given away pick 30 for Brogdon. When you are able to get off Marcus Morris to do it, I’m not sure you can hate that approach. It’s a team full of injury risk which will ultimately come back to haunt them. On paper, the fit makes a lot of sense. This is a calming presence at the point to mesh with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
Grade: B
New Team Grizzlies Acquire Marcus Smart
Grade: B+
Wizards Acquire Marcus Morris and Pick 30
It’s the teardown. I guess expectations can’t be too high given the contract numbers that Bradley Beal and Porzingis carries. Still, the return here is awful. What have they gotten for Beal and Porzingis? Pick 30 and a couple second rounders? A year ago the Jazz got the entire house for just Rudy Gobert. Does anybody think the Wizards did well here outside of just trying to tank?
Grade: F
Wizards Acquire Tyus Jones, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala And Pick 35
New Grade: A-
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