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 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.

If the #Celtics are willing to give Jaylen Brown the full supermax, they should NOT be offering a fifth-

year player option. Bonus incentives are another story, but that should be a non-starter for Boston

unless Brown’s taking less than the 35% cap hit. https://t.co/bzSRXzvcVE

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.

What Celtics’ Brad Stevens said of Grant Williams sign-and-trade

LAS VEGAS — While the Celtics didn’t completely change the core of their team, they did move some

rotation players this offseason. Marcus Smart is headed to the Grizzlies in the Kristaps Porzingis deal.

More recently, the Grant Williams sign-and-trade deal with the Mavericks and Spurs was officially

completed Wednesday.

That marks the end of Williams’ four-year career with the Celtics. There were plenty of highs as the big

man developed into a solid 3-point shooter and contributor by the end of his tenure. He wasn’t the

perfect player, but Williams ended up becoming a bonafide rotation player, which is why he got the four-

year, $54 million contract with the Mavericks.