The Boston Celtics have not changed much since last year. In the NBA Finals, Joe Mazzulla’s squad fell behind the Miami Heat by a score of 3-0 and subsequently lost Game 7 by a margin of a single point.
The Celtics are as skilled and deep as they are unpredictable. Some people believe they need to split up their elite pair since that’s the one thing they haven’t tried and it might solve all their problems.
Though that seems very improbable at the moment, we may look at three low-profile players they might trade for or acquire to assist Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
3. Chris Boucher
Chris Boucher’s playmaking abilities were a poor match for Nick Nurse’s starting lineup in Toronto, but they are a great fit for the Celtics’ offense. He won’t be a liability to their offense or defense.
Like Robert Williams III, Boucher can be relied upon to guard the rim and grab boards. Unlike his coworker, though, he is in better physical shape and can make shots from beyond the arc.
2. Doug McDermott
If Danilo Gallinari had been healthy earlier, maybe things would have turned out differently. However, they should consider a toned-down version of Gallinari since there is no way to count on him being healthy.
Doug McDermott is not a great defender, but he can make some impressive shots. He’d be a versatile offensive threat who can play both forward positions and help them spread the floor.
1. Jalen McDaniels
The Boston Celtics don’t have to make many changes to their roster before they can be considered serious title contenders. To that end, they may try to poach one of the NBA’s most underappreciated players from the Philadelphia 76ers.
The addition of Jalen McDaniels would provide Joe Mazzulla with a versatile player who can contribute defensively in a number of different roles. You should be able to get him for cheap, plus he can hit the rare three-pointer.
