Marcin Gortat: Defense-oriented Center
The Boston Celtics have plenty of big bodies to throw down low at the center position this season. They have no fewer than four rotation players that can conceivably get minutes at center in Enes Kanter, Daniel Theis, Robert Williams and Vincent Poirier. Combined, the quartet has 11 years of experience, and eight of those belong to Kanter.
None of the aforementioned players is known as any bit of a defensive stopper. Kanter is solely an offensive specialist, while Theis and Williams are too inexperienced to even get a read on at this stage of their careers and Poirier, who spent last season with Baskonia, is a complete unknown.
If Beantown wishes to bolster their interior defense this season, perhaps the team should take a look at veteran center Marcin Gortat.
Throughout his 12-year-career, the 35-year-old has proven to be a solid defensive presence in the paint. The big averages 1.5 blocks per game (per-36 minutes) for his career and has shown to have the chops needed to stay with more athletic opponents.
At 6-11, 240-pounds, Gortat is an intimidating presence down low who can alter a shot with just his stature, let alone his shot swatting capabilities.
If it turns out that none of the trio of Williams, Poirier or Theis can properly supplement Kanter’s offensive-leaning game with a quality defensive presence it might not be an awful idea to reach out to the “Polish Hammer”. After all, if there is one fatal flaw that can undo a potential championship season, it could be the lack of stopping-power at the rim.