Celtics Need to Reconsider Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Following Jayson Tatum's Achilles Surgery
Going After Giannis: A Hard Sell for the Celtics
The Boston Celtics are in a challenging spot without Jayson Tatum, and the financial burden of being in the luxury tax apron isn't making things any easier. To keep their championship dreams alive, they might consider a drastic move: acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo. But let's break down why this isn't as simple as it seems.
The Salary Cap Quagmire
Being a contending team in the NBA comes with a hefty price tag. The Celtics have tied up their core five—Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis—with expensive contracts. Add Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser to the mix, and their collective salaries for the next season catapult Boston over the second tax apron, even if Al Horford and Luke Kornet choose to move on.
Crossing the second tax apron means the Celtics cannot aggregate multiple salaries in a single trade or acquire more than 100% of the salary they're giving out in return. Essentially, this makes them ineligible to trade for Giannis unless they manage to trim their payroll down to the first tax apron, a tall order that would involve parting ways with two of White, Holiday, or Porzingis without taking back any salary.
The Elephant in the Room: Trading Tatum
The easiest way for the Celtics to acquire Antetokounmpo would be to trade Tatum, seeing as their salaries will be identical in the upcoming season. However, Tatum is ineligible for trading until after he signs his designated veteran contract extension. So, that option is off the table for now.
Bracing for Change
With the financial burden increasing and Tatum out, the Celtics' ownership is looking at a player payroll bill of around $500 million, assuming they re-sign Horford and Kornet. If the series against the New York Knicks doesn't go their way, expect some major roster changes to lighter the payroll.
A Tough Decision for the Front Office
The Celtics' front office will have some tough calls to make this offseason. If they don't want to splurge and run it back without Tatum, they'll need to let go of either Holiday or Porzingis.
Holiday, despite his indispensable role, might be the most disposable player, given that they already have a talented and team-friendly guard in Pritchard who could seize a larger role. On the other hand, with Horford aging and Kornet's free agency looming, there's uncertainty about the Celtics' frontcourt, making Porzingis a harder player to replace due to his unique skillset and contract expiration in 2025-26.
Trading either Holiday or Porzingis will come with challenges but is necessary if the Celtics want to keep their championship dreams alive, even if it means biting the bullet and trading Tatum once he becomes eligible.
- Despite the allure of acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Celtics' financial constraints make it challenging, particularly since their high salary commitments prevent them from aggregating multiple salaries in a single trade.
- The prospect of trading Tatum to acquire Antetokounmpo seems feasible due to their similar upcoming salaries, but with Tatum ineligible for trading until after he signs his contract extension, this option remains unavailable for now.
- As the Celtics grapple with the financial implications of a potentially star player's absence and a bloated payroll, the front office faces tough decisions this offseason, with letting go of either Jrue Holiday or Kristaps Porzingis being a possible avenue to alleviate the financial burden and keep their championship dreams alive.
