Boston Celtics: DK calls 6x Knicks All-Star signing with Cs potential nightmare
While the Boston Celtics don’t appear to be set to sign any veterans to round out free agency — having Justin Jackson, Jake Layman, Luka Samanic, Brodric Thomas, Denzel Valentine, and Noah Vonleh all fighting for the final roster spot — things could change quickly should the season start and the Cs are lacking in scoring, rebounding, or whatever ailment strikes the roster.
One veteran linked to the Celtics following the team’s prized TPMLE free agent addition during the 2022 offseason Danilo Gallinari’s ACL tear in FIBA competition abroad was 10x (4x with Denver, 6x with NY) All-Star Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony appeared to be a lock as a potential signing when Jayson Tatum liked a tweet about a fan needing to now get a Cs jersey, but one never came. The fit made sense in a vacuum given Gallinari’s absence as a scoring wing off the pine, but the team must have felt there were enough infidelity issues with Ime Udoka’s suspension still in the works when the Melo rumors were in full swing.
While it doesn’t seem likely that Anthony will sign a deal with the Boston Celtics, Daily Knicks writer Allen Settle is still worried — even penning a piece titled ‘Carmelo Anthony signing with Celtics would be a nightmare for Knicks fans’:
"“Carmelo signing with the Celtics would be the biggest singular disappointment of the offseason (and possibly the biggest in recent memory). This would be a nightmare ending to an already anti-climactic offseason. In many ways, Anthony represents the Knicks’ best era in recent memory. While the franchise was unable to accomplish the postseason success they craved during Anthony’s tenure, the future Hall of Famer gave Madison Square Garden its best taste of star power in the 2000s.”"
The most likeliest outcome of the Boston Celtics offseason
What we know about the 2022-23 Boston Celtics comes from very limited information from training camp so far. The Cs are likely maintaining their double-big arrangement by inserting Luke Kornet into the starting five, but how the bench minutes will be doled out by interim head coach Joe Mazzulla.
When it comes to the roster spot that Carmelo Anthony will almost certainly not fill, we know that fellow veterans Dwight Howard, DeMarcus Cousins, and LaMarcus Aldridge are not options. For now, of course.
Expect Justin Jackson and Brodric Thomas to be some of the top contenders for the role given their experience with Mazzulla from the Summer League.