When it comes to the Boston Celtics, the average years of experience in the NBA for their roster was 3.4 years.
Essentially, the coaching staff relied on players still on their rookie deals to contribute and help their two stars win games. With those same two stars suffering injuries throughout the season, these young players had to shoulder a load they could not carry, hence their struggles and the team’s struggles.
Brad Stevens must lighten the load on these young prospects by bringing in veteran talent to usurp their roles.
It’s up to Stevens whether or not he wants to keep them on the roster as his end-of-the-bench pieces or trade them for more readily available contributors. This article will detail what veterans are on the market, what they could provide, how much they would cost, and why it’s worth pursuing them:
Boston Celtics target No. 1) Waayne Ellington
I’ve detailed Ellington’s potential on the Cs in this space before, and I’ll do it again.
The 33-year-old shooter out of UNC is just what the Boston Celtics need on the wings. He is a career 38.2 percent 3-point shooter that is coming off a great season on the Pistons. Next to Jerami Grant, he averaged a shade under 10 points per game on 42.2 percent shooting from downtown on six attempts per game.
Next to Tatum and Brown, who attract more attention than Grant and are better playmakers, Ellington’s volume should be expected to increase, and more of his shots will be open.
At 6-4, he’s a bit undersized at the shooting guard position, but with Smart, Brown, Tatum, Horford, and Williams around him, Udoka will be able to work around his defensive woes by hiding him.
His experience makes him a player Stevens will like. He won’t play outside of his role, he’ll be a steady voice in the locker room, and he won’t break the bank.
Ellington is entering free agency after netting $2.5 million from the Detroit Pistons.
The Celtics can match that contract for another two seasons, therefore giving Ellington longer-term security while also giving him a solid chance at his first second-round appearance.
Boston Celtics target No. 2) Trevor Ariza
Another old guy I have covered on this site before, Trevor Ariza fits the glove for the Boston Celtics in just about every way possible.
He’s made his money in the NBA as a 3-and-D specialist that has had no problem playing within his role.
On defense, Udoka can play him on some of the Eastern Conference’s premier forwards, such as Kevin Durant or Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, even at this stage in his career, he has no problem taking up possessions against elite creators such as Kyrie Irving or James Harden.
He has excellent versatility and length, which allow him to switch onto different matchups with ease.
If Udoka sees it fit, Ariza has no problem playing off the ball on the defensive end.
His 6-8, 215-pound frame makes him an ideal help-side rim protector or nail defender. His quick and active hands can pick off passes or strip ball handlers to get the Jays running in transition.
He can shoot from deep, as he’s a career 35.2 percent 3-point shooter who shot 37 percent from deep just last season with the Miami Heat.
Ariza will make the extra pass, cut, move off the ball and even act as a screen setter from time to time.
This summer, he enters free agency after finishing up his two-year, $25 million contract he signed with Sacramento in 2019. At his age, it’s unlikely he receives more than $7 million per season, which is right inside the C’s price range.
Boston Celtics target No. 3) Thaddeus Young
The state of the Chicago Bulls is an interesting one.
By trading away two draft picks and two young players for a fringe All-Star caliber center in the middle of his prime, the Bulls are in no position to tank, but they aren’t good enough to contend.
They don’t have the flexibility to acquire more talent since they sent their first-rounders out for Vucevic, and no one is taking the big man off their hands.
That makes players like Thaddeus Young available to trade.
With no assets and no salary relief, the Bulls could be in the market to sell high on power forward, who, in my opinion, was the rightful Sixth Man of the Year.
The Boston Celtics could throw some of their younger pieces on top of a first-rounder or two to acquire the 33-year-old big. They would likely have to let Fournier walk due to Young’s expiring $14 million price tag but, seeing as Young could be argued as being better than Fournier, I don’t think Stevens would hesitate to pull the trigger on a deal like this if it was there.
At 6-8, Young can play the four or the small-ball five on either end of the court.
