NBA Notebook: Charting a future for Grant Williams and Celtics gets expensive

Malcolm Brogdon smiled several times during the first half of the Celtics' season and expressed how fresh he feels. He doesn't need to do much in Boston, he said, with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum freeing him up for quality looks. Occasionally, he would do more, stepping into eight three-point attempts on Wednesday and drilling five. He rejected a Detroit rally late in the second quarter by hitting back-to-back-to-back tries and when the night and season's first half ended, he stood along atop qualified players with a 45.5% three-point percentage.

"It's the best locker room I've been a part of, by far," Brogdon said on Wednesday. "These guys, from a winning standpoint and from just a character, guys standpoint, I've been in some great locker rooms, but these guys know how to win. We do it together every night and nobody really gets in their feelings about anything. We have guys step up, different guys every night, and I think it starts with your leaders, with J.B. and J.T., how they perform every night, but then how they treat everybody. I think everybody else follows their lead." 

A perfect storm led Brogdon to Boston as the perfect complimentary piece, starting with his willingness to play off the bench in all 50 appearances so far. Sam Hauser started a recent stretch of games with Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown injured, with no complaints from Brogdon. Any concerns over Smart and Brogdon butting heads never materialized, and injury concerns that led to the Pacers star's decline in recent seasons only popped up early in the season when he sat for four games feeling some hamstring tightness. The biggest reason the Celtics acquired Brogdon for what now looks like a steal, Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, some non-guaranteed contracts and a 2023 first-rounder, that's currently No. 30 overall, are the dollars and cents. 

Brogdon signed a two-year, $45-million extension through 2025 last season that made him ineligible to be traded for the remainder of the 2021-22 season. He proved difficult to move when that restriction lifted, with teams needing to match his $22.6 million salary entering his 30-year-old season having played fewer than 60 games over the previous three years. The Raptors reportedly emerged as a suitor, though head coach Nick Nurse mentioned never hearing about that possibility during the preseason. Brogdon explained Indiana worked with him on finding a destination and Boston became a no-brainer, the Celtics helping facilitate the Pacers' pursuit of restricted free agent Deandre Ayton. 

The move required Boston to embrace years of luxury tax payments they prepared for by sitting out of the tax recently, which led to dancing below the threshold last season with multiple trades like the Bol Bol salary dump that raised the question of when the Celtics would actually pay. That changed when they made the NBA Finals and nearly won the championship, which would've triggered a bonus for Jaylen Brown and propelled Boston over the line. They would've accepted that, and now, they'll balance big payments in pursuit of another chance. Adding Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari helped propel the Celtics toward a $64.5-million luxury tax bill on top of their $175.4-million team salary, the fourth-highest penalty behind the Warriors, Clippers and Bucks.

Boston piled on by trading Justin Jackson ($2.1M) for Mike Muscala ($3.5M), salaries that don't match that the Celtics used the Dennis Schröder trade exception to bridge. That $1.4-million difference raised the Celtics' tax bill by $5.2-million, emblematic of how costly each seemingly minor move becomes going forward, and why the team faces such a significant free agent negotiation with Grant Williams this summer. If Boston decides to use its $3.2-million Gallinari disabled player exception (exp. Mar. 10) to sign a buyout player by the Mar. 1 playoff eligibility deadline, their tax burden will reach $78.3-million. 

"We're looking at buyout candidates and free agents," Celtics governor Wyc Grousbeck said on WEEI this week. "I'd be very surprised if we went into the playoffs with an open roster spot. I don't think that's going to happen. So there's a question of whether you sign people to 10-day contracts and check them out, whether they're willing to accept a role where the team is pretty deep. There may not be a lot of minutes. People don't necessarily want to sign for that, it might not be good for their career, although it might be a fun playoff run, it might not be great for the free agent to sit on the bench ... we're not saving roster spots for a rainy day. We've just got to find the right fit." 

Whether or not the Celtics explored trading Williams, his $4.3-million rookie salary and ability to play well above that level proved important to the team's cost control after fellow recent draft picks Romeo Langford and Aaron Nesmith faltered and moved in exchange for more expensive players like Derrick White and Brogdon. If Williams commands upwards of $ 20 million in average annual value, as Marc Stein reported, that could nearly erase the entirety of the $16.9-million the Celtics project to save when Al Horford's $26.5-million salary becomes $9.6-million when his extension begins next season. 

