Robert Williams might have a timetable set for his return to the Boston Celtics rotation, but there’s still the matter of seeding to deal with.
The Celtics are currently embroiled in a four-way battle for the Eastern Conference’s top spot and will be doing battle with the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers. So, while Boston may be buoyed by a potential second-round return for their primary rim protector, there’s still a lot to play for between now and then.
As such, the idea of adding another center on a short-term deal is quickly gaining traction. Ideally, any new addition will have the required size to protect the rim, and motor to fulfill Williams’ rim-running duties.
According to Heavy.com’s Steve Bulpett, one player the Celtics should consider reaching out to, is former Dallas Mavericks big man, Willie Cauley-Stein.
“Willie Cauley-Stein is the other guy who would be an obvious plug-in as a big man. He had some issues in Dallas earlier this year, then he signed with Philly and the Sixers might have kept him except the chance to get DeAndre Jordan came around. Cauley-Stein is not going to hurt you out there, he can play defense, he can use his six fouls wisely. I think they need an emergency option and for me, he’d be a sensible pick,” Bulpett told Heavy’s Sean Deveney in a recent episode of Heavy On The NBA.
Cauley-Stein has struggled to find a long-term home in the NBA and has represented four teams in seven seasons, providing diminishing returns year on year. Yet, Cauley-Stein, 28, is a true seven-footer and has a proven motor at the NBA level, and that could be valuable to a Celtics team looking to add a stopgap rim-runner to their rotation.
Former Golden State Warriors Center is Also an Option
If the Celtics aren’t enthused by the idea of adding Cauley-Stein to their roster, there are alternative options available in the free-agency market. Any player still without a team at this point of the season will likely come with warts on their game, but it’s feasible that Boston can find an impactful bench player.
“Based on skillset, I think Jordan Bell could help a team like the Celtics. There have been questions about him as far as maturity and all of that but if you want an athletic shot-blocker who can switch a little, he is that type of guy. He is not nearly the offensive player Williams is, though, and you would worry about him getting up to speed,” Bulpett told Deveney.
Jordan Bell might make more sense for Boston due to his athleticism and height (6-foot-8). Adding another athletic big that is slightly undersized could allow Udoka to continue running his “free safety” defense, with Bell guarding an off-ball shooter and roaming the paint to deter shots around the rim.
When Bell started his NBA career with the Golden State Warriors, it looked like he was a role-playing big of the future, and impressed during his 125 regular-season games for the team. Unfortunately, since leaving the Warriors in 2019, Bell has struggled to find a home around the league and has been bouncing around teams on short-term deals while he tries to prove his value to NBA front offices.
Boston could be the ideal fit for the Los Angeles native, as they would put him in a position to showcase his defensive upside and athleticism, while not limiting his offensive opportunities.
Celtics Likely to Stand Pat
Brad Stevens and the Celtics front office staff have been incredibly judicial about who they extend contract offers to throughout this season. Even when the team was struggling with a COVID outbreak earlier in the year, Boston was deliberate in who they added on hardship exceptions, even shunning younger talent for the likes of Joe Johnson, 40.
It’s unlikely that the Celtics suddenly change their modus operandi so close to the playoffs, especially when Udoka’s rotations are already set and the team’s defensive scheme is so complex.
“This is not something the Celtics have been eager to do this year. A couple of names popped up. One is Jordan Bell, who is an athletic sort of guy, a little like Rob Williams—not nearly on the same level but at least has some of the same tools. And Willie Cauley-Stein, who has had a hard time sticking in the league. It hasn’t been their style this year,” Deveney noted.
🏀 Cody Zeller 🏀 Willie Cauley-Stein 🏀 Harry Giles 🏀 Justin Patton 🏀 Tacko Fall 🏀 Cristiano Felicio 🏀 John Henson 🏀 Jahlil Okafor 🏀 Marques Bolden 🏀 Greg Monroe
#BleedGreenHowever, Bulpett does make a good point, “I would throw out what their history has been because, even opposed to several weeks ago, this team was looking like there is a chance to play for something really serious here. If they see that opportunity still there, you’ve got to grab it while you can.
It’s not a birthright that you’re going to be a contender, so when you have an opening in your Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown window, you’ve got to grab it. If they were to believe that someone out there could help them like that, be that kind of guy, I’d see them doing that. I would not see them relying on, ‘This is how we’ve always done things.’”
If Williams wasn’t due to return to the rotation this season, the notion of Boston adding another big man would be a plausible one, yet, as the Lousiana native is expected to be back in the rotation sooner rather than later, the Celtics are likely to stand pat and trust the players already at their disposal.
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