The Boston Celtics wrapped up their day at the NBA’s trade deadline on Thursday by trading center Daniel Theis and guard/forward Javonte Green for centers Moritz Wagner, often called Moe, and Luke Kornet.
Here are five things to know about the trade — a three-teamer that involved the Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Washington Wizards.
This deal was a salary dump
The Celtics almost certainly don’t think they are a better team for having dealt Theis — their starting center for last year’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals — for Wagner, who played 15 minutes per game for a bad Washington team whose starting center is out for the season. Luke Kornet reportedly could be waived. The Celtics needed to get out of the luxury tax to avoid the repeater tax, and they needed to ensure that if they somehow made a run to the Eastern Conference finals, they would remain out of the luxury tax.
Wagner and Kornet will be free agents after the season
The Wizards declined Wagner’s option, so his money comes off the books after the season. The Bulls signed Kornet to a two-year deal worth $4.5 million in 2019, which ends after this season as well.
Wagner likely will be asked to back up Tristan Thompson and Robert Williams.
Wagner isn’t likely to play major minutes, especially as Williams shows flashes. Instead, Wagner will likely be the Celtics’ third big off the bench, which is similar to his role in Washington.
With the Wizards, Wagner showed some potential as a pick-and-roll big — at 6-foot-11, he scored a respectable 1.22 points per possession as the roll man. He can both go to the rim and pick-and-pop, which could replace a small aspect of what Theis brought to the table.
Kornet and Wagner have some shooting potential
It’s unclear whether the Celtics will keep Kornet. If he stays, both he and Wagner have shooting potential. In his first and second seasons, Kornet played for the New York Knicks, where he hoisted four 3-pointers per game. In Chicago, his shooting numbers have fallen off, but his shot still looks smooth.
Wagner was projected to be a solid shooter coming out of Michigan — he shot nearly 40 percent his sophomore and junior seasons from deep. He has never been a good free-throw shooter, however, which is often a more reliable indicator.
In any case, teams can’t simply leave Wagner or Kornet open in pick-and-pop situations, which could prove useful.
The Celtics might still be in the market for a center
Per The Athletic’s Jared Weiss, the Celtics will likely waive Kornet and look for a center in the buyout market. The options could include Andre Drummond or LaMarcus Aldridge.
