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Boston Celtics need a Rajon Rondo-type 'adult on the floor' for star trio

By Andrew Hughes

Nov 13, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0), center Kristaps
Nov 13, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0), center Kristaps / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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Deadspin's Sean Beckwith believes the Boston Celtics need a Rajon Rondo-type "adult on the floor" to keep the team's star trio of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis in check as needed.

'Fans will point to Mazzulla for (extra mental toughness), and it’s a fair criticism," Beckwith wrote. "Boston has the most talented starting five in the league, and when they play as one, are near impossible to beat. It’s just that it doesn’t happen enough when they’re backed into a corner. For a group with scoring options at every position, it’s malpractice that they’re 20th in assists per game.

"When things aren’t going well, guys lose focus and too often revert to spot-up shooters and ball watching. I know Jayson Tatum has a deep bag of offensive moves, but the most difficult forays should be reserved for bail-out situations. As much as I love Holiday, and am enjoying Derrick White’s apex season, there needs to be an adult on the floor who will get after Brown, Tatum and Porzingis when they stagnate. That’s what made Rajon Rondo so valuable for the Paul Pierce-Ray Allen-Kevin Garnett Celtics."

Few gettable trade targets and veteran free agents make sense for Boston Celtics

The Cs don't have many gettable targets on the free agent market or on the trade block who make sense adding as a Rondo-type leader. If anyone is added, it'd be a non-game-changer anyway. With Boston's rotation all but set in stone come playoff time, the Celtics will need to find that inspiration from within.

Scanning the market as is, there are no free agents just yet who can usurp any of Joe Mazzulla's preferred top eight guys. Relying on the buyout market for such an upgrade carries risk. Forcing a trade could disrupt something that's not broken and doesn't need fixing.

Perhaps Al Horford, Jrue Holiday, or Derrick White can be the type of leader Beckwith desires, or perhaps the team doesn't need it. How this ages can answer a lot of important questions about Boston's season and how it ends.

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