Celtics’ Paul George turns down $3.9 million trade bonus

According to A Report from ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Paul George waived his $3.9 million trade bonus.

George, who has been traded three times and is scheduled to play for his fifth NBA franchise this season, had a clause in his contract that would give him a salary increase if he was traded.

He opted not to take the extra money, keeping his salary cap at $54.1 million for next season. Other stars, including James Harden and Anthony Davis, have either declined or reduced trade bonuses in recent years, Marks said.

The Celtics, about $30 million over the salary cap, could use some cap relief. according to Spotracthey have $25 million in space before they reach the first luxury tax arena.

Boston has entered the second arena recently, but staying out of it appears to be a priority because it will be subject to severe basketball penalties designed specifically for “repeaters.”

Basketball’s penalties for the second apron, which are so severe that Wick Groesbeck predicted that no team over the next 40 years would be able to withstand it for more than two consecutive seasons, include:

• Inability to use cash in transactions
• Not being able to trade first-round picks for seven years
• Inability to execute sign-and-trade deals that keep the team above the cap
• A first-round pick automatically moves to the end of the round if they are in the second round for three out of five years

The Celtics traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis last offseason as part of their effort to move out of the bullpen.

Additionally, during their joint press conference at the Auerbach Center on Monday, Brad Stevens and Bill Chisholm justified the Jaylen Brown trade by saying that having two players make 70 percent of the salary cap is unsustainable in the long term.

Chisholm was asked what he would say to fans who point out that the Celtics have traded multiple stars for the salary cap/luxury tax break since his investment group bought the team last year. The Celtics have now waived three of their five starters from the 2024 championship team.

“Every decision that was made, the previous decisions, I must say, they are basketball decisions. We would have destroyed the team in the future if we had not done these things,” he said. “The second apron is a real thing and I know you know that. These are not money decisions, these are basketball decisions.”

By declining his trade bonus, George’s cap hit will be $54.1 million next season instead of the $57.7 million cap hit and the Celtics will have more cap space to work with as they look to rebuild in the wake of the Browns trade.

Khari A. Thompson

Sports reporter

Khary Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khary covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.