David Lee (Photo : Reuters/Kelley L Cox)
David Lee is expected to make the Boston Celtics starting frontcourt leaving the team's other power forwards Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger fighting for minutes.
Observers says that either one of those two players will eventually be traded.
The Celtics acquired David Lee from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Gerald Wallace.
Meanwhile, the deal could potentially save the Warriors $35 million in luxury tax penalties, Lee, was in the last season of six-year, $80 million deal he signed with the Warriors in 2010.
The 32-year-old Lee averaged 7.9 points and 5.2 rebounds over 18.4 minutes per game last season but was an All-Star as recently as the 2012-13 season, when he posted 18.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game for Golden State.
He lost his starting spot to Draymond Green after suffering a hamstring injury.
With Green as the starter, Warriors went 21-2 forcing Lee to settle for spot minutes.
After the Warriors won the championship, both the team and Lee's camp mutually agreed to try to find part ways to give the former All-Star a chance to play more minutes and loosen things up financially for the Warriors.
By shedding Lee's $15.4 million salary, $5.4 million higher than Wallace's, the Warriors' payroll in 2015-16 would drop under $100 million.
The Warriors were also able to accomplish its goal of moving Lee without surrendering other assets.
Meanwhile, the Celtics acquired Gerald Wallace's long contract in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets in 2013.
The Warriors will have the option to save even more money by using the stretch provision on Wallace-- spreading out his his remaining $10,105,855 salary cap hit over the next three seasons.
He played sparingly in two seasons with the Celtics but was always ready when called upon.
Wallace has lost much of his athleticism that helped him become an All-Star but still possess defensive versatility that could be useful with the Warriors' switching scheme.
