The Celtics reached an agreement to trade injured players Bol Bol and PJ Dozier to the Magic, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). It’s a cost-cutting move for the Celtics, which will dip below the luxury tax line as a result of the deal.
Boston is sending a second-round pick and cash to Orlando and will get a second-round pick in return, Wojnarowski reports. I’d expect the second-rounder headed to the Celtics to be heavily protected, but we’ll await further details.
Bol and Dozier were sent from Denver to Boston earlier this season in a three-team trade, but neither player was part of the Celtics’ short- or long-term plans. Bol underwent foot surgery that is expected to sideline him for most or all of the season, while Dozier is recovering from a surgery of his own to repair a torn ACL and won’t play until 2022-23.
Both players are on expiring deals, with Bol earning $2.2M this season and Dozier making $1.9M. Orlando will acquire both players using trade exceptions, while Boston will create a pair of new trade exceptions equivalent to their salaries.
The Celtics now have a pair of open roster spots and will remain out of tax territory even in the unlikely event that Jaylen Brown is named an All-Star replacement and earns a bonus. As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), the C’s would’ve had a small tax bill of about $2M if they hadn’t made a move, but they’re now in line to receive a potential eight-figure payout.
While Boston doesn’t have to make any more moves Thursday, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe (Twitter link) hears that there are still three or four teams in the mix for Dennis Schröder, with one source estimating there’s a 50/50 chance of a deal. Josh Richardson appears unlikely to be dealt, a source tells Himmelsbach.
The Magic have a full 15-man roster, so they’ll have to make at least one more move in order to accommodate the incoming players.
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