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The Boston Celtics could be in the market for a new forward due to the ACL injury sustained by Danilo Gallinari while playing for the Italian National team.
Players such as Carmelo Anthony and DeMarcus Cousins have been thrown around as potential replacements in recent weeks, while some fans have been calling for Brad Stevens to solve the team’s issues via a trade – with Rudy Gay being a potential candidate for some fans.
However, according to a September 6 article from Masslive’s Brian Robb, the Celtics should steer clear of the aging veteran, as he’s showing legitimate signs of decline, and has an additional year remaining on his contract beyond the current season.
“The 36-year-old spent time with Ime Udoka in San Antonio but fell out of Utah’s rotation entirely at the end of last season. Boston could simply absorb him into a trade exception for a second-round pick in all likelihood but there’s no sign here that Gay could be a major contributor in Boston after failing to get on the floor in the postseason for a first-round out last postseason. Given that Gay has guaranteed money on his deal for next season as well, I’d expect Brad Stevens to steer clear of a veteran on the decline,” Robb wrote in his article.
Gay, 36, participated in 55 games for the Utah Jazz last season, averaging 8.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and an assist per game while shooting 34.5% from deep and 49.4% from two-point range. It should also be noted that last season was the first time in Gay’s career that he’s averaged less than double-digit scoring numbers.
If Not Gay, Then Who?
If we assume that Stevens has no interest in acquiring Rudy Gay, then that puts us all back at the drawing board, as we try to figure out how Boston is going to replace Danilo Gallinari’s potential impact.
Could veteran scorer Carmelo Anthony be the answer? After all, he had a solid season for the Los Angeles Lakers last year, although his production did slide during the latter part of the season, but that could be due to the significant role he played due to injuries throughout their roster.
Yet, if Anthony isn’t seen as a good fit, where can Boston pivot next? Is DeMarcus Cousins a safer bet? He did impress during his time with the Denver Nuggets last season, but there are still question marks around his personality and ability to remain injury free.
Maybe Boston is interested to see what Sam Hauser brings to the table, or Hassan Whiteside is catching their attention. Whatever the Celtics decide to do, there’s going to be an argument for, and against it – as is always the case. However, it does seem that Stevens is committed to giving some of the team’s younger talent a chance to prove themselves, so it’s highly likely we see the team thrust Hauser into a bigger role, before making any decisions on potentially adding a veteran to shore up the bench.
The Celtics Have no Interest in Anthony
According to a September 9 report from Robb, it’s looking unlikely that Boston will reach out to Anthony with an offer before training camp. So, while most fans view the former New York Knicks star as the ideal fit off the bench, there must be something the front office and coaching staff see that is holding them back.
“The Carmelo Anthony buzz was a hot topic this week after the rumors started swirling about the Celtics’ interest in him last week. However, multiple league sources tell MassLive that the Celtics are not expected to have interest in bringing in the veteran for a signing ahead of training camp.
…That’s not to say the team is done shaping the roster ahead of the preseason, but Anthony isn’t a priority at this point at names that could be brought in. Boston likes a lot of their internal replacement options, from what I’ve heard, and want to give those names the first crack at minutes,” Robb wrote in his September 9 mailbag article.
Let’s be fair! Just because Anthony isn’t in line to be with the Celtics for their training camp, it doesn’t mean he’s totally off the board as a potential free agent pick-up, but it isn’t looking like the future Hall Of Fame forward will be suiting up in a Celtics jersey any time soon, if at all.
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