As a forward, Young would serve as a help-side rim protector on defense and as a tertiary screen and roller on offense. He can’t hit the outside shot all that consistently, but he has a reliable floater game and is an elite finisher, so he can play next to Horford who can stretch the floor.
At center, the veteran is a capable small ball presence that can hold his own against opposing bigs.
His value at the five comes on offense, where he can be a dynamic roll man and post-up player.
Young is an elite passer, combining unreal vision with precision and a soft touch to hit guys under the rim or behind the 3-point line.
Udoka mentioned he wanted the assist numbers for the Boston Celtics to go up and Young is just the guy to do that.
On an expiring contract, he makes Boston’s potential pursuit of Beal, Curry, or Lavine next offseason that much easier, and if he enjoys his time in Beantown, Stevens might be able to convince him to take a minor contract to stay with the club.
Young’s availability is entirely dependent on the direction of the Bulls and all we can do is wait for the rumors to surface.
Boston Celtics target No. 4) PJ Tucker
Last year, the power forward rotation for the Boston Celtics consisted of Jayson Tatum, Daniel Theis, Grant Williams, and Jabari Parker.
That is unacceptable.
That rotation lacks versatility, shooting, and defensive prowess outside of Jayson Tatum.
That is where PJ Tucker comes in.
He can play behind Tatum and help Udoka stabilize his bench unit’s defense. As his athleticism and speed wear down the older he gets, the less effective Tucker is at the five, but he can still be a factor defensively if Udokas puts him in the correct position.
Supposing you’ve been able to catch any of the Bucks’ playoff games recently, you’ve likely noticed Tucker has taken up the responsibility of guarding the opposing team’s top offensive players.
His grit and toughness would be a massive boost to the C’s bench and locker room. He could take the weight off of Jayson Tatum or Marcus Smart on the defensive end while keeping fire lit before the game, at halftime, and after the final buzzer sounds.
He is not much of a shooter anymore, so his offensive contributions will stem from screen setting and making the extra pass, which is perfectly fine with Tucker.
He is still under contract for the 2021-22 season, earning $14.1 million, but only $6 million is guaranteed.
The Boston Celtics could easily match his catch or absorb it outright in exchange for draft capital or minor assets for the Bucks to use later on if they even decide to let him go.
If he is made available, the Cs need to pursue him.
Boston Celtics target No. 5) Gorgui Dieng
This may surprise you, seeing as the Boston Celtics currently employ six centers, but, rest assured, that will not be the case by the end of the offseason.
Kornet will most likely walk, and management will probably trade Thompson, leaving a spot in the Celtics’ center rotation available.
Brad Stevens could opt to roll with Moses Brown as the team’s third-string, but it’s doubtful the new President of Basketball Operations settles on the youngster, given his reputation of not trusting unproven commodities.
Instead, Stevens would be wise to look Dieng’s way.
The 31-year-old big man out of Louisville would be a perfect fit for the club. At 6-10, 252-pound he brings some more size to the C’s frontcourt, which will come in handy when Boston faces off against Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Last season, he averaged a hair under seven points and 3.7 rebounds per game (1.1 offensive), and shot 42.9 percent from deep.
Dieng shot 78 percent under the rim, 43.5 percent from the floater range, and 52.4 percent from midrange.
His value comes with his shooting, as he would be a reliable pop-threat next to the Jays and fill in for Horford or Williams when they need a game.
Gorgui Dieng is coming off a one-year, $1 million contract with the Spurs, so he is anticipated to see no more than a veteran minimum.
His contract value is perfect for the team’s cap situation for, not only does it keep their books free to sign Beal, Curry, or Lavine next summer, but they can hold onto Moses Brown, who’s making about $1 million each year for the next three seasons.
Boston can roll with Robert Williams, Al Horford, Gorgui Dieng, and Moses Brown next season, and then the following season can deal with one of Horford or Williams to free up space for a maximum star while still having two good backups in Dieng and Brown.
Frankly, it’s a no-brainer — if the Boston Celtics can get a meeting with Dieng and his agent, they need to do everything they can to convince him to sign with the team.