No, it’s not a Time Lord reunion. It’s not Nikola Vučević. It’s not Jonas Valančiūnas either. There’s no magical way to snag a high-priced big without coughing up Derrick White or Jaylen Brown, two guys who aren’t going anywhere, Shams. The truth is, Boston’s next big man addition probably won’t come with All-Star buzz. But it will come with grit, upside, and the perfect contract to match the Jays' timeline and get the Celtics back into contention the following year.
After the Jrue (sheds a tear) and Porzingis trades, the Celtics are in dire need to address some depth. So let’s talk about someone who fits the bill in a sneaky-good way: Goga Bitadze.
Goga Bitadze Is the Underrated Center Celtics Need to Target
Al Horford is a legend and still holding down the fort, but he’s 38, not getting younger, and an unrestricted free agent. Luke Kornet is a reliable presence, but he may not return depending on Boston’s cap decisions. We should sign him back (please, Brad); however, with the second apron that we just got under, looming like a guillotine, Stevens has limited flexibility to make moves.
That means no high-salary swing. The Celtics need a big who: Makes under $10M, Can play meaningful high-energy minutes, and doesn't cost them their championship core. In comes Goga Bitadze!
If you weren’t watching the Orlando Magic closely last year, you might’ve missed it, but Goga quietly balled out. When Wendell Carter Jr. went down, Goga stepped in and maximized his opportunity. The Magic had a defensive rating of 109.7 with him on the floor, which is nearly identical to their season average of 109.6, which ranked second-best in the league. He brings two-way intelligence every night: solid pick-and-roll defense, soft hands, underrated feel as a short-roll passer, and a willingness to screen and protect the rim.
Statistically, he was having a career year, averaging 7.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game on a solid 69% from the field. He ranked third in the league in block percentage and defensive rating, and cracked the top ten in defensive BPM and Win Shares per 48. The guy just works, but the Magic seem to prefer Mo Wagner as their high-energy bench guy, making him expendable for another team to snatch him up.
Now, how could it work for Boston? It likely requires a three-team trade to keep us under the second apron. Boston would probably need to part with Sam Hauser, which we all knew might happen eventually (again sheds a tear), and maybe Xavier Tillman.
Personally, I wouldn’t be disappointed to include Georges Niang in a trade either, sorry buddy. There are even whispers that Anfernee Simons could still be moved after his arrival. I'm not the biggest fan of this idea, especially with Tatum out all of next year; his scoring could be crucial in this gap year.
Regardless, Bitadze would be a tremendous fit in the system. He is an efficient, unselfish big who can anchor a second unit and thrive as the big in the pick-and-roll game, which Tatum loves having. He’s not a flashy name, but he’s exactly the kind of low-cost, high-impact acquisition the Celtics should be targeting.