4 names to know for the Celtics’ mid-level exception in free agency
There’s plenty of possibilities as to what the Boston Celtics will do with their $6.5 million mid level exception this offseason. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report even gave a couple…

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 22: Danilo Gallinari #8 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket against Kyle Lowry #7 of the Miami Heat during the second quarter in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round at State Farm Arena on April 22, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesThere's plenty of possibilities as to what the Boston Celtics will do with their $6.5 million mid level exception this offseason.
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report even gave a couple names he's heard based on his intel. Along with those two, here are a couple other names that fill the need of a bench scorer, which the Celtics are targeting this offseason:
Danilo Gallinari

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 22: Danilo Gallinari #8 of the Atlanta Hawks shoots a jumper against Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat during the third quarter in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round at State Farm Arena on April 22, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
This was Fischer's first of two names, though Gallinari wasn't yet traded at the time his published. The 6-foot-10 forward spent the past two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks coming off the bench.
He averaged 11.7 points last season and 13.3 the season before. Last season he had shooting splits of 43.4-38.1-90.4 percent from the field, three-point line and foul line.
If San Antonio buys out his entire $21.4 million dollar contract, Boston wouldn't find much better mid level options than the 33-year-old to come off the bench.
T.J. Warren

Dec 11, 2019; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers forward T.J. Warren (1) is called for an offensive foul against Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker (8) during the first quarter at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Warren, an unrestricted free agent, was the second player Fischer linked to the Celtics. The former Pacers wing played four games in the past two seasons due to multiple injuries.
Those that watched basketball in the bubble during 2020 will remember that Warren was one of the league's hottest players, averaging 26.6 points in 10 games. One of those games was a 54-point outing in a win against the 76ers.
That being said, it's been a year and a half since Warren played in an NBA game. At still just 28 years old, if Warren can produce solid numbers off Boston's bench, that would play a pivotal role for them in another NBA Finals run.
Gary Harris

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 05: Gary Harris #14 of the Orlando Magic looks to pass during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Amway Center on February 05, 2022 in Orlando, Florida.
These next two are just a couple of players that fit the Celtics, and would be reasonably realistic to acquire with their mid-level exception.
The 27-year-old Harris comes off averaging 11.1 points with the Magic this past season. His 43.4-38.4-87.4 shooting splits are solid enough to give Boston another bench piece to ease the scoring burden, so it isn't entirely on the starting five.
Otto Porter

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 16: Otto Porter Jr. #32 and Gary Payton II #0 of the Golden State Warriors help Stephen Curry #30 up against the Boston Celtics during the first quarter in Game Six of the 2022 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 16, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Right after winning the NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors, Porter becomes an unrestricted free agent. With the Warriors already having so much money tied to the luxury tax, it seems as if Porter will need to find a new team.
When he played, Porter was a very helpful role player for Golden State. He only averaged 19.5 minutes per game, but his shooting splits were 49-40-78 this postseason.
Not only could Porter provide some slight scoring relief off the bench, but also some rebounding help as well. The 6-foot-8, 200-pound forward averaged 5.7 rebounds during the regular season, when he played more.
The Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors met on Monday night for Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco. Keep scrolling for more photos from the game.
2022 NBA Finals - Game Five

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: A general view as Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors and Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics compete for the tipoff ball during the first quarter in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
2022 NBA Finals - Game Five

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors and Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics compete for the tipoff ball during the first quarter in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
2022 NBA Finals - Game Five

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics wait for play to begin during the second quarter in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
2022 NBA Finals - Game Five

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors dives for the ball against Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the second quarter in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
2022 NBA Finals - Game Five

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics loses control of the ball against Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
2022 NBA Finals - Game Five

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics during the third quarter in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
2022 NBA Finals - Game Five

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
2022 NBA Finals - Game Five

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a three point basket defended by Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics during the first quarter in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
2022 NBA Finals - Game Five

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates after teammate Andrew Wiggins #22 made a basket and drew a foul during the second quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
2022 NBA Finals - Game Five

