NBA Rumors: 3 Players the Boston Celtics are currently targeting
The Boston Celtics appeared destined to become the new dominant force in the Eastern Conference after LeBron James left for the West last summer. However, the Celtics' young core of Terry Rozier, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown failed to match their performances from the 2018 playoffs, while Gordon Hayward has struggled for form since returning from a serious injury.
With Kyrie Irving also set to leave in free agency, the Celtics will be active in the offseason as they look to build a roster that can compete next season. The team has been linked to a host of players, and here are three individuals that could head to Boston this summer.
#3 Anthony Davis
With Kevin Durant likely to miss the entire 19-20 season, and Kawhi Leonard set to remain in Toronto, Anthony Davis will be the most in-demand player this summer. At 26, Davis is a ready-made superstar entering his peak years and Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report believes that the Celtics are among the frontrunners to sign the Pelicans man:
Much depends on Kyrie Irving's free-agency decision. If he bolts, the Celtics may be less incentivized to deal for Davis, as the cost might be too great for a potential rental. In a vacuum, AD would clearly be worth Jayson Tatum and/or Jaylen Brown and future picks. But if Davis would only be a one-year stopgap because he might not stick with a Kyrie-less version of the team, the deal makes less sense.
The Celtics have been linked to AD for quite some time now. A lot has been spoken about the team's collective dysfunction. You shoudn't rule out a prospective attempt from the Cs to sign Davis to shut a few wagging tongues. The Celtics are expected to face stiff competition from the Los Angeles Lakers as they look to sign the six-time All-Star.