Realistically speaking, we cannot afford Gallo. If we really like him, I only see 1 way to acquire him: dump a big contract for cap relief and then squeeze Gallo's salary under the newly created TPE.
For instance:
- Trade Kemba to the Knicks for #8 + 2021 Knicks first. No need to match salaries. The Knicks can absorb Kemba's contract via cap space. The trade would create a $34,479,100 TPE for the Celtics (Kemba's salary + $100,000).
- Use the newly created TPE + #30 to acquire Gallo via a sign and trade with the Thunder.
- Use the remaining part of the TPE + #26 to acquire Christian Wood via a sign and trade with the Pistons.
- Draft Haliburton at #8.
- Draft Saddiq Bey at #14.
- If Kanter opts in, trade him for cap relief + whatever future pick(s) we can get. If he opts out, let him walk.
- Use #47 to dump Poirier.
PG: Smart - Haliburton (#8) - Wanamaker
SG: Brown - Romeo - Edwards
SF: Hayward - S. Bey (#14) - Semi
PF: Tatum - Gallinari - G. Williams
C: Wood - Theis - Timelord
2020-2021 payroll
1. Hayward $34,187,085
2. Brown $22,991,071
3. Gallinari let's say $15,000,000
4. Smart $13,446,428
5. Wood let's say $13,000,000
6. Tatum $9,897,120
7. Haliburton $5,123,040
8. Theis $5,000,000
9. S. Bey $3,644,040
10. Romeo $3,631,200
11. Wanamaker let's say $3,000,000 via early Bird rights
12. G. Williams $2,498,760
13. R. Williams $2,029,920
14. Semi $1,752,950
15. Edwards $1,517,981
dead salary
Yabu $1,039,080
Jackson $92,858
total $137,851,533
projected Tax Apron: $138,928,000 (we'd be hard capped at the Apron)
tl;dr
Celtics in: Gallinari + Christian Wood + #8 + Knicks 2021 first
Celtics out: Kemba + #26 + #30