Boston Celtics: 4 shot creators Cs should pursue this offseason
By Chris Conte
Shot creator target for Boston Celtics No. 4) Alec Burks
The Boston Celtics and Alec Burks got pretty familiar with each other in the 2020 Lake Buena Vista Bubble when the Cs faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round.
Although Burks did not play particularly well against Boston, he is still someone they should keep an eye on going into free agency this summer. He’s coming off a great season with the Knicks and will likely look to a contender to sign him.
There is a lot to like about Alec Burks.
He’s 29 years old, 6-6, 214 pounds with a 6-10 wingspan who can score at all three levels and is a capable passer.
His size gives him an advantage on the defensive end, allowing him to switch onto guards and smaller forwards freely. On offense, he’s a knockdown shooter and high-level passer, but his creation is what the Celtics will be most interested in.
Coming off the bench for the Knicks, Alec Burks averaged 12.7 points and 2.2 assists per game on 56.4 TS% and shot 41% from downtown on five attempts per game.
Next to Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, who both took significant strides as playmakers last season, Burks thrived and knocked down the open shots the Knicks provided him with.
His scalability next to stars is not in question, and what the Celtics need out of Burks is bench facilitation.
Even next to Barrett and Randle, who maintained control of the ball for most of the Knicks’ possessions, as Burks scored 60% of his own 2-point field goals by his power.
Even more, 40% of his 3-pointers were unassisted during the regular season.
He shot 42% and 41%, respectively, from both ranges, proving Burks is a capable creator. He can offer the Celtics this creation on top of his passing, shooting, and defense.
Burks is the second-best option out of these four candidates, but he may be the most expensive one.
He’s coming off a $5 million deal with the Knicks and could fetch interest from teams willing to shell out more than the MLE for him.
If a bidding war begins to brew for Burks, I’m afraid the Boston Celtics will end up exiting the stakes early on, but if he’s left alone, then they may have a chance.
If Stevens can convince Burks to take a minor deal to contend, then Beantown might be able to make good on that promise.
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