Boston Celtics: Ranking the fit of NBA’s 8 best bargain free agents

4. Jeff Green

Boston Celtics fans may fondly remember Jeff Green for overcoming a heart ailment and suiting up for the team in 2012-13 after that seemed impossible before the start of the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season due to said news.

Then again they may also be salty about Green’s 19-point, eight-rebound performance in Game 7 of the 2018 Eastern Conference finals. Either opinion is a fair one to have, though welcoming the veteran back with open arms would be the Houdini-approved way to bring back a returning Celtic…let alone one who overcame as much as Green did.

Namaste lists the Cs as a potential landing spot this offseason, but out of any forward/center on his list, Green is the one who solves the least of their problems.

3. Maurice Harkless

After acquiring him as part of the Marcus Morris trade, the New York Knicks indicated that they would be interested in bringing the St. John’s product back for the 2020-21 season. Plans may or may not have changed, but new beginnings seem more likely for players across the league following the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Harkless would be a nice veteran wing that the team could replace Semi Ojeleye with. Assuming his market doesn’t get too out of hand, Harkless would be a nice snag for the mid-level exception and an even nicer snag for the veteran’s minimum.

2. Nerlens Noel

Nerlens Noel provides rim protection that neither Harkless nor Green can, and the bouncy big has the strongest pedigree out of any free agent on this list by nature of being the #6 pick in a draft he was widely expected to go #1 in had he not tore his ACL at the University of Kentucky.

Unfortunately, his career can probably be given the bust label, making him undervalued and able to be found in the bargain bin. The Boston Celtics would be wise to try and rebuild his value as they look for possible replacements for Enes Kanter, who can opt out of his 2020-21 player option and test free agency.

1. Harry Giles

Pretty much everything that Noel brings to a team can be found in Harry Giles’ game, but the former Duke Blue Devil is bigger, bouncier, and four years younger than Noel. Granted, both players had their college careers severely altered by injury–undoubtedly harming their long-term growth in the process–but Giles is still young enough where the right situation can boost him to near-All-Star levels.

If the Boston Celtics can get their hands on Giles and connect him with one of his best friends in Jayson Tatum, perhaps they can be the ones to enable the big man’s rise to be a starting-caliber center.