Over the past two games, losses to the Suns and Bucks, the Boston Celtics were out-rebounded 111 to 73. Down two key “bigs,” Al Horford and Aron Baynes, it’s clear the Celtics need someone who can help clean the glass ASAP.
Even in this era of “positionless” basketball, most players still have clear roles on the court. Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens has three solid ball handlers in Kyrie Irving, Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier. He has ample wings, led by Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum to spread the floor and handle the bulk of the scoring. And between Al Horford, Aron Baynes and Daniel Theis, it was thought the Celtics would have just enough size to keep opponents from dominating the paint.
Horford, however, has missed the last seven games with patellofemoral pain syndrome in his left knee and his return to the lineup anytime in the near future is uncertain. Baynes, meanwhile, is expected to miss at least a month after breaking his hand two minutes into the Suns game.
That’s left the Celtics with just Theis and rookie Robert Williams to tangle with DeAndre Ayton and Brook Lopez, and the stats bear out how much of a mismatch that is. Theis is a tough kid and solid two-way player. But, though nominally a center, he stands just 6’8″, so he’s already battling a significant height disadvantage against the likes of Ayton (7’1″) and Lopez (7’0″).
Williams is 6’10”, but also just 21-years-old and with 123 minutes of NBA experience. For all his promise, expecting him to suddenly handle 25-30 minutes a game might be asking too much. Stevens clearly knows this, as despite the C’s clear lack of options, Williams still played just eight minutes against the Bucks.
With the team already trailing the 76ers by two games for home-court advantage in the first round of a playoff match up, the Celtics can ill-afford to lose more winnable games by struggling to clear the boards. Indeed, when the 6’3″ Irving leads the team in rebounds, it’s clear the current bigs aren’t cutting it.
So here’s a quick look at a few players Boston Celtics GM Danny Ainge might bring on board to fill in for, and potentially even compliment, the ailing Horford and Baynes.
The pricey pipe dreams
If we assume that the Big 3 of Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford are off the table, the Celtics lack the contracts with significant salaries to match against the players they might wish to acquire.
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Which is too bad, because the 6’11” Enes Kanter would be an interesting addition to a rotation starved for height. Kanter is stunningly underrated for a former third overall draft pick averaging a double-double for the Knicks. He’s developed a respectable 3-point shot and, at just 26-years-old, he might even be a long-term fit for a team with championship aspirations over the next five years.
But it would be tough to match his $18.6 million cap number without giving up a significant amount of depth and talent. Think something like Marcus Morris, Baynes, Rozier, Guerschon Yabusele and Jabari Bird, along with draft picks.
The same is true of Hassan Whiteside, whose 7’0″ height and 13 boards a game would likewise be a useful addition to the rotation. But he’s even more expensive than Kanter and his immaturity makes him a questionable fit.
And let’s just get this out of the way: no, Anthony Davis won’t be joining the Celtics this season. Not without including one of the Big 3 or team leader Smart. And the Pelicans probably aren’t doing a deal without Tatum anyway. Now if the deal were, say, Smart, Tatum, Morris and Baynes, plus picks, Celtics fans might pull the trigger.
Ainge, however, who values Smart’s grit and Tatum’s potential on a rookie deal, might balk. And the truth is, even that offer feels light for one of the best 3-5 players in the NBA. More likely, the Boston Celtics would like to find a way to swap out Horford for Davis in two years time. Hopefully, the Brow will still be available then.
A Dose of Reality
So, if Enes Kanter, Hassan Whiteside and Davis aren’t walking through that door, who could?
Veteran Hawks big man Dewayne Dedmon is eminently available and, at a reasonable $7.2 million, wouldn’t require a major sacrifice in talent. His Per 36 average of 11.2 rebounds (and 1.7 blocks) would be useful. But Dedmon is also a highly limited player who might struggle to find minutes once Horford and Baynes return to full health.
Brooklyn’s Ed Davis, Chicago’s Robin Lopez and Cleveland’s John Henson offer similar, albeit limited, production and the Celtics could probably make a match without sacrificing much of value.
But in the writer’s opinion, the guy I’d love to see donning Celtics green sometime soon is Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic. The 7’0″ center is enjoying a career year on a Magic squad currently just outside of the playoffs.
With recent high draft picks Mo Bamba and Jonathan Isaac in need of minutes and with Vucevic a free agent at the end of season, it makes sense for the Magic to at least listen to offers. Further, one of their bigger needs is at point guard, where 31-year-old DJ Augustin is their top ball handler. An offer centered on Rozier, with Morris as salary filler/veteran presence, Yabu as a throw-in with upside and one of the Celtics many upcoming first round picks might at least start the conversation.
Regardless, let’s hope we’ve seen the last of Semi Ojeleye at center and Hayward guarding Brook Lopez. Maybe Horford will return soon. Maybe Williams can give more than eight minutes a night going forward. But hopefully Danny Ainge and Stevens have a better solution to their “bigs” problem than maybes.