Earlier this offseason, veteran big man Amir Johnson made the decision to leave the Boston Celtics in free agency to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers on a one-year, $11 million deal.
According to Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens made it clear that he believes Johnson will help mentor the young core group of players that the 76ers possess.
“He’s the guy you want with young guys,” Stevens said this week.
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“Amir’s the ultimate positive teammate,” Stevens said. “He always brings the right energy, brings the right focus.”
The 30-year-old is set to enter his 13th year in the league and has garnered plenty of experience over his career playing with several teams that have had much success resulting in several trips to the playoffs.
This is something that the 76ers have failed to do over the last five years without a single postseason appearance. In light of that, Johnson can provide a veteran voice in the locker room to mentor their young talent in Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, and Dario Saric.
He has also proven to be a valuable asset off the bench as a viable big man that can be a factor defensively in the paint and on the boards. The 76ers' decision to add veteran players such as Johnson and J.J. Redick could be huge in helping the team make a significant step forward next season, possibly into the playoffs.
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