With a pivotal free agency period looming, the Boston Celtics have a handful of free agent targets to look at. With several pieces of an underachieving roster rumored to be packing their bags to leave town, the Celtics may have plenty of holes to fill.
The Celtics have a plethora of draft picks, but young talent can only go so far in the modern NBA. To compete with the teams at the top, the Celtics have to go after top free agents. With the future still very uncertain, here is a look at some targets they should aim for.
Free Agency Targets for the Boston Celtics
Of course, every team in the NBA should at least try their luck with Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant. When one of the best players in the league is available, a phone call will be made. However, the Celtics should have their eyes on more realistic targets.
Boston Celtics Free Agency Needs
The exact needs for the Boston Celtics are not yet known. Several pieces could be on the way out, while others are still up in the air. The only position that will definitely be full of talent next season is the wing spot. With Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Gordon Hayward presumably returning (so long as they aren’t traded), the focus will shift to point guards and inside depth.
Julius Randle
The Boston Celtics will likely need help on the interior in the upcoming season, and Julius Randle could provide both experience and depth at the power forward position. He will reportedly not re-sign with the New Orleans Pelicans and will instead test free agency. With Marcus Morris‘ future unknown in Boston, Randle could be a home run signing. Randle would provide youth, toughness, and an inside presence for a Celtics team in need of all three.
Pelicans‘ Julius Randle is not picking up his $9M player option for next season and will enter unrestricted free agency, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Randle is coming off his best NBA season (21.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 34.4 percent from 3-point range on 195 attempts).
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 17, 2019
The former Pelican averaged 21.4 points and 8.7 rebounds a season ago. For the right price, he would be an absolute steal.
Kemba Walker
The Celtics could very well be without Kyrie Irving and Terry Rozier next season, leaving point guard duties up to Marcus Smart. Smart is a tenacious defender and one of the greatest hustle players in the game but has not proven to be a reliable primary ball-handler as of yet. If the Celtics do lose two of their point guards, Kemba Walker should be at the top of their list of targets.
Walker reportedly wants to re-sign with the Charlotte Hornets for a discounted deal, despite qualifying for a super-max extension with the franchise, but the Celtics should still pursue the star. He would fit seamlessly into the rotation and wouldn’t have to shoulder the load he currently does for the Hornets. With the talent around him, Walker could flourish like never before in his career. That’s a deal worth listening to.
D’Angelo Russell
It would take a crazy turn of events, but if the Celtics could turn the potential loss of Irving into D’Angelo Russell, it would be a heck of a deal. Russell is an up-and-coming star in the NBA and has the skill set to make an immediate impact for the young Celtics. A triumvirate of Russell, Brown, and Tatum would be one of the best young cores in the league, with plenty of room to grow and improve alongside each other.
The biggest issue is that Russell is a restricted free agent, and thus the Brooklyn Nets can match any offer for the point guard. If the rumors are true and Irving signs with the Nets, they may let Russell walk, though it seems unlikely.
Some have suggested a sign-and-trade for the two guards, but that move makes little sense. Irving would make the same amount of money no matter where he signs. A trade would hurt the Nets more than it would help them. The only chance for the Celtics to get Russell is if the Nets renounce his rights and let him sign with another squad.
Nikola Vucevic
If Horford does indeed depart this offseason, he will leave an enormous hole at the center position. The Celtics could draft the likes of Bol Bol or Daniel Gafford to fill the spot, but veteran leadership down low would still be desperately needed.
Enter Nikola Vucevic.
The seven-footer posted nearly 21 points and 12 boards per game last season for the Orlando Magic. He would provide a nice boost around the rim in terms of both scoring and rebounding and would fit alongside Boston’s other young pieces. He’s only 28 years old, thus he could provide veteran leadership and production for years to come while new draftees and Robert Williams develop. He could be both a “right now” and a long-term option at the center position, picking up right where Horford left off.
The Celtics should have plenty of cap space to snag the big man and other pieces to put around him.
Isaiah Thomas
Is Isaiah Thomas still the same player that dropped 53 points in an overtime win during the 2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals? No, it doesn’t appear so. Is he a comeback story waiting to happen? Perhaps. Is he the true embodiment of what it means to be a Boston Celtic? Without a doubt.
Bringing Thomas back on a cheap, short deal would be a great move. Despite the drama surrounding the trade involving him and Irving, Thomas remains a fan-favorite in Boston and could prove to be a low-risk gamble for the front office. In the worst-case scenario, Thomas is unable to find any rhythm in the offense and is relegated to a reserve role. The best-case scenario is that he returns to form and turns back into an all-star caliber player and a Boston hero.
If Thomas is able to re-capture lightning in a bottle for the Celtics, it would be one of the greatest NBA stories in recent memory.
Outlook for the Boston Celtics
A lot can change between the NBA Draft and the start of Free Agency. With players declining options or pursuing new suitors, team needs can change drastically from one minute to the next.
This offseason for the Celtics will be different than any in recent memory. After spending several seasons turning draft picks, cap space, and assets into high draft picks (Brown, Tatum), trade pieces (Irving) and All-Star free agents (Horford, Gordon Hayward), the Celtics are seemingly back to the drawing board.
This free agency period will define the team going forward for years to come. Danny Ainge has to get it right, or the Celtics could fall behind.
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