The Boston Celtics may boast the best roster in the NBA.
And payroll accordingly.
Adding players to this group over the coming offseason won't be easy, but if there's a championship win before then, there may actually be little or no need to add anything at all.
Still, the Shamrocks will likely be looking for something this summer, so let's look at three potentially cost-effective options.
The Celtics have the best wing duo in the NBA in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but they have few performers behind their stars, and Sam Hauser is the only wing left in the playoff rotation, but he is vulnerable defensively and could be forced off the court if he misses a shot, especially from outside.
Boston should look to bolster its forward corps over the summer, and a reunion with Jae Crowder is a possibility worth exploring.
He probably won't be a player who can play as many minutes as he did back then (2014-15 to 2016-17), but the Celtics don't have that kind of availability anyway, so if the contract price is right, 15 minutes a night of his toughness, defensive tenacity and shaky shooting would be enough.
And there's reason to believe so: He's shy of his 34th birthday and just coming off the least successful season of his career. No one is going to spend big money to sign him, and those eager to win right now are unlikely to be interested.
When the Celtics acquired Jaden Springer at the trade deadline, it seemed like a worthwhile cheap gamble that could brighten the future a little, but Boston's top decision-maker, Brad Stevens, left the door ajar for Springer to contribute sooner rather than later.
“He's a guy that can be athletic in the playoffs, right?” Stevens told reporters. “But he's got to get better and he's working hard at that. He's got a long way to go, so we'll see what the year holds for him and how he fits with the team, but he's a guy that we believe in.”
The Celtics likely felt that a defensively disruptive perimeter player could slot into the rotation.
Springer lacked the polish needed to make it happen, but Kris Dunn shouldn't suffer the same fate, and if his recent uptick in 3-point shooting percentage (39.5 percent over the past two seasons, though admittedly very small amounts) holds up, Dunn could find himself in a relatively larger role. He's a tireless defender, a capable secondary creator and a reliable close-range finisher.
In a dream world, Boston could stumble upon a two-way wing to fill out the rotation, but in reality, budget constraints make such an addition impossible.
So if the Celtics decide they can live with some limitations on one side, they have a chance to power up on the other.
Cedi Osman is a poor defender (although willing) but above average in most other areas.
He does a lot of the things you want from a support player: taking open shots, moving without the ball, getting in transition, helping with rebounds, making smart, simple and quick reads as a passer, etc. At the very least, his addition to this offense is low maintenance.
