Since taking over as President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens has seemingly been on a mission to make sure new Boston Celtics head coach, Ime Udoka, has a better roster to work with than he personally did heading into 2021-22.
A little over two months into his tenure up in the front office, he has done exactly that what with the copious amounts of moves he’s made, be it via trade or free agency.
Stevens’s decision making has been exquisite this summer and though the bulk of high-impact moves have already been dealt with, there are still a few more settlements that must be made in the near future.
One of the more notable decisions that must be made prior to the season’s tip-off should be coming rather soon, as the Celtics will be required to either make seventh-year forward, Jabari Parker‘s contract guaranteed for 2021-22 or simply opt to part ways with him all together.
Should they come to the conclusion that the 26-year-old did enough to warrant a stay in Boston, then the Cs essentially lock in their rotation for the upcoming campaign.
That said, should they let him walk, Stevens opens up another roster spot which, in turn, could be filled by one of the remaining players still found on the open market.
Though the top-billed names from this year’s class may already be snatched up — and, in the case of Dennis Schroder, the Boston Celtics also took part in some sound festivities themselves — there are still a few available talents that the front office should strongly consider pursuing should Parker not return:
Boston Celtics free agent target No. 1) D.J. Wilson
Since the beginning of the offseason, its been a well know factoid that the Boston Celtics don’t have much wiggle room when it comes to their salary situation.
Despite the fact that they’ve managed to make a few high-impact signings during this year’s free agency period, this reality still remains the same — the Cs have little spending power to work with.
Because of this, should they move on from Parker, finding a filler for his spot on the roster will almost certainly have to come via a cheap deal and, though we believe there are a few players they may be able to snag at relative steals compared to their talent level (more on that later) Stevens will likely go for either a past-peak veteran or an unproven youngster at a low cost.
Should they go the latter route, a guy like D.J. Wilson may be a cost-efficient flier for the team to think about targeting, especially considering he plays power forward which is a position of need on this team.
Drafted 17th overall back in the 2017 NBA Draft, the big man has had a slow go at it in the association, seeing inconsistent minutes throughout his four-year career and has suited up for two different ball clubs along the way.
Most recently, Wilson saw himself suiting up for the Houston Rockets where, due to their rebuilding nature, he was able to get more run on the court than he was during his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks and, in turn, displayed his skills at a more consistent rate.
Per 75 possessions, the four put up averages of 15.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks with the ball club in 2020-21.
Though perhaps his shooting stroke wasn’t all that reliable during his time in Space City (shot 41.6 percent from the floor and 34 percent from deep), on three instances throughout his career he has managed to convert on his long-ball attempts at quite reliable rates (40 percent in 2017-18, 36 percent in 2018-19, and nearly 36 percent with the Bucks earlier this past season).
Because of this, coupled with his lengthy 6-10 frame and his 7-3 wingspan, Wilson as a prospect that still possesses some serious intrigue and, in the right situation, could work his way towards being a respectable rotational player in the frontcourt.
On a two-way deal, the former Michigan Wolverine could be a solid pickup for the Boston Celtics.