Players Celtics Should Target in Free Agency

Ahead of NBA free agency, there has been more buzz about players potentially leaving Boston than arriving. But with the NBA draft wrapped, there is at least a little more clarity as to what moves the Celtics may make in free agency. 

On Wednesday, the C's used two of their three first-round selections to draft Aaron Nesmith with the 14th pick and Payton Pritchard with the 26th pick. They traded the 30th pick to the Memphis Grizzlies for two future second round picks before capping off their draft by taking Yam Madar with the 47th pick in the second.

Nesmith and Pritchard address the Celtics' glaring need for shooting and the team expects them to contribute this season. 

Now, with the draft behind him, Danny Ainge must finally address the 6'7" elephant in the room: whether or not to keep Gordon Hayward and his $34,187,085 player option. 

Teams can legally begin contacting free agents on Friday, Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. ET, and players can't technically begin signing with new teams until Sunday, Nov. 22 at 12:01 p.m. ET. But if not by the letter of the law, free agency has certainly begun in spirit. 

The salary cap for the 2020-21 season is $109,140,000, and the Celtics have nine guaranteed contracts for next season, for a total commitment of $95,035,582. It's also expected they will guarantee Daniel Theis' $5 million deal.

Boston doesn't have much room to move in free agency, but the following players are options who may play nicely with the financials. 

Shabazz Napier, Washington Wizards

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If backup point guard and restricted free agent Brad Wanamaker ends up signing elsewhere in free agency, the Celtics will need to fill the hole that Wanamaker, in turn, filled when Terry Rozier signed with the Charlotte Hornets. 

While, ideally, 2019 No. 33 overall pick Carsen Edwards would be ready to step up and slot into that role behind Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart, Edwards' struggles this season proved he's not yet ready for that level of responsibility. By the end of bubble play this year, Edwards had played fewer than 40 minutes. 

Therefore, the Celtics may turn their attention to the free agent market to address point guard depth, and the player who almost certainly hopes to catch their eye is Washington Wizards guard Shabazz Napier.

The Roxbury, Mass., native grew up dreaming of playing for the Celtics. He also played with Walker at UConn, potentially bringing some existing chemistry to the roster on Day 1. 

Napier had a base salary of $1,845,301 in 2019-20 and is one of the few veterans on the market who won't break the bank for the C's. 

Aron Baynes, Phoenix Suns

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One of the players the Celtics could look to sign with the mini mid-level exception, and stage a reunion while they're at it, is former Celtic Aron Baynes. 

An unrestricted free agent, Baynes put together a nice season with the Phoenix Suns after the Celtics traded him on July 6, 2019 to make room for Kemba Walker's contract.

In March, Baynes etched his name in the history books alongside James Harden's when he became the only other player to record 35-plus points, 15-plus rebounds and nine three-pointers in a single game.

Baynes' season was cut short, however, by testing positive for COVID-19 and then, when he had recovered and rejoined his teammates in the NBA bubble, suffering a right knee contusion that kept him out of the end of regular season action. 

The Celtics could immediately boost their three-point shooting by reuniting with Baynes, and potentially get an even better shooter than they previously had in him. In Phoenix, Baynes shot a career-high 35.1 percent from three-point range, more than doubling his scoring from 2018-19 with the C's (11.6 points per game). 

Baynes is seen as a likely candidate to leave Phoenix by NBA execs. But Boston isn't his only potential landing spot. Still, there is no bad blood between the parties and Boston may be able to count on Baynes' interest in a reunion, too.

Christian Wood, Detroit Pistons

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If a reunion with Aron Baynes isn't in the cards, Vegas likes the Celtics to look at bringing in Detroit Pistons big man Christian Wood. 

The Celtics reportedly tried to trade for Wood ahead of the 2020 NBA trade deadline. If Enes Kanter declines his player option, Wood becomes an even more intriguing option for the C's now.

But while the interest is likely still there, the financials may not be. 

Wood will generate a lot of interest in free agency. Despite playing 21.4 minutes per game, he averaged 13.1 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Pistons last season. 

When Wood earned a starting role this spring, he really flourished, averaging 21.9 points 56 percent shooting from the floor and 41 percent shooting from beyond the arc in 12 starts.

Wood's market in free agency projects to be around the $9.3 million mid-level exception, per ESPN's Bobby Marks. But there's nothing stopping teams in need of a point-generating big from competing for his services and inflating that figure.

If that happens, it's hard to imagine the cash-strapped Celtics entering the fray and emerging victorious.