The Boston Celtics are on the verge of losing two of their starters. Kyrie Irving and Al Horford are likely to walk away and look elsewhere after the up and down season the Celtics had last season. The Celtics should now be looking for a replacement for their two starters and Nikola Vucevic is one of the best available players for the center position. There is a lot of smoke blowing that the Boston Celtics will target Nikola Vucevic in free agency.
The Boston Celtics are Interested in Nikola Vucevic
According to Shams Charania, the Boston Celtics are interested in the Orlando Magic‘s Nikola Vucevic.
After drafting Romeo Langford and trading away Aron Baynes, the Celtics are in for a busy summer. Live from the Barclays Center, our @ShamsCharania has the latest on Boston's plans, including their interest in Nikola Vucevic. pic.twitter.com/cutfL9Ku4j
— Stadium (@Stadium) June 21, 2019
Nikola Vucevic is coming off the best year of his career averaging career highs of 20.8 points, 12 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. He also earned his first all-star appearance. The Celtics recently dealt Aron Baynes so they lack depth at the center position. Signing Vucevic would give them an all-star center that can fill Al Horford’s place.
As the Boston Celtics deal with major changes this offseason, they will have to adapt quickly to maintain their contender status in the Eastern Conference. Losing both Irving and Horford means that Jayson Tatum will to take over the primary leadership and scoring roles. There is no assurance that the Celtics can retain even Terry Rozier or Marcus Morris. Both Tatum and Jaylen Brown will be the future of the Celtics.
Even if the Celtics land Vucevic, Tatum will still be the first option especially on the offensive end of the floor. Vucevic can help him carry the load. He can score inside and out. He’s a very consistent player and just entered his prime. He is impressive on the glass. He’s also a little underrated as a big man passer, an aspect the Celtics will surely need as they ran a lot of offense through Al Horford. He will only get better from this point of his career, so securing him to a long term contract is a smart move.
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