BOSTON — The 2026 NBA offseason has arrived with immense pressure on the Boston Celtics to fortify their backcourt depth without completely fracturing their future financial architecture. In a league where navigating strict second apron penalties dictates executive decision-making, extracting high-value contributors on team-friendly deals is no longer just a luxury—it is an absolute necessity. Identifying the best point guard targets for Celtics requires a delicate balance of on-court execution and complex salary cap management.
Former DPOY Headlines List Of 4 Realistic Point Guard Targets For Celtics In Free Agency
Boston currently enters the summer with 14 players rostered next season, leaving just one open roster spot that is mathematically earmarked for a possible first-round addition with the No. 27 overall pick. If the front office intends to make a meaningful external addition, they could choose to not guarantee some reserve contracts to create the necessary cap space to pursue free agency. While they technically have access to their non-taxpayer mid-level exception, executing it will immediately hard-cap them at the first apron. Consequently, the Celtics will try to avoid the $201 million luxury tax line completely to restart repeater penalties. Therefore, Brad Stevens must pinpoint the best free agent targets willing to maximize their role for a championship contender.
Collin Sexton | Chicago Bulls | UFA
The Chicago Bulls are officially entering an aggressive rebuilding phase following a highly chaotic and frantic trade deadline. As the front office navigates the roster-building constraints enforced by new lottery reforms, an abundance of similar backcourt players could force management to prioritize one specific guard over another. With Anfernee Simons hitting free agency and appearing far more likely to re-sign with the Bulls given his elite shooting prowess and the team’s core positional needs, Collin Sexton could quickly find himself as the odd man out in the Windy City.
Sexton enters the open market as an incredibly intriguing option for Boston’s secondary unit. This past season, the dynamic guard averaged 15.4 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.1 steals while putting up highly efficient shooting splits of 48.5% from the field and 40.1% from beyond the arc. His defensive activity was equally notable, racking up a career-high combined “stocks” (steals + blocks) metric that showcases his evolution as an on-ball pest. Sexton represents one of the best free agent targets for a bench unit desperate for an injection of hyper-efficient scoring punch.
Collin Gillespie | Phoenix Suns | UFA
For fans looking at under-the-radar efficiency, Collin Gillespie is a name that commands immediate attention after an incredibly impressive year for the Phoenix Suns. Gillespie consistently outearned his developmental billing by drawing immense praise for his poise, showcasing anecdotal evidence of his readiness for a major playoff rotation throughout the regular season calendar.
Nowhere was his growth more evident than in the opening round of the postseason against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Gillespie admirably dealt with relentless, full-court on-ball pressure against the Thunder in Round 1, calmly orchestrating the Suns’ offense when their primary stars were hounded by elite perimeter defenders.
He backed up that steady playmaking by shooting a blistering 40% from behind the arc in the playoffs—a highly useful tactical skill given Derrick White’s shooting struggles throughout last season. Collin Gillespie, an unrestricted free agent, tracks as a premium, low-cost option who can seamlessly execute Boston’s drive-and-kick game plan.
Kevin Porter Jr. |Milwaukee Bucks | PO
Kevin Porter Jr. enters the summer holding a crucial player option after navigating an injury-riddled campaign with the Milwaukee Bucks. Given his current landscape, the talented guard could realistically opt out of the final year of his deal to secure long-term stability via a multi-year contract. On the hardwood, Porter brings a level of shiftiness that operates similarly to Payton Pritchard’s downhill pacing, yet it remains uniquely different in its physical ceiling.
Porter’s primary calling card is his rim pressure, which is noticeably more athletic and explosive than Boston’s current backup guards—an element of vertical force that the Celtics are currently far too reliant on Jaylen Brown to generate by himself.
Furthermore, Kevin Porter Jr. is exceptionally rangy at the point of attack and has shown legitimate potential to be an impactful help or weak-side defender. His length allows him to consistently force turnovers and intercept passing lanes, checking every box for the best free agent targets looking for a career-rehabilitating platform under a championship lens.
Marcus Smart | Los Angeles Lakers | PO
The ultimate sentimental reunion centers on a franchise icon. Marcus Smart famously won a Defensive Player of the Year award during a highly successful nine seasons in Boston, but a coveted championship ring ultimately eluded him during his original tenure. The defensive maestro could choose to make a dramatic return to Boston to finally secure that elusive ring after losing with them in the heartbreaking 2022 NBA Finals.
Smart is coming off a highly productive bounce-back season in Los Angeles, where he silenced critics by playing in 62 games while aggressively taking on the opposition’s primary on-ball defensive assignments night in and night out.
He would bring immediate, seamless familiarity to Joe Mazzulla’s locker room alongside his trademark penchant to make game-winning plays on the defensive end at critical points of a game and season. When evaluating cultural fit and championship grit, Smart sits firmly atop the ladder of the best point guard targets for Celtics.
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