The Boston Celtics were among the biggest beneficiaries when the NBA hit the LA Clippers with a harsh penalty for the Kawhi Leonard salary cap circumvention scandal.
The C’s are now almost assured a premium lottery pick from the Clippers in 2028, given that the Steve Ballmer-owned franchise is expected to bottom out with no internal draft capital to rebuild after trading Leonard to the Raptors. Furthermore, the new draft lottery system also heightens Boston’s chances of landing a good pick.
The Celtics, however, face a major dilemma: whether to use their top 2028 pick or package it — potentially alongside Paul George’s expiring contract next year — for a superstar to pair with Jayson Tatum.
Celtics Face Major 2028 Question
Hardwood Houdini’s Ben Handler is convinced that how the Celtics use their incoming 2028 asset could “define” the rest of the Jayson Tatum era.
“…With a chance at a top pick in what’s projected to be a very strong 2028 draft, and given Brad Stevens’ proven track record of success drafting as late as he has, it’s at least worth wondering if Boston should just use the pick and potentially draft a generational talent who could be the next franchise cornerstone and come into his prime just as Tatum is starting to decline,” wrote Handler.
The Celtics writer feels the dilemma is a “good problem to have” for the 18-time NBA champions as they could allow the market dictate how to proceed in 2028.
“If teams come calling and want to blow them away with an offer that Boston loves, they should go ahead and take it if they think that move can position them to win championships with Tatum,” he added.
Handler further weighed the pros and cons of both decisions, explaining why the Celtics front office would be justified to go either route.
“If the Celtics don’t trade the pick, they might not be able to give Tatum the pieces he needs to raise another banner in his prime,” he wrote.
“On the other hand, if they do trade the pick, they risk giving away a possible superstar who could dominate the league for years to come, with no guarantee of immediate payoff. It’s a hugely critical decision with no clear answer at the moment, but the right choice could set the franchise up to compete for the next decade or more.”
Clippers Penalized by NBA
Besides the Celtics, the Oklahoma City Thunder are also indirect beneficiaries of the penalties levied against the Clippers by the NBA. The Thunder are still eligible to swap 2027 first-round picks with the Clippers, who will forfeit their first-round draft capital every year from 2029 to 2032.
Besides being ordered to surrender five future first-round picks, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was hit with a $30M fine and a one-year suspension for circumventing the salary cap in favor of departing star Kawhi Leonard.
“The NBA’s collectively bargained system for determining player compensation is a fundamental component of the basketball competition that the league oversees for the benefit of the teams and players and ultimately the fans,” commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “I am deeply disappointed by the flagrant violations of our rules and by the Clippers’ institutional and leadership failures that led to this misconduct. The severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations.”
Celtics Face Major Dilemma After Clippers Hit With Harsh Penalty