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The Boston Celtics have one roster spot available for anyone to take. They can fill that spot via trade or signing someone outright. Among the limited options at their disposal is Thaddeus Young, who could come either way. NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg explained why the Celtics should look into the Toronto Raptors veteran.
“Young, who will turn 36 in June, offers the sort of experience that might help him thrive as a depth option for a contender. He’s got nine years of playoff experience for four different teams,” Forsberg wrote in a January 29 story. “Most importantly, he’s got a high basketball IQ and ability to eat up minutes at both big-man spots, which could be particularly enticing for a Celtics team that will need to pace fellow basketball octogenarian Al Horford, as well as Kristaps Porzingis, to the finish line of the season.”
Forsberg then outlined how the Celtics could add Young, with a buyout being the likelier route.
“Young’s $8 million salary makes a deal tricky for Boston, at least without Toronto taking back a collection of end-of-the-roster contracts. A buyout would be a more agreeable post-deadline path if Young isn’t previously swooped up by a contender,” Forsberg wrote. “His addition would be a P.J. Brown-like addition for a championship-seeking team.”
Young is in the second year of a two-year, $16 million contract. The Raptors are 16-30 and have made wholesale changes this season, having traded OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. With a rebuild on the horizon, there’s little use for a veteran like Young on the Raptors’ roster.
Kelly Olynyk ‘Known to Interest’ Celtics: Report
The Celtics may have multiple options on the buyout market to choose from besides Thaddeus Young. NBA Insider Marc Stein reported that the Celtics have interest in Kelly Olynyk, who Stein floated as a buyout candidate.
“One hypothetical example: Utah’s Kelly Olynyk, who is known to interest Boston and other contenders, would be eligible to sign with any of those teams if he parted ways with the Jazz via buyout because he’s earning $12.2 million in Salt Lake City,” Stein reported in a January 29 story.
There have been no reports indicating that the Jazz will buy out Olynyk or that they plan to get rid of him, period. If the Jazz buy him out, Olynyk holds a lot of appeal as a target. He has familiarity with the Celtics, having played under Brad Stevens and played with both Jaylen Brown and Al Horford.
Daniel Theis Discussed Coming Back to Celtics
After the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Celtics on January 27, ex-Celtic Daniel Theis revealed that two Celtics players contacted him about coming back to Boston after the Indiana Pacers bought him out.
“Obviously, I had a couple of conversations (with Boston),” Theis told MassLive’s Brian Robb in a January 27 story. “I talked to Jayson (Tatum) a little bit there with Jaylen (Brown). But, like I said, the Clippers were pretty fast (and) gave me the right chance at the right time.”
Between Olynyk and Theis, the Celtics clearly want to add more help to their roster. Thaddeus Young may not be what he was, but he may give them the help that they need.
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