Can Johnson become the type of contributor that big man Kendrick Perkins was for the team during their championship season of 2007-08?
As the Boston Celtics chased after the likes of Al Horford and Kevin Durant in free agency while enjoying plenty of trade rumors surrounding the NBA Draft, little fanfare was attributed to Danny Ainge‘s exercising of center Amir Johnson‘s team option for the 2016-17 season.
However, extending Johnson’s deal worth $12 million over the next season could end up being the transaction that pushes the Celtics from a fringe contender to one capable of earning a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2012. While the signing of Horford was certainly a blockbuster acquisition for Boston on the offensive end of the floor, Johnson provides the Celtics with the grit and determination on the other side of the ball necessary to make a deep playoff run.
When thinking of Johnson’s value to the team this upcoming season, visions of Kendrick Perkins during the squad’s electrifying run to an NBA Finals victory in 2008 vividly pop into mind. Despite the fact that Kevin Garnett commanded much of the attention with his smooth mid-range stroke and brilliance in the pick-and-roll game, similar to the tremendous value that Horford will bring to the offense in 2016-17, Perkins utilized his frame to muscle for rebounds and protect the rim. This is exactly what Johnson brought to the floor in 2015-16, underlining the necessity for him to be sporting Celtics green for another season.
There is little doubt Johnson’s statistics last season rival Perkin’s marks during the championship journey. Perkins started 78 games for Boston that season while Johnson was penciled into the starting lineup on 76 occasions last year, and the similarities do not end there. Johnson posted 7.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks per contest while Perkins averaged 6.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game in 2007-08.
Furthermore, the two were each incredibly efficient during these respective seasons, with Perkins shooting 61.5 percent from the field and Johnson hitting 58.5 percent of his shot attempts. While Perkins’ offensive repertoire might not have been incredible, the 6’10”, 270-pounder could finish inside and set his teammates up for success with pick-and-rolls, two things that Johnson has excelled with over the course of his 11 NBA seasons as well.
With Horford taking over the role of the offensive focus point for the Celtics in the front court, Johnson will have room to operate and excel on the defensive side of the ball similar to how Perkins performed during the Celtics championship run.
The 29-year-old presents a unique blend of rebounding and shot-blocking that backup center Kelly Olynyk simply does not have. Johnson’s efforts in help defense were noticeably better than Olynyk’s, and his rebounding averages dwarfed the meager 4.1 boards that Olynyk averaged per game in 2015-16.
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While Olynyk’s PER of 16.33 might be a tad more attractive than Johnson’s mark of 16.03, much of that comes from the seven-footer’s ability to spread the floor with his 40.5 three-point percentage. When head coach Brad Stevens looks to run a small-ball lineup predicated on shooting the ball from the outside, there is little doubt that Olynyk is the best option for the center position.
However, with the offensive-minded Horford on the floor, Johnson is undoubtedly the best candidate to complement him in the front court as he is guaranteed to provide Stevens with a surefire contender on the rebounding glass. Also, Johnson trumps Olynyk by a considerable margin in the rim-protecting facet of the ballgame, and he is better suited to guard low-post scoring threats.
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As much as Johnson’s hustle will deserve its stint in the limelight in 2016-17, save the fan adulation for the likes of Horford. Johnson will simply fill the Perkins-esque role that the team so desperately needs following the acquisition of the four-time All-Star center, the ideal complement as the team chases their 18th banner.