Potential Celtics free agent targets

With the influence of the brand new CBA, free company will most likely change. Will groups be much less prepared at hand out massive contracts in worry of hitting the dreaded second apron? Will groups be prepared to throw extra money at their very own free brokers whose Fowl Rights they possess, figuring out that their capacity to exchange expertise is harder? My guess is the second query will probably be answered within the affirmative and we are going to see numerous groups retaining Fowl Proper free brokers. This goes double as a result of many groups are dropping the mid-level exception as a result of 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 a listing of what I consider are potential free brokers which may be prepared to take a vet minimal, which is the one contract the Celtics can supply. I additionally tried to take into consideration the Fowl Rights of their present group, whether or not full or early. A free agent with out Fowl Rights is way extra more likely to change groups as a result of their former group is proscribed in how a lot they will supply. In different phrases, with out Fowl Rights, the participant’s former group has no bargaining benefit over some other 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-Fowl

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 damage 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 eventually at 35.2%. That’s most likely a strong rationalization for why his minutes dropped from 19.5 to 14.6 from 2022-23 to 2023-24 season, and a possible cause why he’s out there 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 identical guard to Pritchard however that’s not essentially a foul factor. He is aware of 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 in the course of the common season. I feel he might 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-Fowl

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 strong 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 damage 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 strong offensive participant in his 6 years within the NBA. He’s received respectable dimension for a guard (6’5” with a 7’ wingspan), offers you a little bit ball dealing with, and might get scorching in a rush. He’s nonetheless solely 27 years previous and has proven sufficient that he’ll most likely 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 choice off the bench for the Cs.

Wings

Joe Ingles – UFA/Non-Fowl

4.4-2.1-3.0

43.6%-43.5%-82.4%

Jingles and the subsequent participant are the dream vet minimal signings for me. Not like Curry and Milton, the place you’re 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 all the time 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 will probably be going into his age 37 season. Sooner or later, 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/Fowl

9.8-3.5-3.1

46.4%-41.1%-74.2%

Hayward’s inclusion right here might look fairly foolish provided that OKC has his Fowl Rights. He very properly might signal a 3 yr $40m contract a day after this text goes stay. A part of me thinks that OKC needs to maneuver on although. He simply didn’t match all that properly 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 important capital into a man that received’t crack their playoff rotation. There’s extra threat that one other group might supply him the mid-level, taxpayer or non, and the Celtics would have completely no method of matching that.

The hope is that Hayward feels he’s made sufficient cash and needs to complete what he began in Boston. I don’t understand how reasonable that’s however let me dream. Whereas he’s misplaced a step defensively, possibly 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 dimension 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 may proceed to degrade, however on a minimal, he’s value it.

Reggie Bullock – UFA/Non-Fowl

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 strong seasons in Dallas. He’s extraordinarily restricted offensively, however he makes threes and is a strong defensive participant with dimension (6’7”). I see him because the Brissett substitute if Oshae decides he needs to go someplace with extra enjoying time out there. Brissett performed 600 minutes for the Cs final yr, and I might see Bullock absorbing these minutes and doing an honest job.

Bigs

Andre Drummond – UFA/Early-Fowl

8.4-9.0-0.5

55.6%-N/A-59.2%

I feel everyone knows what Drummond can provide a group. Elite rebounding, strong display screen setter, and never almost nearly as good defensively because it seems like he needs to 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 getting into his age 31 season subsequent yr. That doesn’t really feel attainable, nevertheless 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 strong backup massive behind the one which stays.

One word, Chicago has Drummond’s Early Fowl Rights, which suggests they will supply him a contract value greater than the minimal. In the event that they accomplish that, 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 will probably be mutual curiosity between Drummond and Boston.

Daniel Theis – UFA/Non-Fowl

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 strong NBA massive. Had his second greatest 3-point taking pictures season final yr and gave the Clippers strong minutes when known as upon (averaged 16.9 mpg in 60 video games). If the taking pictures retains up, Theis might age very gracefully. One other good bonus, Theis truly makes his free throws (taking a look at you Drummond), which is all the time a plus out of a middle.

He’s not the switchy rim protector that he was in Boston, however he’s nonetheless a really strong and good defensive participant. Theis is properly liked by the fanbase, and I might see him eager 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 strong plan B if a kind of guys will get a bigger supply elsewhere. third instances the attraction, deliver again the large German.

Upside swings

JT Thor – UFA/Fowl

3.2-2.3-0.5

43.7%-34.6%-55.0%

Charlotte declined Thor’s fourth yr choice, which suggests he’ll change into a UFA. That’s possible a sign that Charlotte is shifting on from Thor, however they may technically supply him above a minimal deal since they’ve his Fowl Rights.

His stats are tepid, however I feel Thor is an fascinating prospect. He’s a dynamic vertical athlete with nice dimension for a ahead (6’9” and 203 lbs.) and the three began to go in final yr on a tiny pattern dimension (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 strong defensive participant, Thor might actually blossom.

The issue is that the Cs can solely supply him a 2-year deal, which suggests you possibly can’t get his full Fowl Rights, so if he actually hits, he’s most likely out the door earlier than you possibly can reap all the advantages. Nonetheless, I like Thor as a low threat, excessive reward play.

Tristan Vukcevic – UFA/Non-Fowl

8.5-3.6-1.3

61.3%-27.8%-77.3%

This can be a deep reduce. Vukcevic has performed 10 NBA video games and solely performed a median of quarter-hour in these video games. The stats don’t leap 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 palms and taking pictures it from 3. He won’t ever be a switchable defender, however he’s large enough that he might go to Luke Kornet rim safety camp and supply some worth on that finish. He’s received an especially lengthy method to go however stretch bigs with actual dimension are onerous to search out, you may be capable to develop one in the event you take a shot on Vuk.

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

So, there you’ve got 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 possibly can safely cross these guys off your listing. I like quite a lot of these names, however even when we get none of them, I do know one factor for certain, I belief Brad Stevens.