The Celtics understandably believe he could fall short of that in this summer's market, but even a maximum expected $15-million offer sheet would force a difficult decision on them. That would position them to pay approximately $31.1 million in tax next year before using their mid-level exception (~$7.0M) and adding a 15th roster player. Those two additional signings would push the tax bill back over $ 60 million, while a $20 million Williams salary forces Boston to pay over $80 million.

While that extreme remains unlikely, the Celtics have room to negotiate with Williams. They won't with Jaylen Brown, who's currently eligible for an extension ahead of his free agency after the 2023-24 season. The Celtics can only offer four years, $165.2 million as it stands, well below the $248.8 million the team can offer him once he becomes a free agent. The possibility he can become a super max eligible player remains even after his facial fracture cost him four games before the all-star break. While clinching All-NBA status would allow the Celtics to offer five-years, $290.3 million, it'd set Brown up to earn $50.1-million in 2024-25. That's one year before Boston would begin making payments as a repeater tax penalty, a harsher multiplier. 

While it's harder to project the Celtics and the NBA's financials in 2025, Tatum, Brogdon, Smart, White, the two big men and Sam Hauser account for $121.8-million before factoring in Brown and Grant's ($15M) hypothetical salaries. Those would bump their tax payment above $30 million between nine players alone. Remember that Tatum also becomes super max eligible in 2024 if he makes All-NBA this year, a virtual lock, setting him up for a $51.7-million salary in 2025-26. Only Robert Williams III and Smart are currently under contract for 2026, which would be Boston's first under the repeater. 

Only eight teams have significant cap space entering next summer, and the Rockets and Spurs don't make sense as Williams destinations. The Magic will reportedly pursue Fred VanVleet with their money. The Jazz boast over $49 million before re-signing Jordan Clarkson. The Thunder and Pistons are approaching use-it-or-lose-it time with their roughly $30 million in space, respectively, while the Kings and Pacers round out the teams that can feasibly pay Williams. His hometown Hornets have money too, but probably not enough if they intend to keep free agents PJ Washington and Kelly Oubre Jr.

It stands to reason why the Celtics fell short on Jakob Poetl, who enters unrestricted free agency this summer facing less stringent restrictions than Williams. Boston can match any offer on Williams. It's possible the Celtics would've lost Poetl while trying to retain him, since teams don't have to worry about tying up their cap space for three days to sign Poetl to a contract. Beyond that, the cost of a first-round pick also limited Boston's potential to add at the deadline. The Celtics already traded their 2023 pick and therefore couldn't deal 2024 until this summer. Trading 2025 or 2027 first-rounders for a rental big, when the roster projects to become its costliest, would've moved the franchise further from sustainable and more toward all-in now. 

Struggling to draft between 2019-20 and trading first rounders from 2021-23 is part of why the Celtics' roster is so expensive, and they reportedly offered one of their cheap young players in Payton Pritchard for Poetl. With an increasing likelihood Pritchard gets traded rather than re-signed when he becomes extension-eligible this summer, Boston can only scour the undrafted free agent market, overseas and the G-League, as it did with Luke Kornet and Hauser, to add cost-controlled roster depth. The Celtics traded their remaining second-round picks through 2029 beyond one they'll own this season, which could become No. 33 if the Rockets rise above the worst or second-worst records in the league. Don't count on that. 

That's all fine if Wyc Grousbeck and their ownership group feel comfortable investing in and growing the franchise's value as a championship contender. The luxury tax won't prevent them from re-signing Brown and Tatum. It could cost them Williams, a key player to their 2022 NBA Finals run who would be more replaceable if the Celtics hit on more picks in recent years. Then, they would need to turn toward a veteran, Muscala, an imperfect fit in Williams' role, younger prospect, or lean more on Williams III or Al Horford despite their growing injuries and age. It's why the luxury tax exists, to pressure the best teams. It's important to maintain a young underbelly of talent and Williams currently stands as Boston's best succession plan for Horford. Even Brogdon expressed recently that he won't play forever. 

"It's going to be up to my family," he told Boston Sports Journal while reflecting on LeBron James' longevity this month. "I want to spend time with my family more than anything. It probably won't be a 20-year career, I don't think my body will give me 20 years, but I want to play this game for as long as I'm productive." 

