The Boston Celtics may have fallen short of their ultimate goal of claiming banner number 18 this past season, but it's evident that they're quickly trying to retool to better their odds of achieving such a task come 2023-24.
Already they've made a major splash to kick off the NBA offseason by executing a blockbuster multi-team deal to bring aboard former All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis to help bolster their frontcourt. Now, the next step for Brad Stevens and company must be to figure out cost-efficient ways to fill out the rest of the club's title-hopeful rotation.
Considering their tight financial restraints that could become even more complex with the looming Jaylen Brown supermax extension, the C's front office will be limited with their spending power. That said, despite this hurdle, there are quite a few options the ball club could consider pursuing on the open market.
Celtics free agent option No. 3) Dillon Brooks
In order for the Celtics to land Kristaps Porzingis in the previously mentioned blockbuster transaction they unfortunately had to part ways with their defensive anchor Marcus Smart in the process. With the guard in Memphis, Boston is now void of a true pest on the less glamorous side of the ball.
Perhaps free agent forward Dillon Brooks could help fill this gap.
The 27-year-old has built a reputation as being a polarizing force and a pesky presence on the defensive end of the floor throughout his six-year NBA career. This past season proved to be his best from an accolade standpoint, as he was selected to his first All-Defensive team.
As noted in a previous piece, Brooks' arrival could prove to be a simple yet effective way of recreating the intensity level that Marcus Smart provided the Celtics on the defensive side of the floor.
Though recent rumblings suggest he's seeking a deal “higher than the mid-level exception,” considering his rather controversial exit from Memphis following their first-round exit against the Los Angeles Lakers, his diminished status could prove to be quite favorable for a team such as Boston looking to nab him for less than his asking price.
Celtics free agent option No. 2) Yuta Watanabe
Another side effect of the Kristaps Porzingis trade along with the departure of Marcus Smart is the presumed increased expandability of impending free agent Grant Williams, who Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach suggests could very well now be on the move this summer with the former All-Star's arrival.
Should he jump ship (be it via the open market or sign-and-trade), the Celtics would be losing one of their most trusty long-range marksmen, as he is coming off a 2022-23 season where he converted on 39.5% of his attempts from distance.
In the event that they lose his services, perhaps a low-cost replacement option could come in the form of soon-to-be sixth-year forward, Yuta Watanabe.
The 28-year-old is coming off a highly efficient season with the Brooklyn Nets where, through 58 games played, he posted averages of 5.6 points and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 49.1% from the field and 44.4% from deep.
On top of his shot-making abilities, considering his 6-foot-9 frame he has the size to slot in anywhere from the two all the way down to the four, thus making him a switchable option for Brad Stevens to possibly add to Joe Mazzulla's positionless-esque rotation.
Celtics free agent option No. 1) Torrey Craig
Torrey Craig is a player who can help on the defensive end similar to Dillon Brooks and splash home shots from deep like Yuta Watanabe, only he's a much more proven commodity within NBA rotations than either one and has the leadership experience to add to his collection of traits as well.
Recently deemed the “top target” for the Celtics this summer by Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey, the argument being made is now that Boston has Porzingis in tow, they “should be looking to fill out the rotation with wings (presumably on minimum contracts) who can fit into a sometimes positionless scheme with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.”
To Bailey, Craig is an ideal option due to the fact that he's a “multipositional defender in that salary range who shot 39.5 percent from deep in 2022-23.”
Through 79 games played with the Phoenix Suns during this past season, the 32-year-old posted per-game averages of 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and just shy of a block while shooting 45.6% from the field and 39.5% from deep.
Coming off a two-year contract where he was making an annual average salary of $5 million, it's safe to say that even a cash-strapped club like the Celtics could realistically be in the running for his services.
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