Gary Washburn Casts Doubt Over Potential Big Man Addition

DeMarcus Cousins, Boston Celtics

Getty DeMarcus Cousins, Boston Celtics

While the Boston Celtics are rumored to be in the hunt for a potential Danilo Gallinari replacement, Brad Stevens still needs to ensure any new addition is the correct fit.

One name that has begun to circle throughout the Celtics fanbase is DeMarcus Cousins, as his ability to play both the power forward and center positions make him a logical replacement for the injured Gallinari.

However, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, Cousins’ game may not be a good fit for how Ime Udoka and the coaching staff want their team to play in the upcoming season.

“Cousin is a rugged center who could add toughness and maybe even add leadership to a young team. He has played the past few years issue-free, even spending a stint with the Bucks. Cousins is a 33 percent 3-point shooter and would not adjust well to an up-tempo offense, but he could set screens, score at the rim, grab rebounds, and serve as the third center.

Cousins, believe it or not, is only 32, although he has endured many injuries. The only concern is whether he would embrace Ime Udoka’s team concept, but he has proven to be a solid teammate in his recent stops,” Washburn wrote.

Still, if Cousins is willing to adapt to his role, Boston could do far worse than adding the multi-dimensional scorer, as his ability to pressure the rim, stretch the floor, and defend the paint will all be solid additions to a Celtics bench that stagnated far too often last season


Gallinari Suffers ACL Injury

On August 28, it was reported that Danilo Gallinari had suffered an injury while participating in a European basketball contest for Italy. As you would expect, there was a level of panic throughout the Celtics fanbase, and most likely the organization too.

However, our worst fears were put to rest when it was originally reported that Gallinari had only suffered an MCL sprain and that there was no damage to his ACL – an injury that could potentially jeopardize the remainder of his career.

However, on September 2, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that after further evaluation and tests, Gallinari had indeed suffered an ACL injury – meaning it is unlikely we see Gallinari return to an NBA court this season.


Boston Reported to Have Interest in Carmelo Anthony

Outside of potentially adding DeMarcus Cousins, the Celtics have also been linked to a potential deal with Carmelo Anthony, who also remains on the free agent market following a season on the West Coast with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“This is starting to gain traction because Anthony may be the best shooting forward left on the market, and he has shown to be productive offensively despite his age…Anthony has remained in great shape and can still score. He had 20 or more points in 11 games last season and played 26 minutes per game, showing his durability. Anthony wants an opportunity to win a championship, and this could be his best chance,” Washburn wrote in his August 5 article. 

In terms of replacing Gallinari’s scoring ability, Anthony makes perfect sense, as since he moved to a bench role in 2020, he is shooting 39.1% from deep on 5.2 attempts per game, while not commanding a significantly high usage rate.

At the end of the day, Gallinari was never acquired to be a factor on the defensive side of the floor – as his upside was strict as a scorer, and if you’re looking to replace that upside, no one is better equipped to fill that role than Anthony.

 

 

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