The NBA offseason is here, and we’re having a particularly good time watching out for the trades before the NBA Draft tomorrow. After making a move and sending Bradley Beal to Pheonix, the Washington Wizards continue their sweep by now trading away Kristaps Porzingis. Carrying out a three-team trade involving the Memphis Grizzlies and the Boston Celtics, the Wizards have managed to clear nearly $22 Million in cap space. The Celtics got Porzingis, while giving up Marcus Smart. The Grizzlies got Smart, while giving up Tyus Jones.
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FINAL TRADE DETAILS:
Celtics receive: Kristaps Porziņģis, 2023 & 2024 first-round pick
Grizzlies receive: Marcus Smart
Wizards receive: Tyus Jones, 2023 second-round pick pic.twitter.com/d4nW7tjlhH
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 22, 2023
While trade was on the cards for a few days, we weren’t sure which piece Boston would put on the line. I guess they decided to give away Smart. However, the funniest aspect of the whole situation is how the Celtics shared a hustle compilation for Smart 13 hours ago.
NBA Twitter reacts to the Celtics and their Marcus Smart move
Time and again, we’ve all heard how the NBA is nothing but a big, bad business. While there are times we want to doubt it, cases like today just remind us how that statement is true. The Boston Celtics shared a hustle compilation for Marcus Smart earlier today.
“I go out there and leave everything I have on the floor.”
Nobody hustles harder than @smart_MS3 😤 pic.twitter.com/5zy629nj9E
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 21, 2023
Within just 13 hours of this video, they packed and shipped him to Memphis in order to get Kristaps Porzingis. This had NBA Twitter up in a frenzy, and they did not hold back their reactions. While some commented on how Celtics played the market with the video,
Upped his trade value
— Antonio (@tenniscourtMVP) June 22, 2023
The others showed how the Grizzlies got played.
Grizzlies seeing this tweet pic.twitter.com/A2l6OFlPLW
— Noah’s Ark That Back (@NoahsArkDatBack) June 22, 2023
Some just felt bad for Marcus Smart.
crazy how you snaked this man
— 🇵🇹🇺🇸 (@cfcmaz__) June 22, 2023
It’s a big move that sends away one of the longest-tenured Celtics from the current roster. Smart was about to start his 10th season with the franchise before the trade took place.
How does the new roster look like for the Celtics?
The Celtics managed to keep their duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum intact, while adding a third star in Kristaps Porzingis. Kristaps would probably play a hybrid Power Forward/Center role for the Cs, while Jaylen Brown would alternate between SG and SF.
As of now, their biggest concern would be to find a defensive showstopper to replace what Marcus Smart brought. On top of that, they’d now be fighting the checkbook woes as both Tatum and Brown are eligible for extensions worth $613 Million, and Porzingis is on the last year of his contract.
Overall, this year might give us a good run for whether or not the Cs risk heavy luxury taxes to keep this roster, or whether they’d continue to move pieces.
