The Boston Celtics will not have the cap flexibility this offseason that they’ve had in recent years, but still could sign some veterans to minimum contracts and the mid-level exception.
The Boston Celtics are coming into the 2020-21 campaign looking to beat the Los Angeles Lakers to the punch and solely re-take the throne atop of the list of winningest NBA franchises.
Despite the successes found in 2019-20, it’s clear that the team is still a few pieces away from getting over the hump in the Eastern Conference and appearing in their first NBA Finals in over a decade.
While the team’s front office will not have the financial flexibility they have been blessed with over the past several offseasons to bring on some of the league’s top available talents, they will have the opportunity to utilize their veteran minimum and mid-level exception contracts to bring on some experienced ballers to help better establish a culture within the locker room or serve as cheap fillers at positions that may need some extra bolstering.
The Celtics are seen as an attractive destination for players willing to accept such contracts, as they are penciled in yet again as a top-tier title contender, according to current Vegas odds. There will be quite a few ring-chasing free agents on the open market during this upcoming free agency period.
Here are the 3 who Boston could realistically pursue:
Ring casher the Boston Celtics could pursue No. 1) Jamal Crawford
After months of unemployment the veteran shooting guard, Jamal Crawford, finally got his shot at another chance in the NBA this past season, signing with the Brooklyn Nets as a “substitute player” heading into the Disney Bubble.
During his time with the ball club, he only played in one outing, where he logged five points and three assists on 50 percent shooting from both the field and from deep in just six minutes of action.
Yes, we’re quite aware that Crawford is 40-years-old. That said, with his 20 years of experience playing in the league he could serve as a player mentor to this young Boston Celtics core, and could even aid in the development of guys like Carsen Edwards, Tremont Waters, and Romeo Langford should he make the team.
Having never won or even gone to a Finals during his long and individually successful career – 3x Sixth Man of the Year –, Jamal Crawford could potentially be inclined to even accept a chance at a training camp invite for this championship-aspiring Cs squad.