Celtics Add Zoran Dragic, Up to 17 Players Under Contract. So Who’s Out?
The Boston Celtics have added Zoran Dragic to a backcourt already full of young players hungry for playing time. In an effort to save on their luxury tax bill, Miami basically handed the 26-year-old over to Boston for free, along with a 2022 second round pick. Technically, the Heat get back a 2019 second round pick, but it’s heavily protected and they may never actually see it.
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If nothing else, Dragic brings some good genes with him to Boston. His older brother Goran is a former All-NBA Third Team selection and just resigned with Miami for $85 million over five years. Zoran is set to make just $1.7 million next year after averaging 1.8 points in 16 games last season with the Heat and Suns.
He brings the Celtics roster up to 17 players with guaranteed contracts for 2015-16. He may very well never actually suit up for Boston. They can afford to waive him and eat his modest contract or he may be dealt again. General manager Danny Ainge saw an opportunity to snag yet another asset, that 2022 pick. Taking on Dragic to save Miami some money was worth it.
The league max for a roster is of course 15 players, making Dragic a likely candidate to begin next season somewhere other than Boston. That leaves one more player that needs to be moved, but here things get foggy. Boston’s plethora of backcourt options may make Evan Turner expendable. The team is looking to Marcus Smart to become their starting point guard and they also want to give first round pick Terry Rozier a fair amount of playing time. James Young should be in the mix for some more minutes as well after a quiet rookie year.
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Turner had a surprisingly productive 2014-15 season and definitely holds some trade value. At 6′ 7″, he can guard forwards, but it also capable of running the offense. He recorded three triple doubles last season and averaged 9.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, while playing all 82 games. Ainge may choose to sell high on him if someone is willing to step up and offer a decent draft pick.
A big man could also be moved. The team signed second round pick Jordan Mickey, free agent Amir Johnson, and they traded for David Lee. The Celtics also still have Kelly Olynyk, Jared Sullinger, and Tyler Zeller on the roster. All three had periods of productivity last season, but the frontcourt has gotten significantly more crowded and roles could be diminished. There’s also a chance Boston simply opts to waive Perry Jones and eat his contract as well.
However things shake out, the battle for rotation spots next year will be fierce. Boston has very few established veterans. The majority of the roster is still looking to cement their place in the league. There will no doubt be bumps in the road, but watching who makes good on their potential should be fascinating as Boston looks to keep climbing in the East.