Boston Celtics: Pass or pursue on 3 Spurs targets Ime Udoka could help land
Spurs target #2 Ime Udoka could help Boston Celtics land: Patty Mills
Being two years younger than Danny Green and filling a more urgent position of need, Patty Mills is the far superior backcourt target. Is he what the Cs should spend their MLE on this offseason?
It depends. Clearly, Brad Stevens isn’t done dealing this offseason. If he is, the Cs go into free agency with more needs than they had before the blockbuster deal that sent Kemba Walker to Oklahoma City for Al Horford and Moses Brown.
He gave up the team’s first round draft pick to offload Walker, too. That means you could cross off the 2021 NBA Draft as an outlet for the Cs to find a new floor general. So, by that reasoning, expect more fireworks on the trade market this summer.
Does Stevens land a point guard, though? If he doesn’t, he may need to use his MLE on 2020 second round draft stash Yam Madar. Or, he could pursue the veteran Mills instead.
Mills is an Australian National Team star who was named an Olympic Team Flag Bearer for his country two days ago. He has big game experience as a Boomer in international play.
He is a solid option at the right price. If signing him means no Madar, Stevens likely says sayonara in negotiations. If he can somehow split the MLE, Mills is a fine stop gap point guard option until Madar or Payton Pritchard are ready to start. Let’s hope he doesn’t show out too much during Olympic play.