Getty Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Playoff basketball has a funny way of exposing weak points in a team’s roster construction, and for the Boston Celtics, that’s their lack of high-level wings off the bench.
Derrick White and Grant Williams have been fantastic throughout the post-season, but it’s clear the team is missing somebody to help lighten the load that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are currently carrying. Adding an additional body that can play multiple positions, score from deep, and defend at a high level would go a long way to solidifying the Celtics as an Eastern Conference powerhouse beyond the current season.
Unfortunately, those types of players are hard to find, especially when you’re short on cap space and tradable assets. However, there is always the possibility of finding a veteran contributor in free agency, a task that always becomes easier if your team is expected to contend for a championship in the upcoming season.
Otto Porter Jr. drains the 3 and cuts the lead to 4.
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Enter Otto Porter Jr., the veteran wing currently contracted to the Golden State Warriors, who will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current season. At 28-years-old, Porter Jr fits into the Celtics’ current contention timeline and brings multiple years of NBA experience with him, ensuring Ime Udoka gives him a reasonable amount of minutes off the bench.
Porter Jr. Would be a Great Fit in Boston
The Celtics like to play an inside-out brand of offense, where rim pressure is their primary target on every trip down the floor. But, Boston’s relentless will to drive the rock into the teeth of the defense also ensures that there are plenty of kick-out threes for perimeter shooters throughout a game.
Throughout the regular season, the Celtics ranked 2nd for drives per game, eighth for the number of shot attempts at the rim, and 13th for passes (kick-outs) after driving with the rock. That style of play requires a wing that can score off the catch, create their own looks off the dribble, and, considering Boston’s 1st ranked defense, hold their own when guarding their man.
Porter Jr. ticks all of those boxes and has proven himself an off-ball threat this year while playing alongside Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and breakout star Jordan Poole. Throughout his 62 regular-season games, Porter Jr. scored 36.7% of his catch-and-shoot attempts, 50% of his pull-up jumpers, and was also a willing passer, making 26.3 and creating four potential assists per game.
At six-foot-eight, the Missouri native also has the physical tools to be a viable defensive option under Ime Udoka. At the same time, his 5.1 rebounds per game can help Boston remain competitive on the glass when the starters go to the bench.
The former top-three draft pick can also play at the small forward, power forward, and center positions, which would provide some much-needed positional versatility to the Celtics’ rotation.
Could Boston Afford Him?
Porter Jr is currently earning $2.3 million with the Warriors and will likely command a similar fee again next season. Of course, following an impressive season off Golden State’s bench, there’s always the chance his value has gone up, but even then, somewhere within the mid-level exception should be enough to get a deal done.
The bigger question surrounding Porter Jr. is if he views Boston as a team he would want to play for, given their elite starting wings and a potential minutes crunch during the post-season. Porter Jr. will probably have multiple options once free agency rolls around, which will allow him to choose his next stop carefully.
“His feel for the game…His intelligence…is at a really high level.”
Mike Brown speaks on Otto Porter Jr. and his impact coming off of the @warriors bench.
Still, Udoka has done a fantastic job of rebuilding role players’ value this season, which could be enticing to Porter Jr, especially given the young, high-level talent on the Celtics roster.
Boston will enter the 2022 free agency period armed with their full MLE, which would ensure they can remain competitive in any battle to sign Porter Jr. or any other player interested in joining the project Udoka and Stevens are currently building.