When the Boston Celtics traded Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porzingis and then committed to him long-
term, some fans were left confused.
Now weeks removed from the trade and with Jaylen Brown still not
signed to an extension, the Porzingis move is starting to make more sense.
Ultimately, the real reason why the Celtics acquired Porzingis involves Brown and his current
negotiations. The Cs are using Porzingis as both leverage and insurance against Brown.
All of the reporting that has transpired since the start of the offseason follows my line of thinking. The
Boston Celtics have been toying with Brown all offseason, and it’s starting to make sense. The trade for
Porzingis gave the Cs insurance in case Brown asks out. The insurance is important because it has
allowed the Celtics to not have to overextend themselves at the negotiating table.
The leverage aspect is another important topic in this discussion because Porzingis gives the Celtics
leverage over Brown. A key part of the Porzingis extension is that he left money on the table by taking
less.
The decision was a huge win for the Celtics because it gives them leverage over Brown. The Celtics can
easily tell Brown to take less to help the team win because Porzingis did. Boston has taken control of the
media narrative, and it has negatively affected Brown.
The Boston Celtics are painting Jaylen Brown in a negative light
The timing of the recent Brown reports is interesting because they are painting him to be a selfish guy.
The new development has played right into the Celtics’ hands, as Brown pretty much has zero leverage.
Brown will almost be forced to take whatever offer the Cs give him or risk being sent to a terrible
franchise in a trade.
Ultimately, it will be interesting to see what happens with Brown and the Boston Celtics, but it’s
important to note that Porzingis has played a big part in this saga.
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Brad Stevens gives eye-opening health update on Boston Celtics big man
Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens chatted with reporters in Las Vegas on
Wednesday night. During the interview, Stevens took some time to highlight how healthy All-Defensive
center Robert Williams has been feeling so far this summer.
“He hasn’t had a summer of good health in a while, but right now, he feels really good,” Stevens said, per
Taylor Snow. “So we’re looking forward to him building off that.”
Health has been a major question surrounding the big man for the better part of his career. Williams
missed a large chunk of last season as part of the recovery process for a surgery to his left knee. He
appeared in just 35 regular-season games for the Celtics in the 2022-23 campaign, averaging 8.0 points,
8.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.
The year prior, the 25-year-old had the best season of his young career. He was healthy, appearing in 61
of Boston’s 82 games. He was also named to the NBA’s all-defensive second-team. Williams’ defensive
ability played a major role in the way that the Celtics turned around that season. Their defense helped
propel them to a monster second-half, eventually resulting in an NBA Finals run.
What will Robert Williams’ role with the Boston Celtics be next season?
Williams finds himself in a bit of a strange spot, after the Boston Celtics’ big trade for Kristaps Porzingis.
The Latvian big man comes to town as a shoo-in to be a part of Boston’s starting five.
What does that mean for the Timelord?
Well, it most likely means that he’ll be coming off of the bench. Veteran big man Al Horford has come off
the bench just 11 times in his 16-year NBA career. It doesn’t make too much sense for him to start at the
beginning of next season. His complimentary game makes him a great fit next to Jayson Tatum, Jaylen
Brown, and now Porzingis.
As for Williams, his more exciting and energetic style of play makes him a better fit for a reserve role.
He’ll be well suited to check into games and give Boston a boost.
That doesn’t mean he can’t find his way into the starting lineup at some point in the upcoming season.
But, it’s tough to imagine he’ll edge Horford out of the final starting spot right away.
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