5 NBA players who can land on Celtics amid Boston's hunt to beef up its roster
By looking at the NBA's standings, the Boston Celtics are the league's best team. They have the league-best record of 28-7 thanks to their starting five of Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis, all of whom are potential All-Stars this season.
The Celtics have relied heavily on their starting five as their bench is only averaging 15.5 minutes per game, which ranks at the bottom of the league. This has translated into having their bench only putting up 27.2 points per game, which is the second worst.
So far, it has not hurt them, but it could become a factor later in the season when fatigue starts to set in. As such, their front office might want to add some depth through a trade or by exploring the free-agent market. Here are five players whom the NBA's current best team can add to its already powerful roster.
Also read: 5 reasons why Boston Celtics' guard Derrick White deserves his 1st All-Star selection
5 players whom the Celtics can add to beef up their roster
#1, Montrezl Harrell
The Celtics' weak point is their rotation at the power forward position. Jayson Tatum has been doing well as their starter in the four position, but his backup is Al Horford, who is also listed as the first center to come off the bench on the depth chart.
As such, adding another forward/center could benefit their depth and one of the players who could help them is Montrezl Harrell. He seemed to be a forgotten member of the Philadelphia 76ers last season which resulted in him having a down year. However, he can be relied upon to score and can hold down the fort when Horford, Porzingis or Tatum need to take a breather.
#2, Nerlens Noel
When Robert Williams was traded away for Jrue Holiday before the season, the Celtics lost a fantastic interior defender and rebounder. Because they lack depth in the forward/center position, if they want to add a player similar to Williams, they can pick up Nerlens Noel.
Noel can become a serviceable big man who will defend the rim and grab rebounds when inserted into the lineup and at the same time could re-energize his career by joining a true contender.
#3, Rudy Gay
Rudy Gay was waived by the Golden State Warriors during the preseason and has not been a part of a team since. While he is already 37 years old, he could still have plenty to offer a team that utilizes him correctly.
Gay can serve as a mentor to the many young wing players whom the Celtics have. Furthermore, he can still be relied upon to put up some points, as evidenced by his last two seasons with the Utah Jazz.
#4, Saddiq Bey
The Atlanta Hawks might try to shake things up at the trade deadline, and the Celtics could try to benefit from this by trading for wingman Saddiq Bey. Bey has been a reliable scorer for the Hawks, averaging 12.8 points in 32.4 minutes.
If he goes to Boston, his minutes would decrease, but he could become the first guy off the bench when either Jaylen Brown or Derrick White comes off the floor, meaning he will still be a major piece of Joe Mazzula's rotation.
#5, Will Barton
If Boston's front office is unwilling or unable to add a wing by exploring the trade market, it can do so by stealing Will Barton from any other team that might be eyeing him already.
Barton is one of the most reliable role players available in free agency right now, with a career average of 11.2 points per game on 43.0% shooting, including 35.5% from downtown. Furthermore, he is only 33 years old, which means he can log heavy minutes when required.