2. Mohamed Bamba, Center
While James Wiseman may have the most potential out of all the candidates, Mohamed Bamba may be the best fit for the team.
Bamba, 26, was the sixth pick in the 2018 NBA draft and like Wiseman, his play has not justified his high draft status. After spending his first four seasons with the Orlando Magic, Bamba has bounced around between the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Los Angeles Clippers. Even though he has yet to pan out, Bamba is still young enough to develop in the right situation. And the Celtics, with their storied history, team culture, and big men that he can learn from, would be a great next team for him.
Bamba also fits the team’s 5-out offensive scheme more than Wiseman. Wiseman does most of his work in the paint, while Mo Bamba can operate comfortably on the perimeter.
For his career, Bamba is a 35.7% three-point shooter and averages 1.3 blocks and 5.4 rebounds per game. If Bamba chose to sign with the Celtics—especially since he would be the team’s last roster spot—he may not get any playing time. But if the Celtics signed Mo to an inexpensive multi-year deal it could be the perfect low-risk, high-reward move.
3. Josh Richardson, Guard/Forward
While adding another big man to the roster should be the number-one priority, a less dire need for the team would be to acquire another "3-and-D" wing who can also handle the ball. The best available player on the free agent market would be a familiar face, Josh Richardson, who was sent to the San Antonio Spurs as a part of the Derrick White trade during the 2021-22 season.
In his 44 games with the Celtics, Richardson played 24.7 minutes a night while averaging 9.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.8 steals. Even though the Celtics backcourt depth is strong with Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard, Richardson would be the perfect jack-of-all-trades addition to the team’s bench. In addition, Richardson could carve out a role at least for the regular season as a solid NBA player who spells the other guards a night off.
As currently constituted, the Celtics are one of the best teams in the league. If they were to sign another big man or another 3-and-D wing to their final roster spot, the team would be borderline perfect and ready for another deep postseason run.