Celtics’ Updated Roster, Starting Lineup, Salary Cap After Kristaps Porziņģis Trade

The Boston Celtics are reportedly finalizing a major trade on the eve of the NBA draft.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics are working to acquire Kristaps Porziņģis from the Washington Wizards, with Malcolm Brogdon headed to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Wizards, in turn, would receive Marcus Morris, Amir Coffey and the 30th pick in Thursday night’s draft from the Clippers. The Celtics’ Danilo Gallinari is also slated to land in Washington, according to Wojnarowski.

To facilitate the trade, Porziņģis will have to exercise his $36 million player option for the 2023-24 season.

Celtics Updated Active Roster and 2023-24 Salary (Expiration Year)

Kristaps Porziņģis, PF: $36M (2024)

Jayson Tatum, PF: $32.6M (2026)

Jaylen Brown, SG: $28.5M (2024)

Marcus Smart, PG: $18.6M (2026)

Derrick White, PG: $17.6M (2025)

Robert Williams III, C: $11.6M (2026)

Al Horford, PF: $10M (2025)

Payton Pritchard, PG: $4M (2024)

Mike Muscala, C: $3.5M (2024, club option)

Luke Kornet, C: $2.4M (2024)

Sam Hauser, SF: $1.9M (2025)

Justin Champagnie, SF: $1.9M (2024)

Free Agents

Grant Williams, PF: RFA

Blake Griffin, PF: UFA

Mfiondu Kabengele, PF: RFA

J.D. Davison, PG: RFA

Celtics Starting Lineup

PG: Marcus Smart

SG: Derrick White

SG: Jaylen Brown

PF: Jayson Tatum

C: Kristaps Porziņģis

Salary Cap

HoopsHype listed the C’s with a payroll of $158,607,605 prior to the trade. With Brogdon and Gallinari out and Porziņģis in, that figure rises to $165,320,855 with KP due to make $6,713,250 more in 2023-24 than Gallinari and the reigning Sixth Man of the Year.

The C’s were already above the 2023-24 salary cap figure of $136 million, but they’ll now, at least temporarily, be north of the $165 million luxury tax threshold, per Charania:

The Celtics are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2022-23 season that saw the team lose to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Boston overcame a 3-0 deficit in that series and had Game 7 at home, but the Celtics were blown out 103-84 to end their season.

Porziņģis at minimum should be a huge boost to the offense. He averaged 23.2 points on 49.8 percent shooting (38.5 percent from three), 8.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists last year.

It remains to be seen how he would mesh with established Boston stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but that trio should be very hard for teams to contend with on a nightly basis.

Brogdon would be a huge loss off the bench, however, after he averaged 14.9 points on 48.4 percent shooting (44.4 percent from three), 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 26.0 minutes per game. The onus would presumably be on Payton Pritchard to assume a bigger role next season.

Ultimately, the clock is ticking on this era of Celtics basketball, which has seen the team routinely get close to the promised land but fall short. Perhaps this is the move that will finally get the team over the hump.