Boston Reworked Its Bench Big-Man Options
The Celtics acquired Luke Kornet and Moritz Wagner in March 2021 through a transaction involving Chicago and Washington. Kornet was a center with outside shooting potential, while Wagner offered a more mobile offensive frontcourt profile. Boston's goal was to evaluate alternatives behind its main rotation rather than secure a marquee star. The transaction also sent Daniel Theis and Javonte Green to Chicago, two players whose defensive and athletic contributions were already familiar to Boston.
The Bulls Received a Recognizable Defensive Center
Chicago acquired Daniel Theis and Javonte Green from Boston, Troy Brown Jr. from Washington, and cash considerations. Theis offered dependable frontcourt positioning and postseason experience, Green supplied athletic defensive energy, and Brown added a younger perimeter option who could switch across matchups. All three were real basketball pieces rather than a single aggregated salary entry. The package allowed Chicago to add depth around its newly acquired frontcourt stars without giving up a comparable high-usage scorer in the same transaction.
Kornet and Wagner Had Different Boston Timelines
Kornet provided Boston with center depth and eventually became associated with subsequent Celtics rotations, although later contractual moves should be distinguished from the 2021 exchange. Wagner's first Celtics stint was much shorter. It would be misleading to add their entire later NBA careers together as a guaranteed return for one deadline transaction. Washington participated in the three-club arrangement, but this particular canonical entry does not list an active player or selection coming directly to the Wizards.
The Grade Difference Is Narrower Than the Verdict
The inherited slight Bulls edge is narrow because Boston also received two playable frontcourt options, while Washington acquired center Daniel Gafford and wing Chandler Hutchison from Chicago. Gafford's rim protection and interior finishing gave the Wizards a tangible return; Hutchison provided another perimeter evaluation. Washington's C+ shouldn't be described as a grade for receiving nothing. Chicago and Boston each retain B+, and the three clubs' different post-deadline needs explain why the transaction cannot be reduced to a one-for-one center swap.
Final Verdict
Slight Bulls Edge. Chicago earns B+ for Daniel Theis, Javonte Green, Troy Brown Jr. and cash, a useful combination of defense and wing depth. Boston also receives B+ for Luke Kornet and Moritz Wagner. Washington gets C+ for Daniel Gafford and Chandler Hutchison, with Gafford providing genuine interior value. The slight Chicago advantage follows its broader immediate rotation return, not an invented empty Wizards package.