The Boston Celtics “would surely take” 20 point-per-game scoring wing Kelly Oubre Jr. on a minimum contract to close out the free agency period according to MassLive’s Brian Robb — but the former Kansas star is likely looking for a bigger role with an accompanying higher salary elsewhere.
“The Celtics would surely take him for the minimum but he’s likely holding out for a bigger role elsewhere for type of money,” Robb said while answering a reader’s question asking why not Oubre. “We already saw one shoe drop in free agency with Christian Wood who was hoping a big chance opened up for him in Miami potentially after a Lillard deal. With no deal imminent there, he opted for the Lakers instead. Oubre may take a similar path but it’s a little crazy to see a guy who averaged 20 points per game last year have to settle for the minimum. Then again doing it for a tanking team while shooting 31 percent from 3 doesn’t earn you many accolades.”
Oubre would be a luxury signing for the Celtics at this point in the offseason, but not one that is very likely; with the Los Angeles Lakers potentially remaining a free-agent player despite their recent signing of Christian Wood among a slew of other offseason additions.
Realistic last-minute Boston Celtics free-agent signings
Oubre is a starting-caliber talent in the NBA whose talents have been somewhat squandered for the past several seasons on the Charlotte Hornets. In the right situation, he can be a top role player/quasi-star, as his 20 points per game during the 2022-23 season showed.
Boston Celtics fans need to lower their expectations and expect someone on the fringes to sign a non-guaranteed training camp deal and earn their keep. That brings us back to their previously reported targets: Louis King, T.J. Warren, and Lamar Stevens.
None of those names are overly exciting, but they’d all provide solid, if unspectacular, hands on the wing on nights Jayson Tatum and/or Jaylen Brown need a breather.