GoCeltics123 wrote:As Kristaps Porziņģis is introduced Thursday and free agency opens 24 hours later, Brad Stevens and the front office continue actively exploring trade opportunities, according to league sources. After trading Marcus Smart, Boston still has a potential need for playmaking, depending on how the Malcolm Brogdon situation shakes out after a deal to trade him to the Clippers fell apart last week.
Then there is Grant Williams’ restricted free agency, as the Celtics weigh whether to keep someone who can fill an important role long-term as the frontcourt’s hustle guy. Al Horford can still do that to a degree this upcoming season, but players’ activity levels and aggression tend to drop off dramatically in their late 30s.
Jordan Walsh will eventually be able to help bring the kind of physical perimeter defense that was a big part of Williams’ role, team sources expect him to need some time to jump into that spot on a contending team.
With the Celtics expected to agree to a two-year contract extension with Porziņģis on July 6 that can pay him up to $77 million, matching a Williams offer sheet will make it incredibly hard to stay out of the second apron for the coming years once the team makes its likely supermax offer to Jaylen Brown.
From Jared Weiss
Jarred Weiss doesn’t have sources. The same day we traded for KP he said Grant was very likely to stay.
