Boston Celtics: B/R lists Josh Hart as ‘need to chase’ free agent for Cs

Despite the fact that the Boston Celtics are heading back to Beantown for their first home-tilt in this best-of-seven playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets, it’s a consensus opinion from both fans and analysts alike that their 2020-21 campaign will not make it past round one.

Finding themselves down 0-2 to Brooklyn’s Big-3 of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving, the hobbled Cs look to be headed towards the less desirable side of a sweep, meaning their offseason excursions will likely be beginning rather soon.

Based on General Manager, Danny Ainge’s cryptic words recently hinting at what he believes the real problem has been for Boston, coupled with their underwhelming production throughout the season, it’s highly likely that we’ll be seeing an active front office this summer in an effort to better their odds of contention come next year.

Though we at HH believe the best way for Ainge and co. to go about bolstering the roster is via the trade route, with us going as far as to concoct a few deals for them to consider pursuing, there are some who believe that even with their strapped for cash salary space, the Boston Celtics could also look to the free agency market to add on some much-needed talents.

Most recently, Bleacher Report writer, Grant Hughes, went on to list New Orleans Pelicans wing, Josh Hart, as an impending free agent the organization ‘needs to chase.’

Citing the likelihood that he’ll be cast aside on NOLA’s free agency priority list, his stellar per-game production this past season, and the fact that Boston’s wing depth is unbelievably pedestrian (to put it lightly), Hughes believes that Hart not only is a realistic target for the front office but should be viewed as an optimal MLE target:

"Hart’s season ended early with a thumb injury, but prior to going down, he validated his status as one of the NBA’s absolute best rebounding wings. Many of Hart’s 8.0 boards per game (in only 28.7 minutes) came as the result of his nonstop motor; he’s full-go all the time. It’s not a coincidence that Hart always manages to rebound his own team’s missed free throws at ridiculous rates. He just never stops fighting for the ball.The 6’5″ wing can space and slash, and he’s much more comfortable with the rock in his hands than any of Boston’s current reserves at the position. He only shot 32.6 percent from deep this past season, but he’s at 34.8 percent for his career and never wastes possessions with mid-range attempts."

Many times in the past, we at the site have discussed the idea of adding on the likes of Hart and, every time, have deemed it a great move to consider making.

While it’s hard to believe he’d out-right settle for the MLE considering how efficiently he played in 2020-21, coupled with the fact that he’s only 26, if he were willing to take on the entirety of the team’s exception, he’d be a steal at the price and a great grab for the second unit of the Boston Celtics.