Ranking the Celtics’ free-agent targets
Kevin Durant is priority No. 1 for the Celtics this offseason.
COMMENTARY
The Celtics will officially begin free agency on July 1 with the ability to create more than $50 million in salary cap room to spend on the open market. That kind of capital and a 48-win season in 2015-16 should make free agents give Boston a long look when considering a new destination. With a young core in place but talent upgrades needed all over the depth chart, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge will be chasing free agents of varying types who might help address key areas of need. Here’s a look at seven players he should be targeting.
1. Kevin Durant (Unrestricted free agent. Age: 27)
The Celtics will do anything in their power to try to land the 27-year-old superstar, but the same can be said for 29 other teams around the NBA. The good news for Boston is that they’re already on Durant’s short list of teams to get a sitdown meeting. While the Celtics don’t have the talent of other contenders pursuing the seven-time All-Star, they do have the salary cap room to offer a sidekick in free agency, as well as other trade assets to land other win-now talent immediately. The Celtics are also set up to be Durant’s team if he wants it, with no battling for shots with another star. The fit is there, but the question is whether or not Ainge can make him believe Boston could turn a Durant-led squad into a perennial contender.
2. Al Horford (Unrestricted free agent. Age: 30)
Defense and perimeter shooting in the frontcourt are two things the Celtics desperately need, and Horford would provide a bit of both. Last season, he added a 3-point shot to his arsenal last season while also anchoring one of the best defenses in the NBA in Atlanta. Horford’s age does not align well with Boston’s long-term plan, but he would be an ideal second fiddle to Durant in the short term. By himself, Horford wouldn’t be worth the big money he would command as a 10-year veteran, but if he increases the odds of landing Durant, the Celtics need to chase him.
3. Hassan Whiteside (Unrestricted free agent. Age: 26)
There is no better rim protector on the market this summer than this seven-footer. Whiteside averaged a league best 3.7 blocks per game last season. He also averaged a double-double on a nightly basis with 14.2 points and 11.8 rebounds. His game has improved immensely in the past two seasons in Miami, and he would fill a hole in Boston’s interior immediately. The drawbacks? An inability to defend smaller players well on the perimeter, and a lack of offensive range that wouldn’t fit well with Brad Stevens’ pace-and-space system. If Ainge comes up empty on his top two targets, Whiteside is worth pursuing.
4. Marvin Williams (Unrestricted free agent. Age: 29)
If the Celtics miss out on the big fish in free agency, there are still several alternatives deeper in the player pool who could help push the team’s rebuild forward. Williams is a prime candidate. He’s a stretch four who is a 40 percent shooter from 3-point range and is a versatile defender, as well. Stevens aimed to play small ball more and more as last season continued, and Williams is an upgrade in personnel in the frontcourt.
5. Jared Dudley (Unrestricted free agent. Age: 30)
After finishing 28th in the NBA in 3-point shooting last year, the Celtics could use a more efficient scoring punch from the outside. Dudley, a career 40 percent shooter from downtown, could provide the right fit for Boston on that front without breaking the bank. He played both the 3 and 4 for the Wizards last season, giving Stevens the flexibility to play him in both spots with the bench unit. While he’s going to command a sizable raise on his $4.25 million salary, an overpay on a short-term deal would still give Boston the cap space it needs moving forward.
6. Mirza Teletovic (Unrestricted free agent. Age: 31)
He hasn’t been in the NBA long after playing the first part of his career in Europe, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming a lights-out shooter from beyond the arc. He hit 39 percent of his attempts from downtown last season and can provide firepower to any bench unit around the league. The Celtics have the personnel to hide his deficiencies on the defensive end, which would allow Teletovic to take the onus off Isaiah Thomas.
7. Dwight Howard (Unrestricted free agent. Age: 30)
Howard may not have the kind of market he was hoping for this offseason after an ugly finish to his tenure in Houston this past April. Despite his warts, he still provides the kind of rim protection and rebounding the Celtics lack in the middle. Handing him a long-term contract would be foolish with his injury history and age, but if he’s looking to rebuild his value for one final big score next summer, Boston could be an ideal opportunity for him.
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