The first month and a half of the Boston Celtics offseason has consisted of more questions than answers. All fans have been able to cling to thus far were Brad Stevens’ comments about the team needing to improve during his end of season availability following Boston’s first-round playoff exit.
After Boston drafted Chris Cenac 27th overall in Tuesday’s NBA Draft, Stevens took the podium again. This time, he was more specific as to what he’s looking to add to the roster this summer -- size and speed.
“I think we need to look at size,” Stevens told reporters at the Auerbach Center on Tuesday, via CLNS Media. “And then I do think that we will look to add -- we have pick No. 40, right -- whether that is someone that we ultimately roster or [sign to a] two-way, or whatever, we’ll figure all that stuff out. But, I do think that [we need] size, and I think we’d like to add one more person with speed on the perimeter.”
The Celtics’ need for extra frontcourt depth hasn’t been a secret over the past year. They attempted to reinforce their center rotation by trading for Nikola Vucevic at February’s trade deadline, but Vuc wasn’t ever able to get into a rhythm thanks to a month of missed time due to a broken finger.
Drafting Cenac is a start. The six-foot-eleven-inch forward weighs in at 240 pounds with a seven-foot-five inch wingspan. His capabilities on the defensive side of the ball, athleticism, and rebounding ability are all eye-opening. But, at 19 years old, it’s tough to expect him to make an impact right away, as Stevens pointed out.
"I hope we're good enough that it's hard for any 18-year-old or 19-year-old to come in here and play out of the gate," he said.
What kind of speed and size options are out there for the Celtics?
Fortunately, Boston has more than just draft picks at their disposal when it comes to adding talent. The Celtics can use the full $15 million mid-level exception and $5.5 million bi-anual exception to sign free agents next month.
Both Robert Williams III and Mitchell Robinson are intriguing options expected to hit the open market. According to NBA Insider Jake Fischer, Boston has looked into bringing Williams III back after a three-year hiatus with the Portland Trail Blazers.
With New York Knicks’ owner James Dolans’ public reluctance to spend into the second apron, it’s possible that the Cs could get the chance to poach Robinson away from them.
Both men offer some serious rim protection. Williams’ passing feel and athleticism are his other calling cards, while Robinson’s overall strength and presence on the offensive glass set him apart.
As for speedy perimeter guards, a reunion with Anfernee Simons could make sense -- though ESPN’s Bobby Marks feels that Simons fits well with the Miami Heat. If not him, perhaps free agent guard Collin Sexton could make some sense for Boston.
Simons and Sexton each would add elite shooting to the Celtics' backcourt rotation, perhaps filling bench microwave roles.
Though it’s plausible that the Cs could use their second-round pick to fill either of these needs, Stevens seems more set on bringing in players who can contribute right away.
Add us as a preferred source on Google