The cities of Boston and San Antonio headlined the first transfer of the 2022-23 season. A movement that, albeit small, emerges as a preliminary step to everything that could happen in the coming weeks. Specifically, the Celtics sent Noah Vonleh and a certain amount of money to the Spurs, as reported by the journalist of The AthleticShams Charania.
To make room for Vonleh, the Texan organization terminated Gorgui Dieng’s contract. However, the reporter ESPN, Adrian Wojnarowski, then added that Vonleh will follow the same path and be cut. For its part, this move reduces the number of contracts on the Celtics’ payroll to 14 and allows them to release the $1.8 million in Vonleh’s contract, which represents a final luxury tax savings of $7.1 million. Of note, his salary would have been fully guaranteed on January 7 if he continued with the team.
The Spurs have plenty of roof space ($27.1 million, adds Bobby Marks), more than enough to clear the $2.6 million Dieng deal without worrying about the financial implications. His contract was signed by the least veteran and he barely enjoyed the minutes, appearing in just 13 games.
Like Gieng, the 27-year-old Vonleh has been a seldom-used infielder for his head coach. In 23 games in Boston, he averaged just 7.4 minutes. As the ninth pick in the 2014 Draft, Vonleh played for eight different teams in as many NBA seasons.
(Cover photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)