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NBA Free Agency: Grading all 30 teams on signings and trades

By Josh Cornelissen

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 29: Kyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors waves to his family during a game against the Sacramento Kings at Amalie Arena on January 29, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 29: Kyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors waves to his family during a game against the Sacramento Kings at Amalie Arena on January 29, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. /
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NBA Free Agency
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2021 NBA Free Agency Grades: Boston Celtics

Key Additions: Al Horford (trade), Josh Richardson (trade), Kris Dunn (trade), Bruno Fernando (trade), Enes Kanter (minimum)

Key Departures: Tristan Thompson (trade to Sacramento), Kemba Walker (trade to Oklahoma City), Evan Fournier (New York)

The Boston Celtics had a disappointing year last season and decided to shake things up around their young pair of forwards in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They moved Kemba Walker to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for old friend Al Horford, generating significant salary relief. They got more salary relief by flipping Tristan Thompson for Kris Dunn and Bruno Fernando, both combined a few million less than Thompson. This space they cleared was supposed to be used to re-sign Evan Fournier.

Instead, Fournier’s market got too hot to handle, and the Celtics pivoted. They took Josh Richardson into the remaining portion of the Gordon Hayward trade exception and let Fournier walk to the New York Knicks. Finally, with centers coming in and going out, they signed another old friend in Enes Kanter to a minimum contract.

The Celtics have to hope their roster shuffling isn’t just going to amount to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. They ended last season with Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, and now they have Josh Richardson and Al Horford. That may be a more healthy duo, but it’s not a better on-court one. They have to hope internal development from their young pieces and better health offset the loss of talent; a bounceback year from Richardson would certainly be welcome.

Grade: B-

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