Getty Patrick Beverley, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics could be interested in acquiring Patrick Beverley this summer, according to a report by Yahoo Sports Jake Fischer.
“Amid interest to return to Chicago and other contenders, Patrick Beverley has another potential suitor in Boston, sources said,” Fischer wrote on June 30.
Beverley, 34, split his time between the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls last season, playing a total of 67 games while averaging 6.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists on 40% shooting from the field and 33.5% shooting from deep.
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Beverley isn’t known as an offensive-minded guard. Instead, the veteran ball-handler is seen as a tone-setter on the defensive side of the floor and a galvanizing locker room presence. Boston already has three-point guards on their roster. Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon, and Payton Pritchard can all earn rotation minutes under Joe Mazzulla next season.
As such, it’s hard to envision where Beverley’s minutes would come from unless the Celtics continue to look for potential Pritchard landing spots throughout the summer. Nevertheless, Beverley would plug a gap that Marcus Smart‘s departure has left behind.
It is difficult to see how Beverley would fit into Mazzulla’s offensive system, considering he has been a subpar perimeter shooter for his entire career.
Cedric Maxwell Wants Montrezl Harrell
Following Smart’s departure, it would appear that a defensive-minded leader is at the forefront of the media’s mind when they discuss potential upgrades for Boston’s current rotation.
According to Cedric Maxwell, the Celtics should target veteran big man Montrezl Harrell, as he could bring fire and grit to a franchise that just traded away their heart and soul.
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“The person that I think about is Montrezl Harrell,” Maxwell said. “You’ve got the nicest bench in the world. What you have is Mr. Clean over there with the Celtics’ bench. I want somebody over there who is a little nasty, a little dirty, a little gritty. He’s one of those few guys I’ve seen that can come in, won’t need the minutes, but really I think will be a high value for this team.”
Like the Beverley situation, the Celtics already have a stacked big-man rotation. As such, it will be unlikely to see Harrell added to the roster without another center being moved via trade or waived during training camp.
Celtics Could Continue to Make Moves
In a June 29 article, Jared Weiss of The Athletic noted how the Boston Celtics are expected to continue exploring potential trade opportunities throughout the summer.
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“As Kristaps Porziņģis is introduced Thursday and free agency opens 24 hours later, Brad Stevens and the front office continue actively exploring trade opportunities, according to league sources,” Weiss wrote. “After trading Marcus Smart, Boston still has a potential need for playmaking, depending on how the Malcolm Brogdon situation shakes out after a deal to trade him to the Clippers fell apart last week.”