5 Potential Free Agents The Celtics Should Target to Build Their “Super Team”
A Paul George trade could be in the plans, but other big names loom large in free agency.
In the most optimistic projections, those predicting Cleveland will regress amid potential interior turmoil, the Boston Celtics are one piece away.
More realistically, the Celtics are two solid additions away from competing with LeBron James in a seven-game series. Luckily, Boston will be adding some in-house talent from their “farm system” in Ante Zizic and possibly Guerschon Yabusele.
Zizic, the 6'11 Turkish center the Celtics drafted in 2016, is expected to participate in summer league, according to the director of player personnel, Austin Ainge. Yabusele, the “Dancing Bear,” recently underwent surgery to remove bone spurs from his foot and will not play with the team in summer league. He could join the team later in the year, though.
The recent news that the Salary Cap jump will underperform projections slightly hurts the Celtics in the free agent market, as they expected to have space for a max-level player. According to Jay King of MassLive.com, the Celtics could have to make some moves to clear enough space for top-tier free agents. They could look to renounce the rights of all their free agents, trade young assets like Terry Rozier or Demetrius Jackson, or keep Zizic and Yabusele overseas.
Unless they make a salary-dumping move at the end of their roster, they have enough space to offer a free agent like Gordon Hayward a near-max deal for four years.
According to The Vertical, the Celtics are aggressively pursuing a two-part plan in which they sign Gordon Hayward and then unload some of their assets to the Indiana Pacers to pair him with Paul George. Also according to Woj, the Celtics are likely to let power forward Kelly Olynyk become an unrestricted free agent in order to clear cap space for Hayward. His cap hit is roughly $4 million.
This two-step plan would load Boston up with a strong core (dare I say super team). Isaiah Thomas, Gordon Hayward, Paul George, and Al Horford led by Brad Stevens is nothing to be taken lightly, not even by LeBron.
But that core is still several moves away. Ainge has completed blockbuster deals in the past, but he’s also been reluctant, especially recently, to part with his young assets and future draft picks. If the Gordon Hayward signing falls into place, it’s quite possible Paul George is the next domino to drop.
It is unclear if this is Plan A, but Boston is in a position to go after all the top free agents available.
The Prize: Gordon Hayward
Hayward has been linked to Boston for years. Everyone knows his relationship with Brad Stevens. Isaiah Thomas followed him on Instagram, which prompted the famous eyes emoji.
On the court, Hayward would instantly impact the Celtics. He’s just as effective without the ball as he is running the show. He’d take some of the pressure off Isaiah Thomas in the half court. He could carry bench units with athletic players—Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier—surrounding him.
Allegedly, one of the reasons the Celtics bowed out of the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes was because they believe they can acquire Gordon Hayward—a comparable player—without losing any assets. Plus, it’s possible Paul George would ship up to Boston shortly after a Hayward signing. Hopefully they were right.
High Risk, High Reward: Blake Griffin
Blake “When Healthy” Griffin. When healthy, he’s one of the most dynamic players in the league. He’s a brilliant playmaker, athletic finisher, and an underrated rebounder.
Griffin could complement the Celtics offense beautifully by providing another secondary scorer in the front court and a capable ball-handler. If he can stay on the court for a full season, he is a high enough caliber player to add an element of variability into a potential Celtics-Cavaliers rematch series for Boston to compete.
That’s a lot to ask for, though. Griffin hasn’t played more than 70 games since the 2013–14 season. He has had multiple knee injuries, a back injury, and a broken hand. His dunks per game have decreased from 2.6 his rookie season to 1.11 last year, indicating eroding athleticism.
Arguably, a combination of George and Griffin is more appealing than George and Hayward, simply judging positionally. If George is reluctant to play small-ball four, as he has in the past, George and Hayward could be slightly redundant.
The Wild Card: Danilo Gallinari
This is a little out of left field because he hasn’t been linked to the Celtics as much as the previous two stars, but Danilo Gallinari would be a nice acquisition for Boston.
Coming off the bench, Gallinari could take all of Kelly Olynyk and Jonas Jerebko’s minutes. This move certainly wouldn’t put the Celtics over the top, but it would hit the “upgrade button” for their bench.
The 6'10 stretch forward would be an amazing cog in Brad Stevens’ machine offensively. As long as the unrestricted free agent doesn’t demand too much money—he’s probably worth between $12–15 million in today’s market, Boston should consider taking a look at him, especially if they strike out on their George/Hayward plan.
The Second Tier: Ibaka and Gibson
Even if the Celtics strike out on the highest profile players, they can still improve the team. Boston was one of the worst rebounding teams in the league last year, and these two forwards could immediately aid some of their woes on the glass.
Serge Ibaka is a versatile big who would fit perfectly in Boston’s offensive system. He can spot up on the three-point line or pound it inside. He has averaged between 7 and 8 rebounds his whole career and can protect the rim. The former Defensive Player of the Year contender would be a great addition for Boston, for the right price.
Ibaka earned over $12 million last year and will likely be looking for a raise. If the Celtics have room for him, that means Hayward and Griffin didn’t bite.
Taj Gibson, another power forward, could also help Boston on the glass and the defensive end. Gibson has hovered around 9 rebounds per-36 minutes his whole career. He’d be an upgrade for Boston’s frontcourt off the bench, a unit that routinely featured Jonas Jerebko, Amir Johnson, Kelly Olynyk, and Tyler Zeller. He’s 32 years old, so Boston should consider signing him to a short-term deal, but he can definitely still contribute to a contending team.
The main concern with adding a middle-tier player like Ibaka or Taj Gibson is contextualizing the move with Boston’s long-term plan. If the Celtics are trying to build a contender for 2021, signing either of those players doesn’t make any sense. If they think they’re ready to make a run to the finals now, why not add players ready to contribute now?
