Young Celtics Need Veteran Presence

The Boston Celtics are short on experience

Veteran basketball players help win championships, and what they lack in physical tools they make up for in their knowledge of the game. They not only provide scrappy play but they are also viewed as mentors to younger players as they’ve been situation tested.

Over the past five years, the team that won the championship had an average age of 28.4 years old. The average age of the team with the worst record in the past five years was 24.3 years old. In fact, nine out of the past ten teams that won the championship had an average age older than the league average.

In order for the Celtics to compete with championship level teams, they need players with playoff experience. When the Celtics won the championship in 2008, they not only had veteran stars such as Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, but also NBA journeymen P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell – both of whom were 38-years-old. Throughout these playoffs Brown and Cassell delivered in many pivotal moments and helped the Celtics win the championship.

Last year, the Celtics were the ninth youngest team in the entire league with an average age of 25.2 years old. They were the third youngest team in the playoffs. Even with the addition of Al Horford, the Celtics are even younger this year at an average age of about 24.5 years old. Power forward Amir Johnson leads the team in seasons played at 11 seasons, but he’s only 29-years-old as he came directly out of high school.

The Celtics have no players who have made it past the Conference Finals and only three who have made it past the first round. This is a concern because most teams that have won the championship have players with deep playoff experience. Brad Stevens at age 39 is a young coach, and while successful in his coaching career, could use a veteran presence in the locker room.

A couple of veterans who come to mind when thinking about possible options for the Celtics are Vince Carter and Nick Collison. Carter can be an important mentor for Celtics rookie Jaylen Brown as they have similar styles to their games – raw athleticism. Carter, similar to Brown, actually entered his rookie year a poor three-point shooter – shot 28.8 percent from three. After his rookie year, Carter worked on his three-point shooting and ended up with a very efficient 37.3 percent from three-point range.

Nick Collison is another well-worn veteran who has been to the finals and has 82 games of playoff experience to share with the youngsters. At 35-years-old, Collison has made a career in the NBA as a lunch pail bench player. His ability to provide insight into what the playoffs and Finals could really help the Celtics young core of players.

A lot veterans in the twilight of their careers tend to value winning very highly. Most of whom have already made their money and simply just want to add winning a championship to their résumé. That is why we see players such as 35-year-old David West decline a $12.2 million player option with the mediocre Pacers in order to sign with the title contending Spurs and now the Warriors for the league minimum. The Celtics need to look for a seasoned player who is willing to give up money for success and a shot at a deep title run.

Next: Celtics Sign Gerald Green

While the Eastern Conference has improved in the offseason, the Celtics do have a promising roster and the capability to go deep in the playoffs. While not considered to be a title contender just yet, the Celtics are an attractive option for veteran players who want to be on a winning team and who want to mentor younger players.