The Boston Celtics roster additions may not be complete just yet. They could look to add a familiar face or two with remaining available free agents.
When the Boston Celtics traded for Kyrie Irving, I thought that the roster moves were complete. Now though, I think that the team could add a veteran or two to help this young team out from the bench.
Looking at the list of available free agents, I was surprised. I expected some of these players to have already been snagged by some NBA team. Luckily for the Celtics, the soft market for them means that they should be able to sign any of these players for the veteran minimum.
So, who is available? In this post, I’ll break down every possible fit for the Celtics, and I’ll let you know just who I think they should sign.
Tony Allen
Tony Allen began his career in Boston, and he may very well end it there as well. He was selected 25th overall by the Celtics in 2004, and he played there through the 2010 season, winning an NBA title in 2008. Allen said he felt overshadowed by Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, and he chose to sign with the Memphis Grizzlies. Allen was a mainstay on the court for the Griz through last season.
Now, Allen still remains as a free agent. Boston could look to sign him to a cheap deal, where his veteran presence would help in the locker room and his defense could help on the court.
Last season, Allen played 27 minutes per game for Memphis and he’d, of course, see a huge drop in on court time in Boston. He may be okay with that though at age 36 as he looks to win another title. In 2016-17 Allen averaged 9.1 points and 5.5 assists per game, but he’s extremely valuable on the defensive end. He posted a 104.5 defensive rating, which placed Allen above players like Steph Curry, Marc Gasol, and Isaiah Thomas.
With the loss of Avery Bradley, a Tony Allen return to Boston could make perfect sense.
Matt Barnes
Matt Barnes is an NBA journeyman. He has played for so many teams, and last year he finally earned an NBA title with the Golden State Warriors after being moved on from in Sacramento. In total last season, Barnes averaged 24.0 minutes played, 7.1 points, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 33% from deep. He could play a similar role as Muhammed, but with a bit more of a veteran presence.
Shabazz Muhammed
Muhammed has four NBA seasons under his belt, all with the Timberwolves. Now, after playing 19.4 minutes and scoring 9.9 points per game for them last season, he remains unsigned. While Boston seems to be set with guards and forwards, Muhammed has the ability to play multiple positions on the court, and he could be a huge lift at times off the bench.
Lavoy Allen
Allen has split his NBA career between Philadelphia and Indiana. While his offensive numbers may not impress, Allen has been able to secure 4.8 rebounds and 0.6 blocks per game in his career while averaging just 17.8 minutes on the court.
Roy Hibbert
Roy Hibbert has definitely fallen off since his time with the Pacers. Last season, he played 42 games with the Charlotte Hornets and 6 with the Denver Nuggets. He didn’t impress anyone while on either team. In total last year, Hibbert averaged just 4.6 points and 3.2 assists per game. At 7′ 2″, maybe the Celtics take a chance on Hibbert to add some size and a presence around the rim.
Gerald Green
We all know Gerald Green and what he can do. Last season for the Celtics, Green appeared in 47 games while averaging 11.4 minutes played. On the court, he was able to throw down 5.6 points, 0.7 assists, and 1.8 rebounds. He was also a 35% 3-point shooter. Green can still blow you away with a powerful dunk every once in a while, but he isn’t going to be a contributor every night. Thankfully, the Celtics wouldn’t need him to be. Green should also be open to a veteran minimum contract to stay with a contender.
Andrew Bogut
I feel like at least a few times a year we hear of Andrew Bogut to Boston rumors. Could this be the year he finally lands in a Celtics uniform?
Last season, Bogut was mainly a member of the Dallas Mavericks, though he played in one game for one minute in Cleveland. Bogut averaged 22.4 minutes played in Dallas, and he’d have to be comfortable with less in Boston. He put up 3.0 points, 1.9 assists, and 8.4 rebounds per game. Boston needs those rebounds pretty desperately.
Boris Diaw
I feel like Boris Diaw has been in the league forever. He’ll be 35 this season, but he may still have a little gas left in the tank. Last year, Diaw appeared in 73 games, with 33 starts, for the Utah Jazz. He could look to follow his ex-teammate Gordon Hayward to Boston. Diaw is a career 8.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game player. Not flashy, not stunning, but consistent.
Final Thoughts
In my opinion, the Boston Celtics should sign Tony Allen and Andrew Bogut.
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Tony Allen will immediately help to improve the defense of Boston’s second and third units, while also being able to compete with the starters when needed. In close games, when a defensive stop is needed, I’d love to have Allen on the court in green. Fans would surely welcome him back to Boston with open arms.
Bogut would add size and a true rebounder. The Celtics do have Aron Baynes, but Bogut would help tremendously.
You could feature a second unit of Terry Rozier, Tony Allen, Jayson Tatum, Aron Baynes, and Andrew Bogut. That would be a very solid group, with Shane Larkin and Abdel Nader working in as well. For now, we will still have to wait and see as we approach September.
Next: Irving, Hayward, and Banner 18
The Celtics will open the season on the road in Cleveland on October 17th. Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder will make their Cavaliers debut while Kyrie Irving makes his Celtics debut. The NBA season and Boston’s season is sure to be interesting with all of this movement! Let’s hope one or two of the guys on this list can find their way into a Celtics uniform before game 1.