""I'm not sure if that injury played a big role in the changes," Pierce said. "Because I feel like they still would have been in the same situation even if Tatum didn't get hurt, you know, as far as luxury tax and the second apron and all of those things. Whether he's hurt or not, I think they would have had to still make these decisions.""
"Years of spending beyond the second apron threshold of the NBA's luxury tax culminated in them moving Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to avoid further penalties. The moves had to be made, Celtics legend Paul Pierce told Heavy Sports's Steve Bulpett in a recent interview, but the ruptured Achilles' tendon injury that Jayson Tatum suffered in the playoffs against the Knicks made the call easier than it would have been had the star forward stayed healthy."
The Celtics will begin the preseason with a much different roster after trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to reduce luxury-tax exposure beyond the second apron. Years of exceeding the second apron prompted the roster moves to avoid escalating penalties. Jayson Tatum suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in the playoffs, an injury that reduced the perceived cost of making changes to the roster. The team surrendered multiple large home leads late in the series against the Knicks and ultimately lost the series after Tatum's injury. The Celtics' tendency to settle for 3-pointers contributed to blown leads.
Read at Boston.com
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