As the league's elite young players showed out for the rising stars showcase on Friday, the Celtics' drought extended to four years since Tatum participated in it as the last Celtics representative. Sometimes drafting, with the intrigue of promise and potential never become anything substantive, and Boston's 42-17 start revealed a formula, roster construction and chemistry good enough to win a championship if all breaks right.

If it doesn't, like last year when Williams III's health and a difficult Warriors matchup cut Boston's hopes short, they'll begin charting a difficult financial path into the future. One possible to navigate for a front office making more sound decisions in recent years since Danny Ainge's departure, but one that could be dictated, in part, by the dollar bill.

Here's what else happened in the NBA this week...

Atlanta (29-30): Only the Lakers rank worse in net rating than the Hawks' -0.5 entering the all-star break among teams not in rebuild mode. They allowed 20 points to four different Hornets starters and 144 overall in the loss before struggling on both ends against New York. They're currently in the playoff picture by 3.0 games, the eighth seed and a likely play-in team. John Collins (head) exited the Knicks game and did not return, while Saddiq Bey arrived after the completion of the Gary Payton II trade and shot 5-for-13 in his first two games with the Hawks. 

Boston (42-17): Lost an overtime thriller to the Bucks while Jayson Tatum and various other starters sat. Robert Williams III (ankle) moved to the bench and played 13 minutes in the loss before sitting out the second half of the back-to-back, something to watch after the break. Jaylen Brown (facial fracture) traveled to Utah for All-Star weekend after missing both games and Marcus Smart (ankle) returned from an 11-game absence against Detroit and record six steals in the win. Mike Muscala shot 9-for-23 (39.1%) from three in his first three games with Boston and endeared himself to teammates.

"You see him out there, he’s very assertive offensively with the things he wants to do and the spots he needs to get on the floor," Al Horford, Muscala's teammate in Atlanta and Oklahoma City, said. "I feel like he’s making the right plays out there, so I feel like he’s gotten acclimated to our group and he’s just another guy that’s gonna be able to help us … those years in Atlanta were special. We did a lot of winning there and he was a part of whatever we were building. Just a lot of good memories." 

Brooklyn (34-24): They're fighting and own a significant cushion in the east playoff race as the season winds down, 2.5 games above the play-in line and in the playoff picture by 8.5 games over 11-seed Chicago, who they beat late last week. Spencer Dinwiddie nearly forced overtime against Philadelphia with a half-court heave he shot and made less than one second after the buzzer. They offense stalled in a bad loss to the Knicks and Ben Simmons' 13 minutes underscored this defensively talented team's biggest challenge after Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Where will the points come from? 

New centerpiece Mikal Bridges dropped 45 points against the Heat in an important win and the Nets reportedly passed up four Grizzlies first-round picks for him after acquiring him from the Suns. Brooklyn also rejected multiple firsts for Dorian Finney-Smith. They have talent and it is disappointing Simmons looks nowhere ready to become the force that rallies this group of shooters, defenders and budding talents. Jacque Vaughn admitted he's tough to play.

“It’s going to be some work that we have to do. Because, you just take a look at what the lineups could potentially look like," Vaughn said. "You put another big next to Ben, then you got to figure out what the spacing is around him. Then, if you put another playmaker next to him, then you got to figure out what Ben looks like without the basketball. Then, if you go small with Ben, then you have to figure out can you rebound enough with him?”

Charlotte (17-43): P.J. Washington and Mark Williams have played well together, with Washington scoring 22 points in each game while the Hornets won 2-of-3 this week. LaMelo Ball is playing well as he strings together healthy games, averaging 23.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 8.9 APG while hitting 38.8% of his 10 threes per game in February. Williams' development as a roller and defensive stopper should be one of their biggest focuses late this season. 

"He can do all of it now," Steve Clifford said. "I mean, the play he made the other night on Trae [Young] when he switched out, now you're talking about an elite offensive player. He read the play, he called the switch. And then he stayed between him and the basket and then he used his length and made really a terrific block. But he had another play tonight. His ability to run the floor. But Mark can also be a really good pick-and-roll defender because he can read things. He's just...he's got to get his talk down. I told him in the game. You can't be a count late in this league. Because once guys see you on the other team that you're late with your talk, he's going to be in pick-and-rolls all night." 

