Boston Celtics acquire Josh Richardson, trade Tristan Thompson in separate 3-team deal

The Boston Celtics were involved in a pair of moves to reshuffle their roster on Friday that saw them dispatch center Tristan Thompson and bring back three players: goaltender Kris Dunn and center Bruno Fernando of the Atlanta Hawks, and goaltender Josh Richardson of the Dallas Mavericks.

The first deal saw Thompson ending up with the Kings, guard Delon Wright going from Sacramento to Atlanta, and Dunn and Fernando ending up in Boston, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Boston also received a second-round pick in 2023, sources said.

Later Friday, Boston struck another deal, with sources confirming the Celtics offloaded Richardson from the Mavericks using the remainder of the trade exception created by the signing and trade deal that sent Gordon Hayward to the Charlotte Hornets. last November.

Boston now has 13 players with fully guaranteed contracts for next season, and about $ 5 million in guaranteed cash below the planned luxury tax line of $ 136.6 million for the 2021-22 season, according to Bobby Marks. from ESPN.

The Celtics will enter free agency next week with at least one important decision ahead of them: the possibility of re-signing goalkeeper Evan Fournier, whom they acquired along with the rest of the Hayward trade exception in March in the hours leading up to the game. deadline for exchanges. . With their current roster situation, Fournier’s re-signing would push the Celtics well into the luxury tax for next season.

Richardson, who turns 28 in September, is set to play for his fourth team in as many years following disappointing seasons in a row with the Philadelphia 76ers and Mavericks. After being acquired by the Sixers in a signing-and-swap deal for Jimmy Butler two summers ago, Richardson has struggled to find his place in Philadelphia. Then, after being traded to Seth Curry in the 2020 NBA Draft last November, Richardson averaged 12.1 points for Dallas, but tied a career low by shooting 33% on a range of 3. points.

He’s also gone from the start of all regular-season games for the Mavericks to that of all seven of Dallas’ first-round loss to the Clippers, including playing under 10 minutes in each of the last three games in this series.

Richardson, who had a player option for the 2021-22 season, will exercise that option to remain under contract under the deal.

Thompson, 30, averaged 7.6 points and 8.1 rebounds in 54 games for the Celtics last season, his first time playing anywhere outside of Cleveland, where he spent the first nine years. of his NBA career. But with the emergence of third-year center Robert Williams III and the return of center Al Horford as part of Kemba Walker’s trade last month, Thompson was no longer needed in Boston.

Now, however, he is heading to Sacramento, where he will provide assurance to the Kings at center with starter Richaun Holmes expected to be an unrestricted free agent on Monday.

Dunn, 27, played just four games in the regular season as he faced multiple injury issues, then saw a total of 33 minutes of action in five playoff games in the race from Atlanta to the Eastern Conference Finals. If he is in good health, the former Providence College star could provide the Celtics with some defense on the wing.

Fernando, who turns 23 in August, averaged 1.5 points in 33 games last year for Atlanta. He was the 34th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Wright averaged 10.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 63 games split between the Detroit Pistons and the Kings last season. The 29-year-old, now playing for his sixth team, gives Atlanta some depth in the backcourt behind Trae Young, where he can either be his replacement or play alongside impending free agent Lou Williams if the Hawks are able to re-sign him. .

All five players involved in both deals have contracts that will expire at the end of the 2021-22 season. Richardson will earn $ 11.6 million next season; Thompson is expected to earn $ 9.7 million; Wright will win $ 8.5 million; Dunn will make a little over $ 5 million and Fernando is expected to make $ 1.7 million.

The Athletic were the first to report that the Celtics acquired Richardson.