9 potential Celtics free agent targets

With the influence of the brand new CBA, free company will in all probability change. Will groups be much less keen at hand out large contracts in worry of hitting the dreaded second apron? Will groups be keen to throw extra money at their very own free brokers whose Hen Rights they possess, understanding that their means to switch expertise is harder? My guess is the second query can be answered within the affirmative and we’ll see plenty of groups retaining Hen Proper free brokers. This goes double as a result of many groups are dropping the mid-level exception because of the second apron, the Celtics are a kind of groups.

Lengthy story quick, the Celtics are very restricted in what they will do to signal different groups’ free brokers. With that in thoughts, I’ve put collectively an inventory of what I imagine are potential free brokers which may be keen to take a vet minimal, which is the one contract the Celtics can provide. I additionally tried to consider the Hen Rights of their present group, whether or not full or early. A free agent with out Hen Rights is way extra prone to change groups as a result of their former group is restricted in how a lot they will provide. In different phrases, with out Hen Rights, the participant’s former group has no bargaining benefit over another group within the league, if they’re over the cap, they’re restricted to providing one of many free company exceptions: minimal, mid-level, or bi-annual.

Contract data from Spotrac.com.

Guards

Seth Curry – UFA/Non-Hen

Pts-Reb-Ast: 5.4-1.6-1.0

FG%-3FG%-FT%: 39.2%-35.2%-90.3%

Seth Curry had a little bit of a down season final yr, which was harm plagued. He appeared in solely 42 video games and was despatched to Charlotte across the deadline as part of the PJ Washington commerce. His 3-point % has dropped three years straight, from 45%, to 42.2%, to 40.5%, and at last at 35.2%. That’s in all probability a stable clarification for why his minutes dropped from 19.5 to 14.6 from 2022-23 to 2023-24 season, and a possible motive why he’s accessible on a minimal.

That mentioned, Seth has a for much longer observe document of being an elite 3-point shooter than middling. He’s an analogous guard to Pritchard however that’s not essentially a foul factor. He is aware of the best way to play, areas the ground, and offers a little bit of ball dealing with. He’s a unfavorable defensive participant, however the Celtics can get by with that through the common season. I feel he may slot in fairly seamlessly in two-guard lineups enjoying subsequent to both Derrick or Jrue and will deal with an even bigger position if one of many guards sits or is injured.

Shake Milton – UFA/Non-Hen

4.5-1.6-1.3

40.5%-28.1%-81.6%

Shake had by far the worst yr of his profession final season. Coming off a really stable 22-23 the place he averaged 8.4-2.5-3.2 and shot 47.8% and 37.8% from three, each quantity plummeted in 23-24. He began the yr with a foot harm on the finish of October, and he simply by no means appeared to get snug all season.

Look, I don’t suppose Shake is a high-level position participant, however he’s proven flashes of being a stable offensive participant in his 6 years within the NBA. He’s received respectable measurement for a guard (6’5” with a 7’ wingspan), offers you a bit ball dealing with, and may get scorching in a rush. He’s nonetheless solely 27 years outdated and has proven sufficient that he’ll in all probability stick round within the league for some time. If he can discover his taking pictures contact once more and Mazzulla can get him to play some protection, he’d be a very nice possibility off the bench for the Cs.

Wings

Joe Ingles – UFA/Non-Hen

4.4-2.1-3.0

43.6%-43.5%-82.4%

Jingles and the following participant are the dream vet minimal signings for me. In contrast to Curry and Milton, the place you might be hoping they bounce again from a down yr, with Jingles you simply hope he can stick with it for another season. Joe may be very a lot within the twilight of his profession and the defensive quick comings have been at all times there. They’ve solely gotten worse. That mentioned, he’s an offensive savant, averaging 3 assists per recreation in solely 17 minutes whereas having a minimal position simply exhibits how clever Ingles is.

Joe is totally a dribble, cross, shoot man on offense, which the Celtics worth. He can run a choose and roll, is an elite spot up man, and has the identical connective passing DNA as Derrick White. He’s additionally 6’9”, which helps restrict a few of his defensive points. The priority is that he can be going into his age 37 season. In some unspecified time in the future, guys simply lose it, and that’s very a lot a threat with Ingles. That mentioned, the offensive match make it a worthwhile, and fairly small, gamble.

Gordon Hayward – UFA/Hen

9.8-3.5-3.1

46.4%-41.1%-74.2%

Hayward’s inclusion right here may look fairly foolish provided that OKC has his Hen Rights. He very effectively may signal a 3 yr $40m contract a day after this text goes stay. A part of me thinks that OKC desires to maneuver on although. He simply didn’t match all that effectively with them and performed a massively diminished position within the NBA Playoffs. OKC’s group goes to get very costly quickly. I don’t suppose they’d wish to make investments vital capital into a man that gained’t crack their playoff rotation. There’s extra threat that one other group may provide him the mid-level, taxpayer or non, and the Celtics would have completely no means of matching that.

The hope is that Hayward feels he’s made sufficient cash and desires to complete what he began in Boston. I don’t understand how life like that’s however let me dream. Whereas he’s misplaced a step defensively, perhaps two, he’s nonetheless a excessive IQ offensive participant. One other dribble, cross, shoot man that was completely lights out from 3 final yr. He, like Ingles, has good measurement for a ahead and will play subsequent to only about anybody on the roster, together with Sam Hauser. Hayward has undoubtedly declined, is in his mid-30s, and has struggled with accidents, so his manufacturing would possibly proceed to degrade, however on a minimal, he’s value it.