Chicago (26-33): Fell out of the east playoff picture after making no moves at the deadline, losing six straight games and worsening an already bleak situation by passing up their chance to at least recover some future assets. Russell Westbrook, a rumored target if he completes his Utah buyout, can't hurt, but probably isn't saving this situation. Billy Donovan formerly coached Westbrook in Oklahoma City and he'd likely receive a starting role, making this situation his most likely landing spot. The Bulls have played third-ranked defense while finishing 3-6 so far in February, due to their 29th-ranked offense this month. DeMar DeRozan (quad) missed the last two games before the break and plans to play in Sunday's All-Star Game. Chicago spoke with Westbrook and Patrick Beverley, who the Magic recently bought out. The Bulls currently have 15 players, so they need to clear a roster spot. 

Lonzo Ball is expected to be ruled out for the entirety of the 2022-23 season after the all-star break, still struggling to run 13 months after surgery.

Cleveland (38-23): Bought out Kevin Love after he did not play in 12 straight games, ending his nine-year run with the Cavaliers that culminated in a 2016 championship alongside LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Love keyed James' return to Cleveland after the team landed  No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins as a piece to entice the Timberwolves to move off their star forward. An awkward arrival led to successful four-year partnership where Love hit 37.7% of his threes as James' floor spacer, passing up his old statistical dominance in favor of winning. When James and Irving left, Love stayed through several losing seasons filled with frustration and candor over his discontent until he rediscovered himself as a committed sixth man of the year candidate last season after being cut from the 2021 U.S. Olympic team. Love's numbers dipped this season at 34-years-old. The Heat are considered a lead suitor.

Dallas (31-29): Lost Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić's first two games together, including an overtime shootout against the Kings and a tight finish against Minnesota where the pair played hot potato on the final possession. Dončić dropped their final game before the break against Denver and showed this group needs to come together quickly in the second half to stay above the play-in line and guarantee a long playoff push. Jason Kidd seemed to relent on how the Mavericks need to win after the trade. While it's likely true about this group, it spelled some concern about how legitimate of a contender they are. Dallas ranks 10th in offense and 23rd in defense over the last five games since Irving's arrival. He refused to talk about an extension this week. 

“No [I’m not concerned about our defense]. We’re here to outscore people," he said. "People come to see the points, not 80-80. We’re here to score. This is the new NBA. Interior defense, we’ll figure it out." 

Denver (41-18): Won three straight games and 7-of-10 entering the break while Nikola Jokić emerged as the overwhelming MVP favorite in ESPN's latest straw poll, garnering 77 first-place votes among likely voters to Giannis Antetokounmpo's 11, Joel Embiid's six and Jayson Tatum's five. Jokić is averaging 24.7 PPG, 11.5 RPG and 10.1 APG on 63.2% shooting, shattering production in his last two MVP seasons and setting him up to possibly become the first three-peat winner since Larry Bird. Giannis gained on him by leading 12 straight wins into the break, setting up a mad dash finish for the award. Denver signed Reggie Jackson after trading Bones Hyland to the Clippers last week, setting him up to lead their bench. 

Detroit (15-44): James Wiseman debuted for the Pistons with 11 points and five rebounds off the bench against Boston in 23 minutes. Wiseman will compete with Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart and eventually Marvin Bagley III for playing time, but will receive far more than he did on the Warriors, part of the reason Golden State refused to cancel the trade over Gary Payton II's injury status. The Warriors held Wiseman in the G-League for much of this season and sent him to a destination that gave him the best chance to succeed. Wednesday marked only his third NBA game in the new year. 

"The last few days have been crazy for me. Get off the plane, doing my physical and stuff, it was a lot," Wiseman said. "Then the trade situation, but I just stayed present, tried to take it one day at a time and am embracing everything. I was super confident (I'd stay in Detroit)." 

Golden State (29-29): The Warriors and Trail Blazers completed the four-team trade that landed Gary Payton II back in Golden State after the deal nearly fell apart regarding a Warriors complaint over Payton II's schedule. Golden State brought the concern to the NBA, who will investigate and possibly punish Portland if it finds any wrongdoing and allow for an amendment to the trade compensation. Warriors doctors revealed last week Payton II would need to miss much of the remaining season to fully recover from offseason abdominal surgery that led him to play only 17 games after signing with Portland. ESPN reported, "Portland did not reveal Payton II had been taking the pain-killing medication Toradol to help allow him to play." It's unsurprising a Warriors team awaiting Steph Curry's return from leg injury and hoping to end the James Wiseman saga simply did the deal in hopes of a playoff boost.

