Report Card Grades for Each Offseason Move for Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics came up short in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes but landed a terrific consolation prize: Al Horford.
President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge has operated with cautious efficiency so far, but he's likely not done yet.
According to Bleacher Report's Howard Beck, the Celtics will be first in line if the Oklahoma City Thunder throw in the towel and shop Russell Westbrook. Boston still has plenty of player and draft assets to sprinkle into a potential deal, and landing a superstar would undoubtedly bring title-contending status.
Even if Boston doesn't land Westbrook, it still has almost $14 million of vacant cap room, according to Spotrac. And despite all the crazy contracts being handed out this summer, that's enough wiggle room to bring in a serviceable player or two.
However, Ainge has already made plenty of personnel decisions that can be evaluated. A top-tier free agent has been brought in, an intriguing draft night is in the books and some of last year's contributors have been set free.
All salary information is courtesy of Spotrac unless otherwise noted.
Landing Al Horford
1 of 5
Horford was one of the premier players available in this summer's free-agency chaos, and the Celtics deserve a lot of credit for reeling in a big name.
Horford might not be universally recognized as a superstar, but he is a rare, versatile talent. He put up 15.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 blocks last season, proving once again that he is one of the most consistent and versatile big men in the league.
Horford fits in head coach Brad Stevens' system because he would fit just about any. He can score from anywhere on the court, pass on the move and out of the post and defend multiple positions. Boston's defensive scheme requires its big men to regularly switch onto guards, and few do that as well as Horford.
While the stylistic fit appears seamless, Stevens is most excited about having another established veteran in the locker room, according to Darren Hartwell of NESN: "I think that he’ll help make our other guys better. And any time you have a guy that, again, has achieved what he has achieved, he can help share a lot of tricks of the trade with others. And we still have a very young team."
There's also some risk involved. Any time a team hands out a four-year, $113 million contract to a player in his 30s, it has to feel a little nervous about the tail end of the deal. But Horford's skills should allow him to age gracefully, and it's difficult to criticize this signing.
Grade: A
Letting Jared Sullinger Go
2 of 5
Renouncing Jared Sullinger's rights was the price Boston had to pay to secure Horford, and it wasn't a particularly steep one.
Sullinger started last season well, and his toughness in the rebounding department helped Boston stay afloat on the glass amid various small-ball experiments. He was headed into restricted free agency with a lot of momentum and looking to sign a juicy deal, but a weak finish shattered those dreams.
Bobby Manning of CelticsBlog summarized Sullinger's issues in the first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, during which the forward averaged just 13.5 minutes per game:
"The drops weren't dramatic but they've deteriorated into such a putrid playoff "performance" that he has stuck out like an infected thumb that needs to be amputated. Between both losses in Atlanta, he has floated on the perimeter, shown an unwillingness to battle with either Paul Millsap or Al Horford, and worst of all has been kept off the boards completely. The latter part is most concerning of all because it reflects a lack of effort more than a bad mismatch.
"
It was very worrying to see a young free agent drop off and seemingly not care toward the end of a contract year. That's precisely why Sullinger had to settle for a one-year, $6 million deal from the Toronto Raptors this summer.
Perhaps keeping Sullinger at such a cheap price wouldn't have been a bad idea. That's still terrific value for a rotational big with some upside, but no one can fault Boston for cutting ties, especially with its logjam up front.
Grade: B+
Keeping Amir Johnson, Jonas Jerebko
3 of 5
Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko went into the summer with non-guaranteed deals, yet both granted Boston permission to push the deadlines of their respective team options, according to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
The Celtics handled the situation with transparency, reaching out to each player and explaining the situation—if Durant was to sign with Boston, both Johnson and Jerebko would be goners. Instead, Durant opted to join the Golden State Warriors, and the duo will be brought back for another year.
Considering the hefty paychecks other free agents secured this summer, Ainge is getting a bargain. Johnson's $12 million deal is great for a presumed starter, while Jerebko's shooting opens a lot of small-ball options for just $5 million.
Johnson himself seems happy to be back and is already theory-crafting the mismatches new frontcourt mate Horford will create, per Bulpett:
""I think it’ll be great, because when we play teams, who are they going to guard?" he said. "If they put a 4 (power forward) on Al, he can go post up. If they put a 5 (center) on him, he’s a great shooter with range. And he’s a great defender at the same time. I think it’ll be great. We’ve just got to put it together."
"
Opponents shot just 47.4 percent at the rim with Johnson defending it last season, according to NBA.com. His ability to defend the basket paired with Horford's versatility should only further fortify the Celtics' stingy defense.
Grade: A
Drafting Jaylen Brown
4 of 5
With no clear choice following Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram, picking third in this summer's NBA draft was a difficult task. Boston decided to bring in 19-year-old Cal forward Jaylen Brown.
The selection makes sense on paper—Brown is already an NBA-level athlete and will be much-needed insurance on the wing for Jae Crowder. Despite his young age, Brown should be able to crack the rotation immediately and assume more responsibility if any of Boston's wings get hurt.
Brown hasn't been spectacular during summer league so far, but he has shown intriguing potential. He is a major threat in transition, both as a scorer and a passer. He hasn't finished particularly well through contact, but he gets to the rim consistently and should be a drive-and-kick threat.
Regardless, Stevens is keeping expectations in check, per the Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach:
"Time will tell. He’s 19. The bottom line is I’m watching a lot of the 19-year-olds get more comfortable as the games go on, but none of them are knocking people’s socks off right out of the gate. Obviously he’s got a great deal of talent. He’s got a great deal to learn to be effective at this level, and we’ll see. Time will tell."
The pick makes sense, but it's important to backtrack and remember one of the alternatives.
Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor was available in return for the third pick (he still might be, per Bulpett), and would undoubtedly have been a safer bet than Brown. It was a deal that seemingly made sense for both parties, but Ainge wanted more, and it fell through. That gives the grade a slight knock, even though Brown could very well be worth the risk.
Grade: B-
Letting Evan Turner Go
5 of 5
Evan Turner was fantastic last season, finishing fifth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. He reignited his career by doing a little bit of everything off the Celtics bench, but he won't return as Stevens' trusted Swiss army knife in 2016-17.
Even though both the Celtics and Turner seemed inclined to extend his tenure going into the summer, reality hit pretty quick. He played himself into a massive pay day, and there was no way Boston could match the Portland Trail Blazers' four-year, $70 million offer, especially amid the Durant drama.
Ainge's decision to hunt bigger names and let Turner test the free-agency waters can't be criticized, even though he will be sorely missed.
With Marcus Smart looking shaky, Turner emerged as the only legitimate option at point guard behind Isaiah Thomas. He also filled in at both wing positions, providing a combination of passing, scoring and competent defense.
Boston will most likely fill Turner's void internally. Smart's potential third-year leap would iron out a lot of the backcourt question marks, while Terry Rozier, who is being emphatically touted by Ainge, should also see more playing time and a fair opportunity to prove his worth.
While the decision to let Turner walk is logical, it's still a bittersweet split that will force Stevens to get creative.
Grade: B-
