NBA Rumors: Ranking 10 best and most impactful offseason moves so far

4. Celtics trade for Kristaps Porzingis

The Boston Celtics could’ve easily run back their roster. This is a team that was talented enough to not only get to the NBA Finals but to also win it outright. However, it just didn’t pan out that way as they ran into a red-hot Miami Heat team in the Eastern Conference Finals. Heading into the offseason, it was clear that the Celtics needed to shake up the roster a bit. And they accomplished exactly that by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team trade from the Washington Wizards.

Even though it came at the expense of Smart. it’s hard to look at this acquisition and not think of it as an upgrade. The Celtics are going to miss Smart in the backcourt, but the team has depth there where they could theoretically survive. Adding another dynamic big next to Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum is going to pay dividends for this team this upcoming season.

The biggest reason to love this move is the fact that the presence of Kristaps on the roster is going to take immense pressure off Tatum and Brown on the offensive end of the floor. That’s not something that can be overlooked here.