Houston (13-45): Scored fewer than 105 points in three straight losses this week as their overall losing streak extended to seven. Jalen Green suffered a groin injury in the blowout loss to the Thunder before the break, setting him up to miss the rising stars showcase in Utah and sometime after the break, despite a relieving MRI on Friday. Teammate Tari Eason replaced him in the competition and KJ Martin will compete in the dunk contest on Saturday. The Rockets rank last in offense and 28th in defense as they maintain a 0.5-game lead on San Antonio for the worst record in the league. 

Indiana (26-34): Ended a five-game losing streak by beating the Bulls as they lost 8-of-10 entering the break and now trail the east playoff field by 2.5 games, with the sixth-worst record in the league. Their 3-15 slide since Tyrese Haliburton's injury saw them rank 24th in offense and 26th in defense, showing the value of Haliburton and positioning them in the lottery to get him some help. Aaron Nesmith looks more and more part of that equation, averaging 12.8 PPG on 47.4% shooting this month, including 42.2% from three. Haliburton, an all-star, is posting 18.4 PPG and 9.3 APG since his return. Bennedict Mathurin scored seven out of 25 points to help his team win the rising stars challenge in Utah. 

Lakers (27-32): Scored an important win over the Pelicans, 120-102, where Mo Bamba protected the rim, Jarred Vanderbilt crashed the boards and D'Angelo Russell matched LeBron James with 21 points as the Lakers finally looked like a cohesive unit. LA beat the Warriors in Russell's debut and struggled against Portland while James sat. The Lakers need a serious run after the break, trailing 2.0 games back of the 10 seed behind Oklahoma City, Utah and Portland, and still 3.0 games back of New Orleans and Minnesota for the seventh seed. It's not an impossible climb, but it'll elude the Lakers if they continue their inconsistent play and sporadic availability from the first half of the season. They face the Warriors, Grizzlies and Mavs to end February.

Clippers (33-28): Reached within 1.0 game of the Kings for the three seed as their deadline additions that went overshadowed by their neighbors shined in an important win over the Suns. Eric Gordon hit a pair of threes on five tries and scored 13 points off the bench while Mason Plumlee posted three assists playing in the short roll in 17 minutes of relief for Ivica Zubac. LA also won a game where Kawhi Leonard struggled, shooting 5-for-18, as Paul George and Terance Mann uplifted him in a performance more reminiscent of how this team's depth should work. Would Russell Westbrook fit into this mix? They reportedly began speaking to the guard about a role as the Jazz make the guard available to suitors who could chase him if he's bought out. 

Memphis (35-22): With reports linking them to Kevin Durant, O.G. Anunoby and Mikal Bridges before a largely quiet trade deadline, it's clear the Grizzlies hoped to make a leap late this season they may not be able to achieve. Sunday's meeting against Boston turned into another flop as the Grizzlies lost their 14th game over their last 15 meetings with the Celtics and Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out in 20 minutes, not an encouraging showing against a likely Finals opponent. Luke Kennard scored single-digits in his first two games as he struggled to get on the floor much like in his time with the Clippers. Memphis entered the break losing 4-of-7 and ranking 22nd in offense this month, as their contributing players remain inconsistent nightly.

Miami (32-27): Couldn't slow Mikal Bridges or score in a concerning 116-105 loss at Brooklyn before the break where Jimmy Butler scored 13 points in 32 minutes. Bam Adebayo deservedly travels to Utah as this group's only all-star, unable to find consistent scoring from any other teammate during his encouraging 21.6 PPG campaign. They will likely sign Kevin Love in the buyout market due to their gap at backup center after trading Dewayne Dedmon. Leaning on players like Victor Oladipo and Kyle Lowry is part of why the Heat stand where they do now though, and even landing Russell Westbrook would only provide spurts of relief for the offense and more challenges for a team that already struggles to space the floor.

