3 shooters the Boston Celtics should target with open roster spots
The Boston Celtics currently sit sixth in the Eastern Conference standings after winning nine of their last ten games. They also are in a unique position, harboring three open roster spots.
The C’s must make the most of this opportunity to bolster their bench.
The Celtics still have one of the worst benches in the NBA and it becomes even more evident when the injury bug strikes the team. Guys like Payton Pritchard, Aaron Nesmith, Sam Hauser, and Luke Kornet are thrust into larger roles with bigger minutes.
One of the most important aspects of building a high-functioning playoff team is having dependable 3-point shooting.
Boston attempts 37 treys a night but is 21st in percentage, only hitting on 34 percent of those looks.
These percentages on a high volume of attempts simply will not cut the cake. Added frosting could come in the form of more firepower from beyond the arc.
When the Jays get doubled they need to have more reliable shooters to pass to other dependable shooters than just Grant Williams. This army needs more hired guns, whose roles are to create space for the stars.
There are many shooters available on the buyout market right now and it’s a good amount of steady veterans that are looking to attach themselves to a playoff contender.
No NBA team has a faster-rising stock than the Boston Celtics right now.
The shamrocks are number one in defensive rating since Christmas and sit just four and a half games back from the top spot in the conference
The time to strike is now while the free agency iron is hot.
Here are 3 shooters the Boston Celtics should target to fill their remaining roster spots:
Boston Celtics free agency option No. 1) D.J. Augustin
The former Houston Rockets guard could be a hired mercenary for the Boston Celtics.
DJ Augustin was shooting over 40 percent from deep on the season before being waived to free up space for Houston’s trade deadline acquisitions.
The 14-year guard has been a steady fixture on a plethora of NBA squads over his career. Whether it be as a starting point guard for a playoff team in Orlando, as a sixth man in Chicago, or as a bench commodity serving as a mentor in H-Town, he adapts to his role.
The 5-11 guard has played for over 10 teams throughout his tenure in the association. While some may see this as a red flag, I see him as a well-traveled veteran who has always been needed somewhere.
Boston could use his ability to play off the ball as well as serve as another primary handler to take pressure off of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum on the offensive end.
Augustin is undersized but a scrappy defender who can hold his own against the opposition.
As a crafty playmaker who values the possession of the basketball, the Celtics could certainly use a calming a reliable presence within their offense.
Also, with his 14 years of experience, he could do wonders for the likes of Payton Pritchard or Aaron Nesmith, serving as a necessary voice bending their ears.
The combo guard’s role would likely be 10-15 minutes a night and more of a situational player when our outside shooting stalls out or when we need a steady point guard out there to clean up the turnovers.
Oftentimes, the C’s offense gets erratic with careless turnovers and bad decision-making on the offensive end.
This acquisition may clean up some of those preventable mishaps.