Boston Celtics free agent signing is Brad Stevens’ ‘type’: Analyst
Boston Celtics Exhibit-10 free agent signing Taylor Funk, not to be confused with the “Hardcore Legend” Terry Funk (RIP), is another in a long line of Brad Stevens signings who have matched a certain archetype: tall, lanky, and with the ability to knock down the 3-ball — this, at least, according to NESN’s Keagan Stiefel.
“If his recent string of signings is representative of anything, it’s that Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has a type,” Stiefel wrote. “In short, he’s got length and can shoot. That is the exact kind of player Stevens has been looking for over the past two seasons, with Danilo Gallinari, Kristaps Porzingis, Delano Banton and Svi Mykhailiuk all fitting that mold.”
Funk, who is unlikely to make the roster out of training camp but stands a chance as the Cs look to surround their high-priced roster with cost-controlled talent, was an efficient gunner at Utah State; averaging 13.4 points and shot 37% from beyond the arc on 6.4 attempts per game.
The Boston Celtics must prioritize veteran free agents
Signing Funk, just like adding DJ Steward in a G-League trade, won’t move the needle in the immediate future for the Cs; which is the only objective, or should be, for the Boston Celtics front office.
By the time these players would hypothetically be ready to contribute in Boston, there may be an all-new core altogether. This current group likely has an expiration date if it’s going to cost them millions not to bring home Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters. Patience paid off for teams like the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020-21 and Denver Nuggets in 2022-23, but there are countless examples of teams that hung on too long as well. Damian Lillard’s Portland Trail Blazers certainly come to mind given the events of the 2023 offseason in the Rose City.