The Boston Celtics' biggest concern this offseason (after the rehab of Jayson Tatum) will be bolstering their frontcourt. Luke Kornet and Al Horford are free agents, and Kristaps Porzingis cannot stay on the court. Neemias Queta is a solid depth option, but 12 minutes a game is probably where he maxes out.
As it stands, the Celtics could be looking at Porzingis, Queta, or playing small ball with Xavier Tillman at the center position. That isn't sustainable. If Horford does elect to play next season, it would make sense for him to return to Boston, but it is not guaranteed that he will not retire. Even with that, Horford is at a stage in his career where he's best served as a rotational player.
So, where could the Celtics look for an upgrade in the frontcourt? With the current cap situation, addressing the role via free agency will be tough. In looking at the unrestricted free agents, two things stick out: the center class is extremely old or underwhelming. The options to best serve as a permanent solution, even for a year, are out of the Celtics' price range.
That means turning to the trade market. The Celtics excel in finding value in the trade market. Isaiah Thomas, Kemba Walker, and Malcolm Brogdon all showed up via trade. The current roster is littered with acquisitions via trade, Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and even Al Horford were shipped up to Boston.
If the Celtics are looking for a trade partner, they need a few things to happen. They need a team willing to take on one of the Celtics' large contracts. They need to find a partner with cap space or a matching contract based on the limitations of the CBA, and they need to bring back an asset that a team may be willing to give up. So, a high-cost, underperforming player. The Celtics could turn to an old friend in Danny Ainge to solve this frontcourt conundrum.
Celtics Should Target Lauri Markkanen This Offseason
The Utah Jazz have taken a calculated risk the past few years. Bring in a talented coach, find undervalued players, and load up on draft picks and short contracts. It mirrors "The Process" seen in Philadelphia, Oklahoma City, and Houston. The big payoff for the Jazz was supposed to be Cooper Flagg, but the NBA Draft "gods" had other plans (insert NBA Draft conspiracy theory here). With that, the Jazz could elect to look forward to the 2026 class, which includes an in-state college prospect, AJ Dybantsa.
Why would the Jazz even consider trading Markkanen? His recent injury history (which could be exacerbated by the Jazz's goal of increasing their lottery odds) and his dip in production from his peak in his first year in Utah.
At his best, Markkanen provides eight to nine rebounds a game. In their current construction, that would lead the Celtics. The Celtics will be without their best rebounder, Tatum, and may be without their second and third best rebounders, Porzingis and Horford, depending on how the offseason goes. As is, the Celtics rank in the bottom half of the league in rebounding chance percentages, meaning other teams are beating them on the glass. They could be in dire straits come October.
Markkanen also provides excellent offensive efficiency at his peak. His true shooting percentage peaked at 64%, and in his lone All-Star season was up to 25.6 points per game. It's not like this was eons ago either; this was two years ago. So why would the Celtics bet on Markkanen if he's trending in the wrong direction? That could be linked to both Markkanen and the Jazz's approach to his development the past year.
"We’ve been working on, like, not getting just wide-open catch shoots all the time. I’m trying to shoot more contested threes. Lightly contested, from behind dribble handoffs, and when they’re lazy switching. Stuff that I haven’t really shot before."Lauri Markkanen; Salt Lake Tribune
So is it intentional? If Coach Will Hardy is to be believed, it appears that way:
"Hardy also noted another way in which Markkanen was sacrificing: the team’s spacing picture. For much of Markkanen’s first two seasons with the Jazz, they played with five-out spacing thanks to centers who can shoot, John Collins and Kelly Olynyk. This season, nearly all of the Jazz’s minutes have been played with a traditional center in the paint, either Walker Kessler or Drew Eubanks — which means Markkanen is at the rim less, earning fewer rebounds and dunks."The Salt Lake Tribune
Markkanen should still have plenty left in the tank as he'll be 28 this month. At first glance, it appears he is trending in the wrong direction. His 2024-25 season was disappointing from a statistical and injury standpoint, but some of that may be by design. Brad Stevens would be remiss to not pick up the phone, give his friend Danny Ainge a call, and find out what it would take to bring Markkanen to Boston.