The Boston Celtics are currently viewed by at least one NBA analyst as the ideal landing spots for a pair of still-unsigned free agents of some renown. In a recent article examining potential signings for such players still without an NBA home ahead of the 2023-24 season, Bleacher Report’s Adam Fromal envisions a veteran wing and a familiar big man as potential signings that make sense for their respective skill sets.
The big man in question may not return to the Association for any team never mind Boston, and the forward actually worked out for the Celtics before being passed over for the players currently competing for (and likely to get) a full roster spot with Boston for 2023-24, so these suggestions come with caveats, but in a vacuum would indeed make sense.
Let’s take a look at both, if you have not already guessed who they are.
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TJ Warren
“Warren is a born scorer, but that ability hasn’t translated beyond the arc and has had a tougher time manifesting in more limited minutes,” writes Fromal.
“The forward was filled with promise prior to the stress fractures in his feet that basically erased his prime, and he’s been unable to find much of a rhythm since returning with the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns. That said, the 30-year-old can still make tough shots within the half-court set and hold his own as a secondary distributor and defender who uses active hands to overcome his quickness shortcomings. That profile usually garners some interest since the NBA is a shot-maker’s league. (…)”
“Boston has no shortage of scoring options in the starting lineup, but a second string comprised of Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Oshae Brissett, and Luke Kornet/Wenyen Gabriel/Lamar Stevens isn’t exactly inspiring,” suggests the B/R analyst.
Blake Griffin
“If Blake Griffin chooses to continue his NBA career rather than hanging up the sneakers, the 34-year-old would be hard-pressed to find a better landing spot than a return to the Boston Celtics,” suggests the B/R analyst.
“The once-gravity-defying power forward may now be more useful as a locker room presence and veteran mentor than an on-court force of nature, but that’s even more important given the current state of the Cs.”
“The organization has suffered plenty of premature playoff losses with the current core, and that amped the pressure up for 2023-24 even before Jrue Holiday was brought aboard to push the ceiling that much higher in (Boston),” adds Fromal.
Our take
As we hinted above, both are indeed great fits for Boston in a vacuum, age and health concerns aside. But we feel that the Celtics organization had similar concerns regarding Warren, and would be happy to bring back Griffin if he were interested.
Should things not work out with the paths Boston has since taken and either remain unsigned, a later-season addition could certainly be on the table, particularly in Griffin’s case.
But for now, we expect both to be doing something other than playing for the Celtics in 2023-24.
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