Boston Celtics linked to similarly aged former lottery pick to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

News of the Boston Celtics having the unofficial frontrunner package for Kevin Durant shouldn’t be all too consuming for fans at the moment, considering Sean Marks is likely using the Cs as leverage to get a better offer from another team.

While Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens can shock the world and swing for the fences by accepting a deal that will more than likely include Jaylen Brown, another player or two, and draft picks, the more likely scenario is the front office hunting for bunt singles.

Marquese Chriss would qualify as such, given his absence from last year’s NBA Champion Golden State Warriors and his presence on the only two Dubs teams of the past decade not to qualify for the postseason. Since being drafted with the No. 8 overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft, Chriss has failed to deliver on the promise the Phoenix Suns saw in him six years ago, shuffling through several rosters in search of a full-time home. The closest thing he found to one was with the Warriors from 2019-2021, having played just 346 minutes last season for the Dallas Mavericks.

While Chriss may never turn out to be a star, the Boston Celtics don’t necessarily need him to be one should they decide to engage his current team, the Houston Rockets, in a trade for the 25-year-old two-way pivot.

Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney reported that an anonymous Eastern Conference assistant coach told him that the lack of a future with Houston, who used him as a salary filler in the Christian Wood trade with the Mavericks, as well as Boston’s desire to land a player on the same timeline as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, make him a potential Celtics trade target:

"“Doubt that he has a future in Houston, I’d have to figure they would move him. He is in that Tatum-Brown age range (26) and is better than (Noah) Vonleh or (Bruno) Caboclo who they’re going to look at, but he might be too inconsistent for the role they want him to play.”"

The Boston Celtics are looking for a backup big and another playable wing

Talks of the Boston Celtics being interested in Marquese Chriss checks out given the recent intel MassLive’s Brian Robb provided. According to Robb, the Cs are looking for one more wing and a backup big to round out their roster.

The Summer League Cs could be a source of potential free agent additions. Mfiondu Kabengele is signed to a two-way deal already, but guys like Brodric Thomas and Justin Jackson could get a look on the wing. Matt Ryan may no longer be a priority with Sam Hauser signed to a long-term deal and Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari now in tow.

It’s unknown what level of interest Boston has in former All-Star big men now in their twilight — such as Dwight Howard, DeMarcus Cousins, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Paul Millsap. Signing any of them would be simpler than making a move for Chriss, but they could carry more complicated locker-room chemistry questions than the career role player.