Supposed Grant Williams replacement is Boston Celtics' prime internal candidate in Brad Stevens' big wing search
The Boston Celtics' supposed Grant Williams replacement for the 2023-24 season and possibly beyond, Oshae Brissett, could be the team's prime internal candidate in Brad Stevens' search for a big wing according to Inside The Celtics' Bobby Krivitsky.
"A prime internal candidate to solve (Stevens' big wing) search is Oshae Brissett," Krivitsky prefaced before saying, "The six-foot-seven forward is getting and capitalizing on recent opportunities to prove he's worthy of the role."
On January 4, Stevens declared the only rotation need for Boston is a "big wing."
"I would like to continue to see how we can find another big wing or so that can help us, and I think that could be from within, and I also think that we’ll continue to monitor free agency and trades,” said Stevens (h/t NBC Sports Boston). “But, again, the difference in this year and maybe other years is our tools are pretty limited from a dollars standpoint.”
Stevens also left the door open for Brissett, and every other reserve wing to seize the chance to fill that role.
"I don't want to say that that person is not in the building because they might be right now,” said Stevens. "I’ve been very encouraged when our bench has gotten in games that don't play how they've helped us I'm excited to see, as we go through this stretch, it's five games in [seven] days and January is a tough travel schedule for our guys. There's going to be more opportunities for those guys and that will be helpful as we head into February.”
Boston Celtics' big wing role was designed to be filled by Oshae Brissett
Brissett was always designed to take over the Grant role in Boston's big man rotation; with MassLive's Brian Robb crowning the former Indiana Pacers second unit stud labeling him the C's Williams replacement in free agency.
“Brissett is still just 25 years old and has shown enough promise in Indiana to be a useful depth piece for certain matchups,” Robb prefaced before saying, “He is also conceivably a very low-cost Grant Williams replacement (and a far worse shooter) if the team loses him via free agency or a sign-and-trade.”
So far, Brissett has not been that or had to be. The strength of the Boston Celtics' top six has carried them through nearly every game. But with the season nearing the halfway mark, Brissett should do everything in his power to make Stevens avoid looking at the trade market to find that big wing; less lose the chance to make more in the summer when he can turn down his player option and potentially hit free agency.