Highlights
The Boston Celtics have one vacant roster spot and could potentially fill it with free-agent Blake Griffin for front-court depth. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are both likely to be playing under supermax contracts in the near future, with Brown estimated to earn up to $69.1 million in the final year of his contract. Trading away Marcus Smart has been viewed as a significant loss for the Celtics, leading to speculation about potential ripple effects on and off the court. The team still has one roster spot available.
The Boston Celtics still have one vacant roster spot, and with them severely in need of front-court depth, they could choose to fill it instead of keeping it open. Should they choose the former, then NBA writer Mark Medina could see free-agent Blake Griffin being brought back to the team.
NBA free agency news – Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics made NBA history during the 2023 off-season when they agreed to sign two-time All-Star, Jaylen Brown to a five-year, $303.7 million supermax extension, as first reported by ESPN’s Marc J. Spears.
The report suggests that when the contract kicks in during the 2024-25 season, the 26-year-old is estimated to make $52.3 million upwards a season. With the likelihood that when he enters the final year of his contract in 2028-29, he could be earning somewhere in the region of $69.1 million. Brown isn’t the only member of the Celtics who is likely to be playing under a supermax contract after next season, though.
After making back-to-back All-NBA first teams in the last two seasons, Celtics franchise cornerstone, Jayson Tatum, guaranteed himself to become supermax-eligible, with the four-time All-Star able to sign the extension next summer, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Jack Baer.
However, due to the salary cap increase each year, CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn reported that Tatum’s contract will see him become eligible for a maximum five-year, $318 million contract, which would break the NBA record that is currently held by his teammate. As a result, the Boston Celtics would be spending over $600 million of its payroll on just two members of their 15-man roster.
Elsewhere, the Celtics made a lot of noise around the NBA when they decided to trade away their defensive ace, Marcus Smart in exchange for 7’0” two-way big, Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team trade that also involved the Memphis Grizzlies, per ESPN. Although the Celtics now have an All-Star level third scoring option who also serves as an excellent rim protector, Smart’s intangibles both off the court and on as their starting point-guard has been widely viewed as a considerable loss for the team who made the Eastern Conference finals just last season.
Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report even went as far to say that the loss of the 27-year-old may cause a great ripple effect throughout the team that could have implications both on and off-the court. For now at least, the Boston Celtics have one roster space left in which they can either keep vacant, or choose to fill, as well as having a two-way spot also up for grabs. Whether they choose to fill either of them, though, is uncertain at this moment.
Mark Medina’s thoughts on whether the Boston Celtics will use their final roster spot
While most teams in the NBA choose to keep one roster spot vacant in order to increase flexibility for when the trade deadline approaches, Medina believes there is a small possibility that the Celtics could still fill it. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said:
“If I had a guess – they keep the roster spot open. That’s a traditional thing that most teams do, not just to save money, but just to increase flexibility entering the trade deadline in case they wind up getting a deal that involves an extra player. But if that doesn’t happen, I could see Blake Griffin coming back. He has embraced playing a reduced role at a reduced salary, and they’ve been pleased with what he’s shown. So I don’t think that that’s out of the question.”
Is there a return to Boston for Blake Griffin on the cards?
The Celtics didn’t just lose Marcus Smart in free-agency. They also saw the departure of Grant Williams, and now appear to lack considerable depth in the front-court. With the team having one roster opening available, this has led to much speculation over whether the team could possibly look to bring back six-time All-Star, Blake Griffin. The power forward, who spent last season with the team on a veteran’s minimum contract, still remains available on the free-agent market.
Blake Griffin – NBA Career Statistics (2010-Present)
Minutes Played
31.9
Points
19.0
Assists
4.0
Rebounds
8.0
Steals
0.8
Blocks
0.5
All statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference.
In his lone season in Boston, the 34-year-old played 41 games in which he averaged 4.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 13.9 minutes per game, per Statmuse. According to the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach, the Celtics hold the 2009 No. 1 overall pick in high regard due to his impact off the floor and in the locker room, stating that the 17x NBA champions would ‘likely welcome his return’, although the report is quick to note that this ‘appears unlikely’.
Yes, Blake Griffin is so very far removed from the athletic superstar that he once was when he was catching fancy alley-oop passes off of Chris Paul as a key member of ‘Lob City’ in L.A, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t still provide offense for Boston off the bench as a stretch four, or utilize his experience of being a 13-year league veteran to help the younger superstars in Tatum and Brown off-the-court.
If the Boston Celtics choose to forgo signing anybody to their final roster spot then that’s their prerogative, but should they decide that maybe they are perhaps better off adding some depth and cover to their front-court, then Blake Griffin may just welcome a reunion with The Green after all.
Source link : https://www.givemesport.com/boston-celtics-blake-griffin-rumors/
Author : GiveMeSport
Publish date : 2023-09-11 13:00:29
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