Farewell to Brandon Bass

The Boston Celtics have very few remaining pieces from the Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce era and they just saw yet another one part ways. The Celtics knew that they would have to say farewell to significant pieces of a team that the city fell in love with last year and losing Brandon Bass may be a hard pill for some to swallow, especially considering the team he signed with.

If Bass would have gone to any other team there would be very little animosity and most fans would be able to look back at the good memories. Now, Celtics fans have to live with the idea that one of their most trusted and reliable players is suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The fact that Bass signed with the Lakers should be the extent of why Celtics fans are upset. The problem with Bass is that as reliable and trusted as he was the Celtics simply do not need him. He hurts their size issues being a 6’8 starting power forward and they brought in Jordan Mickey who is significantly more athletic and can have a much larger impact at the rim when the Celtics are going small.

Mar 19, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack forward Beejay Anya (21) blocks the shot of LSU Tigers forward Jordan Mickey (25) in the second half in the second round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Consol Energy Center. The Wolfpack won 66-65. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Bass was solid defensively and would fight for rebounds but he was always limited. He has never averaged more than 6.2 rebounds per game and he has never eclipsed the 1 block per game mark in his career.

The Celtics have a lot of options for the power forward position and even if they knew exactly what they will get from Bass he has less potential and versatility than the likes of Jonas Jerebko who shoots the three ball phenomenally and helps with size. Or Jared Sullinger who is one of the better post players on the Celtics while remaining a threat on the outside. Or even Jordan Mickey who has a long ways to go but already has an edge athletically.

The unfortunately reality is it is incredibly difficult to find players who can shoot the ball above 50% and that is what the Celtics are losing in Bass. With the majority of his shots coming in the mid range game, Bass shot the ball at a rate of 50.4% and that is where the reliability comes from.

Bass was a fantastic fit into Brad Stevens offensive system because there is no one more trusted on the Celtics to hit their open shots. Great ball movement leads to a lot of open shots for the Celtics and Bass would always capitalize on those opportunities.

Even if the Celtics may not have anyone else as reliable as Bass, they still have plenty of shooters to fill his role. Tyler Zeller also shot the ball above 50%, Jerebko shot the three ball above 40% and Olynyk and Sullinger are both much more dynamic threats from beyond the arc.

Apr 1, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics center Tyler Zeller (44) lays the ball in the basket during the first half against the Indiana Pacers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Celtics are far from a place where they can stick to what they have in order to get over the hump. They have all kinds of young and exciting talent and seeing Bass go will give these guys an opportunity to become the kind of player that can elevate the Celtics.

Bass’ mid range jumpers and two handed dunks have been a staple of the Celtics for many years now but the unfortunate reality is that they need a lot more from their starting power forward and they need room on their roster. The Celtics have the kind of depth that will prevent the team from missing any one player too much and if things go according to plan Bass will be long forgotten before the end of next season.

Bass has done enough to earn the well wishes of Boston but signing with the Lakers throws that out the window. Bass will have a larger role on the Lakers than he would have with the Celtics this season and hopefully the lavish Los Angeles life will be enough to keep him content while the Lakers continue to try to rebuild around an insurmountable contract of an aging and often injured Kobe Bryant.

The Celtics know they can replace Bass and they know they have more exciting options at the power forward position. Bass was one of the last remaining pieces of the last contending team in Boston but Brad Stevens is ushering in a new era that will be experienced without one of the only veteran players on the roster.

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