Milwaukee (41-17): The hottest team entering All-Star weekend with 12 straight wins that pulled them within 0.5 games of the Celtics, who they beat 131-125 on Tuesday, for the east's top seed. Jrue Holiday scored 40 points and blew up two plays in overtime against Boston, who sat Jayson Tatum and three other starters, but still fought throughout behind bench contributions. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points with nine assists before exiting the team's win over the Bulls two nights later after nine minutes with a right wrist sprain. His all-star status remains uncertain after an x-ray returned negative with hopes that the injury was minor. He shrugged off the injury in Utah and officially became the all-time leader in Bucks assists in Thursday's win. 

The Celtics and Bucks meet again in Milwaukee on Mar. 30 to break the tie in the season series. Jae Crowder remains out while conditioning. 

Minnesota (31-30): Karl-Anthony Towns exited the Timberwolves lineup 40 games ago on Nov. 28 and the team played 21-19 basketball without him, which wouldn't have sounded terrible if you said it then. Minnesota ranks 18th in offense and 12th in defense over that stretch for a +0.6 net rating, positioning the Wolves in a tie for the seventh seed in the packed west. They held on after nearly blowing a 26-point lead to the Mavs and Rudy Gobert scored 21 points with 14 rebounds on 9-for-9 shooting. A poor showing against the Wizards showed their maddening inconsistency though. 

"We can’t throw it off a guy’s knee or give up a layup, turn it over right back and give up another layup. We can’t afford to do that,” new point guard Mike Conley said. “We’ve all gotta be thinking that as a whole group. For me to come in here, I just gotta be very, very attentive towards that.”

New Orleans (30-29): They slid from hoping to contend in the west to the play-in field when Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson suffered injuries earlier this season. Williamson remains out and will miss more time after the all-star break due to a setback in his hamstring recovery, possibly several weeks according to GM David Griffin. It's a startling update for a team that waited nearly 30 games for Ingram to return from a toe injury and they've watched him shoot 29% from three and turn the ball over 4.1 times per game in nine appearances since. They're 7-15 since Williamson's injury. 

It stinks to watch as CJ McCollum remains an imposing offensive force and role players like Jose Alvarado have thrived for the team. He won the rising star MVP award as the event's only undrafted player on Friday. 

New York (33-27): Jalen Brunson drove the Knicks to three straight wins with a pair of 38-point efforts against the Jazz and Nets, then 28 over Atlanta to propel the Knicks above the play-in line as the tabloids anointed him possibly the greatest free agent success in team history. Brunson could join the all-star game if DeMar DeRozan (quad) or Jaylen Brown (facial fracture) miss the game, though he currently stands as the game's biggest snub after averaging 23.9 PPG and 6.2 APG on 48.5% shooting to stabilize the franchise after a year out of the playoffs. Josh Hart averaged 17.0 PPG in his first three games with the team after arriving from Portland. Mitchell Robinson (thumb) hasn't returned to on court work, but saw improvement recently. Look for his backup Jericho Sims as an underrated dunk contest force entering the event on Saturday. 

Oklahoma City (28-29): Thrashed the Rockets for their fourth 130-point effort over the past six games, bolstering the Thunder atop the league's most efficient offenses this month. It helped to play Houston twice over that stretch, but their back court continues to show their looming emergence as the league's best, averaging 37.7 PPG and 12.7 APG over the first seven games of the month. Giddey dazzled while getting interviewed in Utah on Friday, serving six assists and posting a +20 for his team in the rising star showcase. 

Orlando (14-35): Waived Patrick Beverley and bought out Terrence Ross, who became a staple veteran for the team over seven seasons after arriving from Toronto in the Serge Ibaka trade. Ross signed with the Phoenix Suns. Orlando picked up former Pacers big man Goga Bitadze. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner starred in Friday's rising star showcase, where Banchero posted 13 points across a dominant two-game showing for the title team. 

Philadelphia (38-19): Entered the break winning four straight games over the Knicks, Nets, Rockets and Cavaliers after slipping against a Celtics team missing its big men. Joel Embiid averaged 31 PPG and 11 RPG on 60.6% shooting over the games that followed while all-star snub James Harden posted 24.0 PPG and 10.0 APG. Their connection drove a third-ranked offense and 17-5 stretch into the new year. 

