Boston Celtics: 3 alternative FA point guard options not named Dennis Schroder

Free agency has been a whirlwind…well, for everyone besides the Boston Celtics at least. While Enes Kanter was brought back on a veteran’s minimum deal, the rest of the league was handing out an exorbitant sum of money.

Future financial flexibility has been the goal of the offseason, but that has left some Cs fans wanting more.

Like a starting point guard.

Marcus Smart is a fine option to man the floor general mantle for Boston considering his improved passing over the years (5.7 assists in 2020-21) and knack for avoiding turnovers. Still, finding a more natural playmaker to balance out the starting lineup and having a passing threat from multiple positions could be preferable for first-year coach Ime Udoka.

Here are 3 playmakers the Houdini has in mind that the Cs could pursue that don’t involve handing out a long-term contract to Dennis Schroder, who is quickly running out of options:

Boston Celtics free-agent target not named Dennis Schroder #1: Elfrid Payton

The New York Knicks now have former Celtics max point guard Kemba Walker playing for a deal worth less than the MLE. Couple that with re-signing Derrick Rose, and there is no room for Elfrid Payton on the depth chart in the Big Apple.

In Boston, there’s a spot for Payton to prove he could be closer to the player he was before the 2020-21 season, where his assist total–aka his meal ticket to being a starter in the NBA at all–was more than slashed in half to just three per game.

It’s low-risk, high-reward. If it doesn’t work out, nothing changes from right now. If it does? The cost to bring him on makes it a serious value signing.