Getty Kenrich Williams
The Boston Celtics have a pretty impressive frontcourt pairing of Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, but following the departures of Robert Williams III, Grant Williams, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, and Blake Griffin, the Celtics’ frontcourt depth is a little thin.
Because of their lack of options in the frontcourt, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley proposed the following trade that would send the Celtics a Grant Williams replacement from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Celtics receive: Kenrich Williams
Thunder receive: Luke Kornet, Svi Mykhailiuk, Dalano Banton, 2024 Celtics First-Round Pick (Top-20 protected)
“The Celtics have done enough tinkering for now, but they could soon discover this frontcourt lacks sufficient depth. Unless an Oshae Brissett breakout is in the works, Grant Williams’ absence could loom large over this team,” Buckey wrote in an October 19 story. “That’s what could draw Boston toward another Williams, as Kenrich possesses similar strengths as a multi-purpose defender and capable shot-maker.”
Buckley detailed why such a deal would be worth it for the Celtics.
“He has never shot the three-ball with a ton of volume (career 2.5 attempts per game), but some of his splash rates—37.3 percent this past season, 44.4 in 2020-21—suggest he could.
“The Celtics may have some reservations about parting with a first-round pick for a 28-year-old role player, but if forward depth looks like the final missing piece of their championship puzzle, that should be a relatively easy concession to make.”
The Celtics likely won’t fix their frontcourt unless it’s clear that their depth is a problem. If and when they do, Williams is worth looking into, but only if the Thunder are willing to get rid of him.
Blake Griffin Urged to Re-Sign With Celtics
If the Celtics plan to shore up their frontcourt, Bleacher Report’s Adam Fromal explained why bringing back Blake Griffin would be best for everyone involved.
“If Blake Griffin chooses to continue his NBA career rather than hanging up the sneakers, the 34-year-old would be hard-pressed to find a better landing spot than a return to the Boston Celtics,” Fromal wrote in an October 13 story. “The once-gravity-defying power forward may now be more useful as a locker room presence and veteran mentor than an on-court force of nature, but that’s even more important given the current state of the C’s.”
Griffin gushed about his time with Boston during the 2023 NBA Offseason but remains unsigned. That could change, but per Brad Stevens, the ball is in Griffin’s court.
Oshae Brissett Singled Out as Underrated Addition
The Celtics may not feel another frontcourt addition is necessary because of what they already have at their disposal. John Hollinger believes that new wing Oshae Brissett was among the more underrated additions during the offseason.
“Brissett…is by far the best chance for Boston to get something above replacement-level production from what is the eighth spot in its rotation at full strength and a more prominent role if any of the top seven are out of the lineup,” Hollinger wrote in an October 11 story. “Despite being a bit undersized for the frontcourt, he mostly played the four in Indiana over the last four seasons, where he held up on the glass (12.0% career rebound rate) and showed good defensive awareness in a team concept.”
If Brissett proves himself to be an effective frontcourt piece, he may very well prove himself to be a Grant Williams replacement.