The Boston Celtics have traded guard Avery Bradley and a 2019 second-round pick to the Detroit Pistons for forward Marcus Morris on Friday, as first reported by Shams Charania of the Vertical.
It is the Celtics’ first move in clearing out salary cap space to sign Gordon Hayward to a maximum contract. Hayward recently signed a four-year, $127 million deal to join Boston after seven years with the Utah Jazz.
Bradley is expected to make $8.8 million next season, which is the last of a four-year deal he inked with Boston in 2014.
The Pistons, who have been looking for a boost in perimeter scoring, was willing to take on the last year of Bradley’s deal. The 26-year-old shot 39-percent from three-point range last year on his way to a career-high average of 16.3 points per game. He also provides added defensive help as he is a two-time All-Defensive Team member.
For the Celtics, they’ll be taking on a 27-year-old Morris who averaged 14.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last year. He’ll make $5 million next year and an additional $5.3 in 2018-19. It leaves the team with around $1.9 million of practical cap space at the moment, which obviously isn’t enough to restructure Hayward’s contract into a max deal just yet.
Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart, who combined will make over $11 million next year, are also rumored to be on the trading block.
Morris’ acquisition ensures that the Celtics have another starting-caliber forward to step in if Crowder is in fact dealt. At 6’9″, the versatile and strong Morris can play either the 3 or 4.