Reggie Bullock – UFA/Non-Hen

2.2-1.7-0.3

41.5%-10.3%-100%

I’m not going to spend a lot time on Bullock. He had an terrible yr final yr on the Rockets, after two stable seasons in Dallas. He’s extraordinarily restricted offensively, however he makes threes and is a stable defensive participant with measurement (6’7”). I see him because the Brissett alternative if Oshae decides he desires to move someplace with extra enjoying time accessible. Brissett performed 600 minutes for the Cs final yr, and I may see Bullock absorbing these minutes and doing an honest job.

Bigs

Andre Drummond – UFA/Early-Hen

8.4-9.0-0.5

55.6%-N/A-59.2%

I feel everyone knows what Drummond may give a group. Elite rebounding, stable display setter, and never practically nearly as good defensively because it appears like he must be. Drummond had an honest yr for the Bulls, and nonetheless has flashes of the double-double monster he was in his earlier years. He’ll, shockingly, solely be coming into his age 31 season subsequent yr. That doesn’t really feel doable, however it’s the reality.

I’d solely goal Drummond if Luke Kornet or Xavier Tillman walks. I feel Kornet suits what the Cs wish to do on each ends higher than Drummond. Higher rim protector, higher finisher across the rim, and a world’s higher passer. However Drummond has some clear positives, and if one of many Cs’ free agent facilities stroll, can be a stable backup large behind the one which stays.

One be aware, Chicago has Drummond’s Early Hen Rights, which suggests they will provide him a contract value greater than the minimal. In the event that they achieve this, there may be virtually no likelihood he’ll cross that as much as signal a minimal with the Celtics. Nobody ever is aware of what the Bulls will do subsequent, but when he hits the market, I think there can be mutual curiosity between Drummond and Boston.

Daniel Theis – UFA/Non-Hen

6.3-4.1-1.0

53.2%-36.6%-76.0%

Whereas Theis has misplaced a few of his lateral quickness and vertical athleticism as he’s aged, he’s nonetheless very a lot a stable NBA large. Had his second finest 3-point taking pictures season final yr and gave the Clippers stable minutes when known as upon (averaged 16.9 mpg in 60 video games). If the taking pictures retains up, Theis may age very gracefully. One other good bonus, Theis really makes his free throws (taking a look at you Drummond), which is at all times a plus out of a middle.

He’s not the switchy rim protector that he was in Boston, however he’s nonetheless a really stable and sensible defensive participant. Theis is effectively beloved by the fanbase, and I may see him desirous to return if one in every of Kornet or Tillman walks and a few minutes open up. I doubt he would signal as much as be the fifth heart, however he can be a stable plan B if a kind of guys will get a bigger provide elsewhere. third instances the allure, deliver again the massive German.

Upside swings

JT Thor – UFA/Hen

3.2-2.3-0.5

43.7%-34.6%-55.0%

Charlotte declined Thor’s fourth yr possibility, which suggests he’ll turn out to be a UFA. That’s possible a sign that Charlotte is transferring on from Thor, however they might technically provide him above a minimal deal since they’ve his Hen Rights.

His stats are tepid, however I feel Thor is an fascinating prospect. He’s a dynamic vertical athlete with nice measurement for a ahead (6’9” and 203 lbs.) and the three began to go in final yr on a tiny pattern measurement (81 makes an attempt). He’s extraordinarily uncooked on each ends and shot the ball poorly from 2-point vary, however his bodily instruments give him a excessive ceiling. If he figures out the shot for actual, and Mazzulla can coat him in no matter fairy mud he used to get Hauser to be stable defensive participant, Thor may actually blossom.

The issue is that the Cs can solely provide him a 2-year deal, which suggests you’ll be able to’t get his full Hen Rights, so if he actually hits, he’s in all probability out the door earlier than you’ll be able to reap all the advantages. Nonetheless, I like Thor as a low threat, excessive reward play.

Tristan Vukcevic – UFA/Non-Hen

8.5-3.6-1.3

61.3%-27.8%-77.3%

It is a deep lower. Vukcevic has performed 10 NBA video games and solely performed a median of quarter-hour in these video games. The stats don’t bounce out at you, however he’s received some pedigree. He was the forty second total choose within the 2023 NBA Draft. He’s a legit 7-footer and has proven flashes of being competent with the ball in his arms and taking pictures it from 3. He won’t ever be a switchable defender, however he’s sufficiently big that he may go to Luke Kornet rim safety camp and supply some worth on that finish. He’s received a particularly lengthy method to go however stretch bigs with actual measurement are laborious to search out, you would possibly be capable to develop one should you take a shot on Vuk.

It’s value nothing that Keith Smith talked about in March he thinks Vuk is on his means again to Washington, however adopted up saying his was speculating. Proper now, although, he’s a UFA, and if the Celtics have a chance, I feel they need to pounce.

So, there you’ve it. I don’t suppose I’ve ever appropriately known as a minimal signing made within the Brad Stevens period, together with when he was coach, so you’ll be able to safely cross these guys off your checklist. I like loads of these names, however even when we get none of them, I do know one factor for certain, I belief Brad Stevens.