The Boston Celtics announced the creation of a traded player exception (TPE) via veteran shooting guard Evan Fournier joining the New York Knicks earlier this offseason, which will be for $17.1 million per multiple sources. The move allows Boston to recoup the cap flexibility it had before bringing Fournier into the TPE created by forward Gordon Hayward’s exit from the team a season prior.
The Celtics reportedly sent out a 2023 second round draft pick and a conditional 2022 second round draft pick (Charlotte’s, protected top 55) in exchange for the creation of the TPE and cash considerations of an undisclosed amount. Now, the Celtics will be able to retain cap flexibility without the tax hit that salary would have created, giving the team about a year to decide who to use it on, if anyone.
More likely than not it will not be used this offseason given the potential tax bill it would create, but it could be used to beef up the roster should Boston over-achieve this season, or be used before it expires next season as part of the team’s teambuilding toolkit.
Cleaning something up from the BOS-NYK Fournier S&T:
Celtics got cash from the Knicks in the deal.
Each side has to send something in a trade and the Knicks sent Boston back some cash.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) August 17, 2021
With the Celtics in striking distance of getting under the cap and avoiding the repeater tax another season early in the careers of All-Star forwards Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, it is more plausible to see it used in the 2022 offseason.
This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!
