Hot take: this offseason's free agency class isn't all that impressive. It's full of perfectly solid players who can be the seventh or eighth guys on a title team, but not worth investing a full non-taxpayers' MLE in. The Boston Celtics should either be on the prowl for game-changers or for that aforementioned player but on a cheap price. One player who would make sense is Ty Jerome.
Jerome is one year removed from his Most Improved Player campaign, where he played a crucial factor in the Cleveland Cavaliers' regular season dominance. It's hard not to think the Cavaliers' noticeable decline (despite making their first ECF since 2018) had somewhat to do with Jerome's departure that summer.
Jerome is coming off an injury-plagued season with Memphis and will start the second year of a three-year, $27.7 million with a player option in the last year. It's hard to read where the Grizzlies go from here, but judging by the trades they've made in the past year - Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and likely Ja Morant - would signal they're going to rebuild.
It's not like Jerome is a cap-clogger by any means, but at 28 years old, one can't help but wonder why he would still be on the team if the Grizzlies' plan is to start over. That's where the Celtics come in.
Jerome has the build of a wing, but he plays like a guard. The Celtics could use a third guard who can score and playmake behind Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. His size could come in handy as well. As far as buy-low candidates go, Jerome might be the best one Boston is looking for.
That is, if he's on the market.
Would the Celtics use their MLE or TPE?
Boston has both the $14.1 million non-taxpayer's mid-level exception and the $27.7 million Anfernee Simons trade exception. Both could be quite convenient, and the Celtics could even use players to make the exchange, even if it not directly.
If the Celtics play their cards right, they could partially utilize either of these to get Jerome and remain under the tax, which could open the door for them to spend like crazy next summer, though they would have to pull some strings. Being under the cap simply gives them so many options.
We have to remember that, despite how big the Simons TPE is, teams don't get the best players when absorbing their deals via the TPE. Stevens has used them before, but typically to create more TPEs. It's why it wouldn't be surprising if, should Jerome be available and Boston comes calling, they try to take him in with the MLE.
Stevens has an odd history with free agency, but he's pretty savvy with trades. He has a rep for making deals no one saw coming. If the Grizzlies truly are trying to start over, Jerome might be on his way out and on his way in to Boston should he catch Stevens' eye.
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