Celtics to Work Out 5-Year Veteran, ‘High Motor Player’: Report

Getty Alize Johnson

With Grant Williams being signed and traded to the Dallas Mavericks, the Boston Celtics may look into more frontcourt options in free agency. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Celtics will work out five-year veteran forward Alize Johnson.

“The Boston Celtics are bringing in forward Alize Johnson for a workout this week, HoopsHype has learned. The five-year NBA veteran is considered a high-motor player and rebounder,” Scotto wrote.

Since starting his NBA career with the Indiana Pacers in 2018, Alize Johnson has appeared in 76 games total, averaging 2.5 points and three rebounds a game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Johnson spent the 2022-23 season with the San Antonio Spurs, where he played a grand total of four games.

If the Celtics plan to bring him in, it’s very possible that he may sign a two-way contract.

The Celtics have already added quite a few frontcourt pieces this offseason, which goes beyond acquiring Kristaps Porzingis. They drafted Jordan Walsh on top of signing Oshae Brissett and Dalano Banton. Their heights range from six-foot-seven to seven-foot-three.

Blake Griffin, Javonte Green Floated as Options

After the Celtics traded Williams, The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach outlined how many available roster spots the Celtics have.

“The Celtics have two open roster spots. One could go to second-round pick Jordan Walsh, and a new opening could eventually be created with forward Justin Champagnie’s non-guaranteed deal for next season.”

On top of detailing the trade exception the Celtics acquired in exchange for Williams, he mentioned two players who are familiar with the Celtics’ roster as potential free agent targets.

“Boston also received a trade exception worth about $7 million in the Williams sign-and-trade that could be somewhat useful down the road. The list of compelling free agents is relatively sparse. Maybe the team eventually looks to bring back Blake Griffin or former Celtics wing Javonte Green.”

Green played for the Celtics from 2019 to 2021 before he was traded to the Chicago Bulls and has a well-known close friendship with Jayson Tatum. Griffin appeared in only 41 games for the Celtics this season. However, Griffin started in 16 of those games as a utility starter in case the Celtics were dealing with an injury in their frontcourt or if Al Horford was sitting out on a back-to-back.

Griffin was productive in that role, averaging 4.1 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 48.5% from the field and 34.8% from three.

Kristaps Porzingis Trade Led to Grant Williams’ Exit

Following Williams’ trade, Himmelsbach wrote that the Celtics intended to keep Grant before the 2023 offseason started.

“Since last fall, when Grant Williams and the Celtics were unable to come to terms on a contract extension, Boston’s brass insisted publicly and privately that Williams remained a part of the franchise’s long-term plan, even after he slipped out of coach Joe Mazzulla’s playoff rotation,” Himmelsbach wrote.

Himmelsbach added that the trade for Porzingis, along with Williams’ desire for a role in the rotation, led to the sign-and-trade.

“More than anything, sources said, the Celtics never expected to acquire a 7-foot-3-inch former All-Star in Kristaps Porzingis, whose arrival would further reduce Williams’s role. Williams and his camp made it clear that he just wanted an opportunity to play, and sources said Stevens considered that when essentially allowing Williams to move on.”