Moe Wagner started his Thursday like normal, trekking outside for his pregame walk. It was halfway through his routine he found out he was traded from the Wizards to the Bulls. As he was getting emotionally ready to head to the Windy City, he found out minutes before the 3 p.m. trade deadline he was going to the Celtics instead.
It’s the whirlwind life in the NBA, where livelihoods are uprooted in a moment’s notice. Wagner was supposed to be suiting up to play against the Knicks on Thursday, but instead, he was headed to Milwaukee to meet up with his new squad.
To acclimate with the Celtics and his new coach, Brad Stevens, Wagner said he spent the past 24 hours pouring into the playbook to learn everything he can. Despite being traded Thursday, Wagner made his Boston debut in the 122-114 win over the Bucks on Friday. Wagner played 10 minutes, picking up three points and five rebounds.
It’s all still a process, though, for the 23-year-old forward out of Michigan.
“I can feel how I’m still a little overwhelmed here and there,” Wagner said postgame Friday. “I keep telling myself it’s just basketball and to keep on playing through the mistakes.”
Wagner was part of a three-team trade between Boston, Chicago and Washington. The Celtics shipped Daniel Theis and Javonte Green for Wagner and Bulls big man Luke Kornet. The Bulls and Wizards had an original deal that sent Wagner to the Bulls, but alterations right at the trade deadline threw everything into a spin.
Wagner started his career after being drafted in the first round by the Los Angeles Lakers. He was traded from the Lakers to the Wizards to free up cap space to sign Anthony Davis. It’s why Wagner said he understood the business side of the league once he was moved. He played in 25 games for the Wizards this season, averaging 7.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.
“The basketball part is kind of the easiest thing because it distracts you from all the other stuff that you have going on, like moving and all the off-the-court stuff that you gotta figure out,” Wagner said. “So just talking about coverages and getting to know new teammates is kind of the fun stuff. That’s kind of what I enjoy the most.”
There were some shades of coincidence as Wagner and Theis were traded for each other, both German players in the league. Wagner said he knows of Theis because of the national team experience, but he hasn’t suited up much for the German team, which is why he doesn’t know Theis on a personal level.
Wagner admitted it’s strange being traded for another player, especially one who was loved by his teammates like Theis. He said he watches games all the time and he could see how much Theis meant to his new squad.
“The dynamics of the team,” Wagner said of what he’s trying to pick up. “Who’s leading, who has what role, emotional role and all that stuff. And then defensively, I think the most important thing is getting the terminology right because if you play hard and don’t know what’s going on, you can’t play.”
Wagner said his No. 1 priority was to nail down those terminologies — on both the offensive and defensive end. He’s adjusting to a new coach, and Wagner said he’s seen a huge emphasis on knowing Stevens’ system.
Stevens and Wagner still haven’t discussed at length about the newest Celtics’ role. Wagner said they had a brief conversation before a team meeting, where Stevens told him to be a confident player and just go with the system on the fly.
Wagner was the first of the Celtics’ three newest pieces to see the court. Kornet was on the sideline for the game Friday but didn’t see any action. Stevens said Evan Fournier was in Boston going through physicals and other tasks. But Stevens said he’ll talk more in-depth with the efficient, sharpshooting guard so they can gel him into the system for the stretch run.
Wagner joined midway through a road trip, but he’ll get to enjoy his new home soon. The Celtics embark on a seven-game homestand starting Monday against the Pelicans, where they’ll be able to smooth out any adjustments with their newest gets.
“It’s the good thing about the NBA,” Wagner said. “You play a lot of basketball and I kind of try to get lost in that and worry about the other stuff off the court. But basketball is the easiest and most fun part for me.”
