5 Grant Williams replacements that improve Celtics title odds in 2024
By Tyler Watts
3. Jevon Carter
Carter has a $2.2 million player option for next season in Milwaukee, which he could decline to become an unrestricted free agent. If the 6’1 guard does that, he will likely be searching for the taxpayer mid-level exception from a contender.
Can a 6’1 guard replace a 6’6 wing? Carter could be the Celtics’ on-ball stopper in the second unit. He competes hard on that end of the floor and even garnered a bit of All-Defensive buzz midseason. Carter is undersized but brings tenacity and toughness. He would have to prove he could stay on the floor in the playoffs, but it would give Boston another strong defender at the point of attack.
Beyond that, he is a better shooter and playmaker than Grant Williams. Boston would have to figure out their rotation with Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, and Derrick White all hungry for minutes, but Carter could make an impact on both ends of the floor.
Improving their title odds might be a stretch here, but Boston would have more roster flexibility too. It would allow the Celtics to trade Malcolm Brogdon or Derrick White for a missing piece as Carter would be ready to slot in. The signing itself might not do it, but the moves beyond it could.