The Boston Celtics have managed to further bolster their already menacing talent pool this summer what with the key additions of Danilo Gallinari and Malcolm Brogdon, which is an incredibly impressive feat in itself.
However, this season the front office will find themselves in a great position to continue improving their championship-aspiring roster thanks to the several TPEs that hold in their possession.
The two most valuable exceptions they hold give them the ability to absorb up to $6.9 million and $5.9 million worth of salary thanks to the in-season deals made last season involving Juancho Hernangomez and Dennis Schroder, respectively.
And while there are quite a number of solid options they could feasibly consider acquiring by means of these aforementioned luxuries, recently Sean Deveney of Heavy.com tabbed former lottery pick, Justise Winslow, as a “realistic wing” option to consider pursuing, and revealed that an anonymous Western Conference assistant coach believes him to be a solid fit on a title-contender like the Boston Celtics.
"“Winslow makes sense as a fourth or fifth wing off the bench on a good team but not on a team that is probably a 10 or 11 seed. Chauncey (Billups) really likes him so that might keep him around, but if they start selling off pieces, he’d be one of the first to go,” the assistant coach said."
Ironically, the Boston Celtics were rather big on the idea of pursuing Winslow back when he was an incoming draft prospect. Former President of Basketball Operations, Danny Ainge, reportedly offered upwards of six total first-round picks to the Charlotte Hornets back in 2015 to potentially move up the ninth slot on the board to nab him.
The Hornets opted to decline, staying put in the position where they would go on to take Frank Kaminsky. One pick later, at 10th overall, the Miami Heat managed to snag Winslow.
In the seasons since being selected, the wing has found himself suiting up for four different clubs while failing to live up to his lofty draft status.
That said, he has still proven himself to be a solid defensive stopper and an impressive playmaker. For his career, the 26-year-old finds himself boasting averages of 12.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per 75 possessions.
At a salary of just $4.1 million, Winslow would fit into either one of the TPEs mentioned above and, with his specific skill-set, one could argue that he could be an ideal target for the Boston Celtics to pursue with one of the exceptions during the upcoming campaign.