Boston Celtics: 3 players the franchise may give up on

Semi Ojeleye

Semi Ojeleye is due a qualifying offer this off-season after completing his 3-year deal signed before his rookie season. Whether or not he actually receives it is a legitimate question in it’s own right.

Ojeleye’s contributions thus far have been muted. While his 3-point shooting has risen to a respectable 37 percent, he has never been much of a scorer outside of easy looks at the rim. His frame gives him an advantage physically, but he isn’t the most fleet of foot and also doesn’t possess much in the way of handles.

Lacking that explosive first step, Ojeleye is not the best fit in the rapid ball movement Boston Celtics offense. While mostly there for his defensive purposes, he is better in theory than in actuality on the less glamorous end of the floor, sporting a defensive box plus/minus of 0.5 this season…the only season he ended up with a positive DPM.

Ojeleye probably won’t get any contract offers anywhere close to $10 million, but even an offer sheet half of that could give Danny Ainge pause about resigning his 2017 second round pick. That’s if Ojeleye is even extended a qualifying offer and doesn’t end up an unrestricted free agent instead.

It may just be easier for the franchise to cut bait with a player who hasn’t developed much in his three-year stint with the team.