Today the Celtics have introduced Danilo Gallinari and Malcolm Brogdon as new players for the Massachusetts franchise. With these moves, you’d think Brad Stevens would shore up a roster talented enough to make it to the finals. But is not the case. The Celtics’ president of operations has been asked if they will turn off the tap from now on to avoid knee-deep in the luxury tax. before which the answer It has been a resounding no.
Stevens has said there are still plenty of transfer exceptions to run, and there is no spending limit. The Celtics have $35 million available for the transfers of Evan Fournier, Juancho Hernangómez, Dennis Schröder and many others. Right now the Celtics would exceed about 20 million above the luxury rate, for which they would pay about 40 million in taxes to the NBA. The figure would obviously skyrocket if they cover all the salary space that the aforementioned exceptions allow.
Less than a year ago, Brad Stevens’ goal was to ease the team’s salary burden by getting rid of dubious contracts and getting players with a high quality/price ratio. With this policy, the executive managed to form what has been the best regular team since last January. Which gives plenty of reasons to break the necessary piggy banks. Celtics ownership seems more than willing.
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