Phoenix (32-28): Won 5-of-6, including their win in Boston, and 7-of-10 entering the break with the best yet to come whenever Kevin Durant makes his debut after the all-star break. Durant shot around at Suns practice, moving comfortably this week before the team introduced him to a raucous crowd where he explained his desire to join Phoenix and grew emotional speaking about his years with the Nets. Durant hopes to debut shortly after the break concludes next week. Durant chalked up the failure of the Brooklyn years to the team's trio of stars rarely taking the floor together.

"That was a special four years in my career, coming off an Achilles. (The Nets) helped me through a lot, so I don't have anything (bad to say) ... (the Suns) experienced a lot the last couple years," Durant said. "You see the growth in this team. When Monty (Williams) took over, when James (Jones) came here, I see the culture start to change, the way they played on the floor. The energy they played with started to change, and I always loved playing here in Phoenix. ... I knew this would be a great place to play and a great place to continue to get better as a player. You got somebody like Devin [Booker] and Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, guys that work. And I wanted to be part of that, so I'm excited I'm here."

Portland (28-30): Stuck under .500 and below the playoff picture in the west, but close enough to convince themselves to keep the team together for a run where they can maintain an outside shot to win the lottery if it falls short. The new odds hoped to create teams like these Blazers, who knocked off the Lakers in a fun game last week and Damian Lillard dazzled in a 33-point triple-double to beat the Warriors before that. That doesn't make the outlook any clearer for this group that's been stuck here in recent years. Anfernee Simons (ankle) will miss the three-point contest with Jayson Tatum, Tyler Herro, Tyrese Haliburton, Lauri Markkanen, Kevin Huerter, Buddy Hield and Lillard competing with Julius Randle joining as Simons' replacement. 

Sacramento (32-25): De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis are all-stars combining for 43.6 PPG for a No. 3 seed Kings team that'll place Mike Brown in position to win coach of the year if they continue along this trajectory. It can't get much better than this after falling into the longest active playoff drought in major North American sports. Sacramento enters the second half with a magic number of 20 to clinch a top-six seed. It's interesting to look ahead at how legitimately intriguing this situation could become on a championship level, and Shams Charania pictures a splash in the near future.

San Antonio (14-45): Own a 14-game losing streak entering the all-star break with Romeo Langford (thigh) joining Devin Vassell (knee) and Khem Birch (knee) among the injured. The only intriguing thing happening recently here was the Charles Bassey extension, worth four years, $10.2 million as a low-key success story for the big man who couldn't break through with the 76ers and the Spurs for developing him. Look for more of those in ensuing years here. Also, the inevitable happened this week as Gregg Popovich was named a finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame alongside Tony Parker. 

Toronto (28-31): Unlike Chicago, they added at the trade deadline to take advantage of what they saw as a wide open east and received 30 points and nine rebounds from Jakob Poetl in his return win over the Magic. Poetl played for the Raptors for two seasons at the start of his career before landing in San Antonio in the Kawhi Leonard deal and becoming an effective roller and rebounder with the Spurs. The Raptors didn't have height like his in recent seasons and finally committed to more established interior play with Nick Nurse's status wavering to start this year. Poetl will likely sign a long-term deal.

Utah (29-31): Hosting the all-star game as a success story despite slipping out of the west playoff picture shortly before the break for the first time all season. Utah is 10-11 in the new year and their deadline departures hurt, particularly Mike Conley's management skills at the point guard position. They only received Russell Westbrook as a player in return and remain in buyout talks with him as he assesses his future, which is narrow according to Shams Charania. The Jazz welcoming him still feels unlikely, but an outside possibility if no other destination emerges. He's owed the remainder of his $47.1-million deal. Utah gave him permission to speak with the Bull, Heat, Clippers and Wizards. 

Washington (28-30): In the playoff picture and 20-16 when Bradley Beal plays, as he's averaging 23.1 PPG and 5.2 APG on 52% shooting and hitting 37.5% of his threes. The Wizards overcame a 20-point deficit to beat the Wolves before the break and move back into the east playoff picture ahead of the sliding Bulls. A Westbrook return could help and he last led the team to the playoffs in 2021 by averaging 22.2 PPG, 11.5 RPG and 11.7 APG next to Beal before losing in the first round to the 76ers. That's this team's ceiling and it's worth wondering if just missing the playoffs and hoping for lottery luck would be the preferred route for a stagnating roster.