Making the case for the Boston Celtics to sign Big3 League MVP Joe Johnson
The Boston Celtics have plenty of tantalizing options on the offensive side of the ball. Still, it may be worth getting into the Joe Johnson sweepstakes after his brilliance in the Big3 League.
The Houdini has often advocated for adding depth to the Boston Celtics lineup. Is it really such a bad thing to have a safety valve if one of the incoming rookies doesn’t pan out?
The Celtics figure to be in the conversation for top team in the East. Philadelphia and Milwaukee are a little more seasoned and accomplished than the current Boston core. That said, the Celtics have two budding All-Stars under 23-years-old and have better long-term prospects than anyone else in the Eastern Conference.
With that said, let us not forget that Kemba Walker was signed to a four-year max contract this past June. Gordon Hayward is still on a max deal he signed in 2017. Even Enes Kanter and his larger-than-life persona wouldn’t be added to the Boston Celtics if Danny Ainge didn’t see this team being a prime-time player.
So with that said, adding the MVP of the Big3 League shouldn’t be frowned upon. Especially when you realize that Joe Johnson could fill a valuable role for the Boston Celtics bench.
Johnson was a big two-guard during his prime but in 2016, the Miami Heat unleashed him as a power forward and experienced promising results. The Utah Jazz used Johnson in a similar role from 2016-18 before Johnson played a big role for half a season with the Houston Rockets.
In a nutshell, Johnson is an ideal power forward in the modern NBA. His sturdy 6-8 frame allows him to establish good positioning in the post on both sides of the ball.
The Boston Celtics employ a player with a similar stocky frame in Grant Williams. Perhaps the rookie could learn a thing or two from the 7x NBA All-Star.
Williams and Johnson could perhaps even share the floor in certain small-ball lineups. That would be quite the physical front-court tandem.
Either way, its Head Coach Brad Stevens’ job to figure out how to integrate a guy like Johnson into the rotation. The key is signing the Big3 Champion, who is actually quite the sought-after free agent.
The Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets all plan on working out the 2010 All-NBA third team guard. The Boston Celtics, like the aforementioned trio, are all playoff hopefuls.
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It only makes sense for the Celtics to do their due diligence. If they can unearth a gem with at least one good year left, they can be that much closer to their NBA Championship goals.