Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics have to add size in free agency
The Boston Celtics have been sent packing, losing Game 7 on Saturday night in stunning fashion, becoming the first NBA team to blow a 3-1 series lead since 2020. The shock has not yet worn off.
Once it does, however, the Celtics need to get to work. Brad Stevens did a masterful job balancing his twin jobs of slashing payroll and maintaining a contending team; perhaps, in the end, Boston's 56-win season was a bit of fool's gold. They obviously didn't want to lose in the first round. But he did a better job than anyone thought he could.
Now the mission changes. The Celtics' core is largely under contract for next season; Stevens could certainly make trades, and he can decline team options on some of the back-end players. The only substantive player who hits free agency on the roster is Nikola Vucevic, and he will almost certainly not be back.
With the financial freedom opened up by the cost-cutting moves this season, the Celtics can go into free agency armed with their mid-level exception to add a legitimate player to the roster. Who should they target?
One way or the other, the first move has to be to secure some size. This roster needs a brick wall.
The Celtics need a burly center
This is not a call for the Celtics to sign some goon straight out of central casting. Yet it's undeniable that they were light in the shorts this season, and when a hulking giant in Joel Embiid came sprinting out of the tunnel to enter the series, they had no answers.
Neemias Queta was giving up too much size. Luka Garza and Nikola Vucevic couldn't stay on the court defensively. Options to downshift into a purely small-ball 5-out look would have meant Jayson Tatum defending the 7-foot Joel Embiid. Not happening.
There will be other centers standing in their way in the Eastern Conference next season as well. In addition to the 76ers, teams such as the New York Knicks (Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson), Indiana Pacers (Ivica Zubac) and Detroit Pistons (Jalen Duren) all employ extremely large centers capable of scoring inside.
The Celtics need some heft.
Who could they sign?
They could sign a third-string center to deploy in specific situations; that could work. Someone like Jock Landala, then, could be the larger replacement and available on the minimum after spending the end of the season with the Atlanta Hawks. Boston also got a close-up view of Andre Drummond playing for the 76ers and he will likely be available for the minimum this offseason.
Boston can also make a higher-upside swing by using one of their salary cap exceptions to sign a more expensive player. They could go the aged veteran route as a one-year stopgap, bringing back Al Horford or signing old foe Brook Lopez. Would Mitchell Robinson be available if the New York Knicks are too close to the second apron to bring him back? What will the market be for Mark Williams in restricted free agency?
The Celtics need to be shrewd with their money and roster spots. They can't burn one on a player who is unlikely to be a difference-maker come the playoffs. But finding the right big man with true size and strength to improve their defense, rebounding and toughness -- and capably slow down Joel Embiid -- is a major goal.
The Celtics have nothing but time on their hands -- and putting that time ot good use could net the perfect player to get them over the hump and back in the NBA Finals.
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