Where do the Boston Celtics go now?

With the 2019 NBA Draft in the rearview mirror and 2019 NBA free agency around the corner, GM Danny Ainge, Owner Wyc Grousbeck and the Boston Celtics organization channel their inner Guns N’ Roses and ask themselves, “where do we go now?” Seeing Kyrie Irving and Al Horford both have a foot out the door, the Celts have some decisions to make.

Free agency has not begun, but is definitely underway for the Boston Celtics. Unless something wild happens, it is now known that Al Horford will be playing elsewhere in the future. Kyrie Irving has put his Boston area home on the market and ready to leave. With those two cards in hand, it will make for an interesting free agency period for the Celtics.

The Celts still have a young nucleus to build around, cap space and the Memphis Grizzlies pick next year as assets to dangle in trades. What does Ainge want to do and what will he do are the two biggest questions surrounding the organization at the moment.

Rumors have been flying all around since Horford opted out of his contract and been linked to four year contracts (the Celtics apparently only wanted to go three years). Personally, I’m happy for Al. At his age, he deserves whatever he gets in free agency. He performed very well for the Celts during his tenure here and if he can join a team that is on the cusp of winning, then good for him.

With that news coming out before the draft, Celts fans were interested to see what Ainge was going to do and if he was going to target any bigs and move up in the draft. The three players I liked were off the board when Commissioner Adam Silver got to the podium to announce the Celtics’ pick. Boston selected Romeo Langford out of Indiana with the 14th pick.

That pick didn’t really make much sense to me because the Celtics have a logjam at wing and Langford isn’t a point guard. Langford did have an injured hand all of last season and is said to be a good defender that does get to the line a lot. An “upside” pick if you will.

Philadelphia then acquired Boston’s 20th pick (that ended up being Matisse Thybulle) which sent Boston, Philadelphia’s first and second round picks #24 and #33. Boston selected Grant Williams from Tennessee with their 22nd pick which many said was a reach.

Williams is an undersized forward at 6’7 that hopefully turns into a Draymond Green type player or a skinnier/healthier Jared Sullinger. Sullinger did average 12.3 points and eight rebounds per game from the 2013-2014 through 2015-2016 season for the Celts. The Celtics then traded the 24th overall pick and Aron Baynes to Phoenix.

In the second round, they drafted Carsen Edwards out of Purdue with the 33rd pick. I loved this pick and think anyone who watched him dominate the NCAA Tournament this year loved it too. Back up point guard and bench scoring was definitely a need for the Celts, which they got with this pick.

Boston then selected Tremont Waters out of LSU with the 51st pick in the draft. The New Haven product had a solid two year career down in Baton Rouge averaging 15.6 points per game and being named First Team All-SEC last season. Waters is probably a long shot to make the roster as an undersized point guard measuring in under six feet tall.

Now that the draft is over with, the Celtics can go in a few different directions. One, they can build around Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart. They can re-sign Terry Rozier as a restricted free agent or attempt to bring in first or second tier free agents. Trader Danny can also use assets to try and see who he can acquire via trade.

I know I’m on an island with this take, but I think Gordon Hayward can come back next year and be an above average player. Hayward averaged 11.5 points per game this past year and with another summer of rehab under his belt, he can contribute over 16 points per game. Sure, the money he will be making isn’t ideal, but I’m counting on him being a great second or third wheel to this Celtics team. Hopefully he adds some leadership too.

Over the last 24 hours it has been mentioned that the Celtics are a “stealth suitor” to sign Kemba Walker. I wrote before, that I love Kemba Walker and think he would absolutely thrive in Boston. While at UCONN, he was used to playing in-front of packed arenas on the way to his run at winning a Big East and National Championship.

Another rumor that gained a little steam from yesterday is the idea of signing Malcolm Brogdon to an offer sheet. Unless it’s to drive the price up for the Milwaukee Bucks to re-sign him, it makes no sense. He is not a point guard (in my opinion) and would only add to the logjam at the wing position for Boston.

Nikola Vucevic is another player that’s been heavily linked to the Celts. The 28 year old is coming off a season where he averaged 20.8 points and 12 rebounds per game. He also shot 36.4 percent from three, while Horford only shot 30 percent from distance.

If the money is right and it doesn’t kill the Celtics’ cap space, I don’t mind this signing at all. I think Vucevic would be a great pick up and enjoying playing for an organization and team with structure and a fan base. He also had DJ Augustin and Michael Carter-Williams as his point guards last season.

If they bring in Walker or re-sign Rozier, does that leave the door open to explore trades with Jaylen Brown and picks to bring in a big man? Clint Capela has been another player linked to Boston and is only 25 years old. Capela is under contract for the next four years at a relatively cheap price too.

If I’m Danny Ainge, I’m building this team around Tatum. His stats took a dip last year after a great rookie year with the Celtics and I think it had to do with him having to mesh with two proven All Stars in Irving and Hayward. We’ve all seen what he has been able to do without them and as the alpha dog for the Celtics. Plus, he’s only 21 years old!

I really do like Jaylen Brown and am more than content to ride with him and Tatum. If Ainge is put in a position to trade him and players or picks to acquire a proven big, then I would definitely explore that route as well.

I think Ainge will target point guards and centers first and then move on to filling the roster with the best fits. The power forward position is something I think Ainge will take a closer look at once the dust settles (if he can’t bring back Marcus Morris at a decent price). Power forwards I would take a look at are: Paul Milsap, Thad Young, Robin Lopez and Trey Lyles.

What will this roster look like after a few days of free agency? Below are a few different options of what I think the Celtics roster could look like after free agency hits. The PF position is in flux and I think it comes down to how much money the Celtics have to work with and who’s available.

This is what I’m hoping to see for a 2019-2020 roster for the Boston Celtics. Best case scenario:

PG – Kemba Walker, Carsen Edwards

SG – Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Romeo Langford

SF – Jayson Tatum, Semi Ojeleye, Grant Williams

PF – Gordon Hayward,Guerschon Yabusele, (PF X)

C – Nikola Vucevic, Robert Williams, Daniel Theis, Tacko Fall (but will be the king of Maine)

With re-signing Rozier:

PG – Terry Rozier, Carsen Edwards

SG – Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Romeo Langford

SF – Jayson Tatum, Semi Ojeleye

PF – Gordon Hayward,Guerschon Yabusele, (PF X)

C – Nikola Vucevic, Robert Williams, Daniel Theis, Tacko Fall

Signing Kemba trading Brown (not sure who else would be part of it):

PG – Kemba Walker, Carsen Edwards

SG – Marcus Smart, Romeo Langford

SF – Jayson Tatum, Semi Ojeleye

PF – Gordon Hayward,Guerschon Yabusele, (PF X)

C – Clint Capela, Robert Williams, Daniel Theis, Tacko Fall

Re-sign Rozier Plan B:

PG – Terry Rozier, Carsen Edwards

SG – Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Romeo Langford

SF – Jayson Tatum, Semi Ojeleye

PF – Gordon Hayward,Guerschon Yabusele, (PF X)

C – Julius Randle, Robert Williams, Daniel Theis, Tacko Fall