Brad Stevens Discusses Potential Porzingis Extension, Celtics' Ability to Spend More: 'We've Got the Green Light'

Starting July 6, the Celtics can sign Kristaps Porzingis to a two-year, $77 million extension.

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After exercising a $36 million player option to pave the way for his arrival in Boston, Kristaps Porzingis becomes extension eligible on July 6. The Celtics can tack on two years and $77 million to his contract.

Thursday, at the former's introductory press conference at the Auerbach Center, the team's president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, conveyed the following about those discussions.

"We'll have a chance to talk here in the next couple of days or next weeks, or whatever it is. But, you know, obviously, we really like Kristaps, we want him here, you know, obviously have next year and then hopefully beyond, but we'll see on all that."

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Stevens also discussed Boston's efforts to continue building its roster as it aims to give itself the best chance of ending the coming campaign with Banner 18.

"We want everybody that comes here to understand what the ultimate goal is, right, and everybody that is a part of this group to understand what the ultimate goal is, and that's to put all of our strings together and try to win it all. And so every decision we make will be with that as the North Star.

"I think that it's very obvious, we've got a great core of players that people will want to play with and want to be around, and we just have to find accentuaters, people that accentuate that group. And we've talked about that in the past. And I thought (on) last year's team, we had a lot of that. And I think as we sit here right now with who we have under contract and what our potential avenues are, I think we'll be able to have that again."

While discussing the Celtics' budget, Danny Ainge's successor praised ownership for their commitment to winning and willingness to add to Boston's payroll.

Brad Stevens: "We're really lucky. We've got the green light to continue to add" pic.twitter.com/U5ZMW5DM6O

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) June 29, 2023

"We're really lucky, we've got the green light to continue to add. I think that the biggest part for us is making sure that we are smart about building the team. And obviously, you're always looking at it from a standpoint of this year but also down the road. But I do think that, again, we're fortunate that we were deep into the tax last year, (and) we'll be into it this year, and (we) have the green light to continue to do it.

"We just want to have a team that makes sense playing together. And sometimes, that means spending more, and sometimes, that means figuring out that you've got the guys to build around and then putting the right people around them. That's the challenge here moving forward over the next few weeks."

That opens the question of whether the Celtics are willing to go over the second apron this season. They're $7.3 million from it, per Spotrac. That's before signing second-round pick Jordan Walsh.

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Doing so seems ill-advised, given the punitive nature of doing so and the increasingly harsh restrictions on roster building for repeat offenders. Perhaps the organization's already decided having Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on supermax extensions, accounting for roughly 70 percent of their salary cap, is untenable, and that's shaping their current approach.

Any other train of thought adds to why Boston should stay under the second apron this season.

That has a direct impact on Grant Williams' future with the team. Thursday, the Celtics extended him an $8.5 million qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent.

It's unlikely that he and Malcolm Brogdon are both back unless Boston's about to go over the second apron.

If it's Williams who departs, the Celtics can at least try to send him to his next destination in a sign-and-trade. The most likely benefit is creating a traded player exception (TPE). But perhaps they get a player or draft capital back.

Further Reading

Kristaps Porzingis on Teaming with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown: 'I Think It Can Be a Great Combination'

Kristaps Porzingis Says Joining Celtics Was an 'Easy Decision'

Grant Williams Discusses Marcus Smart's Departure, Free Agency, and Recovery from Hand Surgery

The Latest Intel on Celtics' Restricted Free Agent Grant Williams

Jordan Walsh Let's Celtics Fan Know What He Brings to the Table: 'A Guy Who Wants to Do Whatever It Takes to Win'

Jordan Walsh Discusses Getting Drafted by Celtics, His Welcome to Boston

Brad Stevens Shares What Compelled Celtics to Trade for Kristaps Porzingis

Brad Stevens Discusses Difficult Decision to Trade Marcus Smart: 'He'll Always Have Boston'

After Trading Marcus Smart, Acquiring Kristaps Porzingis, Where Do Celtics Go from Here?

Marcus Smart Felt "Shock" and "Hurt" Over Trade from Boston Celtics

Marcus Smart Discusses Celtics' Identity, Relationship with Jaylen Brown, Boston's Coaching Hires, and Pursuit of Banner 18