A lot of 'what ifs' but we won't know unti he returns to the court. In any case, how are you coming up with $4mil?
Money the Celtics might have wasted by signing Powe and cutting Giddens
$1,028,000 - Giddens' contract that would have to be paid
$1,028,000 - luxury tax that would have to be paid on Giddens guaranteed contract even though he was cut.
$855,189 - Powe's contract
$855,189 - the luxury tax that would have to be paid on Powe's contract
That's a total of $3.776 million spent on two players that would be wasted if Powe, like so many other basketball players, can't come back and be 100% right away and so probably would be unable to earn playing time ahead of the other 6 big men on the team that are all vying for playing time in a nine man rotation.
At least this way, Giddens has value as a relative unknown with a contract that could be an expiring contract if the team trading for him doesn.t want to extend his rookie deal. An injured and rehabbing Powe has virtually zero trade value.