The Celtics have traded Jrue Vacation to the Portland Path Blazers, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported.
In return, they’ve acquired Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks. Whether or not they’ll retain Simons — or commerce him within the coming weeks — stays to be seen. Simons is on an expiring $27.7 million contract and shall be an unrestricted free agent subsequent summer season.
The transfer helps transfer the Celtics inch nearer to being below the famed second apron. It marks the Celtics’ first offseason transaction — and the official breakup of the 2024 championship core.
In his two-year tenure with the Celtics, Vacation averaged 11.8 factors, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per sport. He shot 46.4% from the sector and 39.2% from three.
Within the Celtics’ championship run, he averaged 13.2 factors on 50.3% capturing, hitting 40.2% from three. These numbers elevated within the Finals – he averaged 14.4 factors, 7.4 rebounds, and three.8 assists within the 2024 NBA Finals.
Jrue Vacation has three years left on his contract; he’s slated to make $32.4 million subsequent season, $34.8 million within the 2026-27 season, and $37.2 million the yr after that.
Celtics at the moment are one step nearer to being below the second apron with the transfer
Two months in the past, Celtics governor Wyc Grousbeck mentioned in an interview with WEEI that the Celtics’ present tax invoice was unsustainable. With out re-signing Al Horford and Luke Kornet, the Celtics are already almost $20 million above the second apron – with $227.8 million projected wage between 12 gamers below contract.
A number of basketball penalties include being above the second apron, together with:
Being unable to make use of the mid-level exception
Being unable to make use of money in trades
Being unable to commerce first-round picks seven years out.
Being unable to interact in sign-and-trade offers that hold the workforce over the cap
Having their first spherical decide mechanically transfer to the top of the spherical in the event that they’ve been within the second apron three out of the previous 5 years
“It’s not the posh tax invoice, it’s the basketball penalties,” Grousbeck mentioned then. “The brand new CBA was designed by the league to cease groups from going loopy and so they determined that it’s not ok to only go after the wallets as a result of then the followers are like ‘hey, discover somebody who can afford to spend no matter — $500 million per yr or no matter it’s.”
This story shall be up to date as extra data is offered.
