The Boston Celtics are trading veteran big man Noah Vonleh to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for cash considerations according to multiple reports.
The Massachusetts native signed with the Celtics in September before earning a roster spot with the club in October. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, he will be waived by San Antonio.
Vonleh appeared in 23 games for Boston, including a start early in the year. The former Indiana University player averaged 7 minutes of floor time per contest, though his usage has notably declined as the season matured. With Robert Williams III’s recent return from injury, Boston’s frontcourt rotation became a little bit deeper, though it is possible the team looks to add another big following this trade.
What the Celtics do next is certainly intriguing. They have traded player exceptions that could be used to bring in a player earning somewhat more than the minimum deal Vonleh was earning. They also have a disabled player exception from the Danilo Gallinari injury. If nothing else, the move will save the team about $7 million in salary and taxes, per Celtics Blog’s Keith Smith.
How the Celtics respond to losses against the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder may go a long way toward determining whether the Celtics break out of their slump longer term https://t.co/l4oKFE5IYJ
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) January 5, 2023
Boston could also use the roster spot to nab a player off of the buyout market to help add some size or perhaps wing depth, both of which could prove useful in stabilizing the team’s bench.
The NBA’s trade deadline is Feb. 9.
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