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a three point basket against Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics during the first quarter in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
2022 NBA Finals - Game Five

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Otto Porter Jr. #32 of the Golden State Warriors react to a play during the second quarter in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
2022 NBA Finals - Game Five

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against Marcus Smart #36 and Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics during the first quarter in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics were reportedly interested in Knicks wing Alec Burks, who was ultimately traded along with Nerlens Noel to the Detroit Pistons. It apparently got to a point that an offer was on the table, before the C's pushed away.
Brian Robb reported at MassLive Wednesday that the Celtics flirted with the idea of a Burks trade, but they "turned down a Knicks offer of Burks into their [trade exception] earlier this month."
Boston earned a $17.1 million traded player exception (TPE) because of Evan Fournier, who went from the Celtics to the Knicks in a sign-and-trade last offseason. So if they went through with a Burks trade, it would have essentially become a Fournier-for-Burks swap with other assets.
The Celtics are allowed to use this exception to acquire a player without having to send any money back. So they can trade for a player who makes as much as $17.1 million, and they could do so while only giving picks in return.
Burks makes $10 million next year, implying that Boston likely passed on the trade to find a higher caliber player with more of its TPE.

Jan 6, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III (44) reaches for loose ball against New York Knicks guard Alec Burks (18) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Burks averaged 11.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and three assists in 28.6 minutes last season. He also attempted 4.8 three-pointers a game, converting them at a 40.4 percent clip, although he also shot 39 percent from the field overall.
The Celtics still have time to make a deal, but not a ton, as Fournier's exception expires on July 18. President Brad Stevens will certainly use this deal, and seeing the general type of player he was potentially targeting in Burks shows what he'll probably trade for: a scoring wing.
Boston's depth was nonexistent in the NBA Finals. Its three most used bench players (Grant Williams, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard) combined for nine total points in the last two games of the Finals, hence the interest in Burks, a proven bench scoring option.
With absolutely zero inside information, here are some scoring wings that fit in the $17.1 million exception:
Malik Beasley, Timberwolves ($15 million)

Dec 27, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley (5) dribbles the ball as Boston Celtics forward Al Horford (42) defends during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports
Beasley averaged 20 points in 2019-20 (with the Timberwolves) and 19 in 2020-21, before his role was downsized this least season, averaging 12.1 points. The 25-year-old wing could serve as an athletic shot creator for a Celtics team that craves any sort of productive bench scoring.
Kevin Huerter, Hawks ($16.25 million)

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 17: Kevin Huerter #3 of the Atlanta Hawks shoots against Dennis Schroder #71 of the Boston Celtics during the first half at State Farm Arena on November 17, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Huerter is still just 23 years old, and shooting a 45-39-81 percentage split from the field, three and free throw line. He's averaged 12 points the last three seasons and is a decent 3-and-D option with plenty of time to develop.
Luke Kennard, Clippers ($14 million)

CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 19: Luke Kennard #5 of the LA Clippers attempts a shot in the 2022 NBA All-Star - MTN DEW 3-Point Contest as part of the 2022 All-Star Weekend at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 19, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Kennard is the least likely of the three, as LA Times reporter Andrew Greif said the Clippers aren't looking to trade him, which conflicts earlier reports saying they were. He is the best shooter of the three players. Kennard averaged 12 points in 2021-22 and shot over 44 percent from beyond the arc the past two seasons. He also shot 89.6 percent from the free throw line this past season.
The Clippers have another player that fits the Celtics trade exception mold, and a familiar face at that. Marcus Morris averaged 15.4 points in 54 games this season, shooting a 43-37-87 split, the free throw percentage being a career best. The 32-year-old makes $16.3 million this upcoming season, then $17.1 million in the 2023-24 season before becoming a free agent.
Again, there's no further information here other than these three players are wings that score while making less than $17.1 million in the 2022-23 season. Regardless of who it may be, which could very well be someone not mentioned in this story, a Boston trade is going to happen in the next 25 days.