The exodus for the Boston Celtics continues. After losing Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday on the trade market last week, the Celtics kicked off free agency by saying goodbye to fan favorite center Luke Kornet.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported in the early hours of free agency that Kornet was signing a four-year, $41 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs. Considering the financial crunch Boston is in, the Celtics were in no position to come anywhere near that offer for the veteran center.
While Kornet will always be remembered fondly by Celtics fans, it's time to find a replacement for him right away.
Walker Kessler Needs to Be the Top Celtics Target Now
Even though Boston responded quickly to Kornet's departure and signed Luka Garza to a two-year, $5.5 million deal, they need more bodies in the big man rotation. To properly replace the departed center rotation, the Celtics need to turn to the trade market.
The obvious trade target there is Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler. He checks all the boxes for the Celtics as he makes only $4.8 million for next season, can likely be acquired via a trade involving Sam Hauser and an unprotected first-round pick, and can be the starting center immediately.
Utah has Danny and Austin Ainge as their lead decision makers, making a potential trade more feasible for the Celtics. Kessler has already established himself as a defensive anchor who is one of the better rim protectors in the league. Considering that the Celtics are unlikely to find a starting-caliber center in free agency at this point, giving up assets to land one via a trade may be the only route.
What happens with Al Horford remains unclear. If he is to return, a Horford-Kessler-Garza rotation should be enough for the Celtics. If the Celtics fail to re-sign Horford as well, then their need to trade for Kessler would only multiply.