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CW says it’d be wise for Boston Celtics to sign former No. 3 pick ahead of opening night

By Andrew Hughes

Celtics Wire's Justin Quinn endorsed the Boston Celtics signing the 2010 NBA Draft's No. 3 pick ahead of the 2022-23 season Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Celtics Wire's Justin Quinn endorsed the Boston Celtics signing the 2010 NBA Draft's No. 3 pick ahead of the 2022-23 season Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Celtics Wire’s Justin Quinn feels that it’d be wise for the Boston Celtics to add a more physical big than those they already have on their roster, and he feels former No. 3 overall pick Derrick Favors is the best available target ahead of their October 18 tip-off.

Favors averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 boards per game last season in 16.7 minutes per game last season for an Oklahoma City Thunder team going nowhere fast. The former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket was traded by OKC to the Houston Rockets along with guards Ty Jerome and Theo Maledon and fellow released potential target Moe Harkless for David Nwaba, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke, and Marquese Chriss.

Now, Favors could make a late push for a starting role in Boston as the Cs bide their time until starting center Robert Williams III returns from arthroscopic knee surgery 8-12 weeks from the end of September.

To Quinn, the Cs having even a sliver of doubt should open the door for Favors being added to the frontcourt:

"“If Boston is indeed even slightly uncertain about the potential of their frontcourt depth, it would be wise of them to be on the phone with the agent of recently-cut veteran big man Derrick Favors.”"

What Joe Mazzulla’s final preseason lineup means for the Boston Celtics rotation

It’s tough to tell if Boston Celtics interim head coach Joe Mazzulla wanted to make a definitive statement with his rotation during the team’s preseason finale. Luke Kornet’s absence could have been because his ankle isn’t quite ready to be tested. Otherwise, it appears as though the Cs are going to rock with small-ball lineups until ‘The Timelord’ returns in December or January.

Boston could add Noah Vonleh as an alternative big man until Kornet is back, or if Mazzulla doesn’t trust him as a backup at all. If they don’t, Justin Jackson could be a wing option for the second unit with his roster spot, with Derrick Favors signing on with the vet’s minimum to take Vonleh’s prospective frontcourt role.

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