The Celtics made another significant change on Wednesday, and the NBA champion from 2008 is not pleased with how the
squad now looks.
In a three-team deal involving the San Antonio Spurs, Boston reportedly dealt Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks for a
number of second-round picks.
Williams and star Jayson Tatum were both shocked by the trade, but the addition of Kristaps Porzingis rendered Boston’s
frontcourt too congested to keep Williams, who allegedly signed an extension worth more than $13 million annually, in the
lineup.
Despite President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens assuring reporters he had the “green light” in spending, the Celtics
allegedly were not willing to pay Williams more than $12 million year.
Marcus Smart, who was part of the Porzingis trade and who ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins didn’t like, added to the rumored loss of Williams.
After this, Perkins said on “NBA Today” on Thursday, “Damn sure not feeling good.” You need dogs to win a championship,
that’s the thing. Marcus Smart and Grant Williams, two pit bulls that the Celtics have in the locker room, were just ejected.
That cannot be replaced. Guys that play hard don’t interest me at all. That’s something else. You can’t replace playing
tenaciously and loudly, getting in your face, and not being afraid to stir up trouble.
No team is present in the history of sports that hasn’t had dogs in their roster in order for them to compete to win a
championship.
“I don’t know if the Celtics have something coming down the pipeline or if Brad Stevens and Austin Ainge is working in that
front office. But right now, I am not happy again for the second or third week in a row. I’m not happy with the moves and
what’s happening down in Beantown.”
Williams and Smart played key roles in the 2022 NBA Finals run and last season’s conference finals run, but the Celtics fell
short, and Stevens chose to take a calculated risk to change up the roster for on-court upgrades.
It’s too soon to determine how the off-the-court impacts will affect the Celtics, but fans likely will fall on Perkins’ side of the
debate.
The counter would be that very few expected Aaron Gordon, Bruce Brown and Christian Braun to be key players or “dogs” in
the Denver Nuggets’ championship run against a team that arguably is filled with “dogs” in the Miami Heat led by Jimmy
Butler.
But the emotional argument is an easy one to make in July. Oshae Brissett is the only major signing the Celtics made, as of
Friday. But Boston does have the assets to possibly make a bigger move if one presents itself.
Stevens’ aggressive moves this offseason could determine his legacy as an executive depending on if the Celtics win the title
next season.
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