Hours before NBA free agency officially got underway, news came of a bombshell decision from LeBron James. He and the Los Angeles Lakers are now headed for a divorce. As the purple and gold pivot and figure out how best to build around Luka Doncic, they're in pursuit of a potential Boston Celtics target.
Sandro Mamukelashvili could soon take his talents to Tinseltown. The Georgian forward is coming off a career year. Playing north of the border, he produced 11.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest for the Toronto Raptors last season. He also converted on 38.9 percent of the 3.7 threes he hoisted. He did so in 21.9 minutes of floor time. He also suited up in 80 of 82 games, including 13 starts.
While the floor-spacing veteran, who stands at six-foot-nine, is a small-ball center, not a traditional option to play the pivot, he is one of the top free agents who can log minutes at the five spot. That's what he mostly did for the Raptors.
Unfortunately for the Celtics, Robert Williams III came off the board before free agency started. The possibility of a potential reunion with Kristaps Porzingis or Al Horford also went up in smoke.
The center market is thinning, which also hurts any potential pursuit of Mitchell Robinson. Of course, the answer could come in the form of a Jaylen Brown trade.
However, even if Los Angeles is on the verge of luring Mamukelashvili to Hollywood, the reported plans of Boston's archrival aren't all bad news.
Lakers targeting Quentin Grimes
Continuing to hone in on free-agent options from the Atlantic division, LA also views the six-foot-four guard as a top target, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
Grimes is an unrestricted free agent who is entering his age-26 season. He's coming off a playoff run headlined by his performance in Game 5 in Boston. It was the start of the Philadelphia 76ers swinging the series.
Throughout that first-round rivalry clash, Joe Mazzulla stressed that the Celtics could not let Grimes get going offensively. He can turn into a microwave scorer, giving the Sixers' top options the help they need.
Sure enough, he erupted for 18 points off the bench that night. He drilled five of his eight shots, including four of his seven three-point attempts. In the third quarter, he knocked down a pair of triples that helped the visitors erase a 13-point deficit. It took the hosts and TD Garden faithful from eyeing a second-round rematch against the New York Knicks to the start of squandering a 3-1 series lead for the first time in franchise history.
Getting Grimes out of Philadelphia is a blow to the 76ers and a win for the Celtics. It's a positive development that just so happens to be coming from another fierce rival, the Lakers.
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