Getty Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
Shooting with size – that’s been the mantra for the Boston Celtics ever since Brad Stevens took the role of President of Basketball Operations.
It’s clear Stevens and Ime Udoka have a vision for their team and are working on making it a reality. With that in mind, CelticsBlog’s Keith Smith recently postulated the idea of Lauri Markkanen as a potential TPE candidate, which would ensure Boston continued to get bigger without losing any floor spacing or offensive punch.
The most popular question I get right now is: “Who can the Celtics get with the TPE?”
For @celticsblog I gave you all the names worth taking a look at. 25 players + a bonus player who fit inside Boston’s NBA-largest $17.1M TPE:
“If shooting with size is the goal, you can’t get much bigger than Markkanen for a shooter. He’d be a different sort of 3/4, but he held up ok playing the three for the Cavs last season. He should be able to do that again on an even better defense in 25 minutes or so per game off the bench,” Smith wrote in his June 27 article.
After two stagnant seasons with the Chicago Bulls, Markkanen has rebuilt his reputation and his value with the Cleveland Cavaliers, courtesy of some stellar shooting and defensive performances alongside generational talent Evan Mobley and impressive rim runner Jarrett Allen.
What Does Markkanen Add to the Celtics?
Markkanen has rediscovered himself in Cleveland and has proven capable of being a tertiary scoring option alongside the likes of Darius Garland and Mobley, while also showing he’s a capable defender when he’s engaged with the team’s schematics.
Throughout the 2021-22 NBA Season, the seven-foot big man averaged 14.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game on 35.8% shooting from deep and 44.5% shooting from the field. That type of scoring ability, coupled with his size, would certainly improve Boston’s bench unit, which is prone to stagnation when trying to attack set half-court defenses.
22 days remaining for Brad Stevens to use the Boston Celtics TPE (via Evan Fournier) of ≈ $17.1M.
Some names to consider:
•Dejounte Murray
•Lauri Markkanen
•Kevin Huerter
•Will Barton
•Kyle Kuzma
•Josh Hart
•Danny Green
According to Basketball Index, Markkanen splits his primary defensive duties between guarding slashers, primary ball handlers, and secondary ball handlers, with his core remit being to hone it on stationary shooters. So, it stands to reason that we can’t expect Markkanen to be exceptional when navigating screens on the perimeter, but his size and length should allow him to switch onto small guards providing he has the space to remain in front of them.
Markkanen might not be the unicorn forward many believed he could be after impressing as a rookie, but he’s certainly showing that he is capable of being a viable rotation player on a contending team.
The Clock is Ticking
Trade exceptions are a wonderful thing that when utilized properly, can provide exceptional value in roster building. However, nothing lasts forever, not even TPEs, which have a 12-month expiry date built into them.
Boston’s largest trade exception currently stands at $17.2 million and is due to expire on July 18 and not a day later. As such, the clock is well and truly ticking for Stevens and the Celtics front office if they would like to utilize such a significant trade chip.
we have our first graveyard of the season. Lauri Markkanen just sent the MVP into the earth.
Of course, the Celtics are highly unlikely to make a trade just for the sake of it, and as such, there is a genuine risk of the exception remaining unused as we edge closer to its expiration date. Luckily, there are plenty of teams looking to improve their roster this off-season, and the chance to create their own TPE might prove too good to pass up.
With the free-agency period officially opening on June 30, we won’t have long to wait until the fireworks of free agency begin in earnest.