3 Free Agents the Boston Celtics Should Still Consider

The Boston Celtics have already filled 14 of their 15 roster spots heading into the 2023-24 NBA season. The reigning Eastern Conference finalists have several free agents to choose from for their final addition to the team.

During the offseason, Boston has focused on adding more size and defensive versatility to the roster. The Celtics began their summer by trading Marcus Smart for 7-foot-3 big man Kristaps Porzingis in a blockbuster three-team deal. Next season, Boston projects to roll out a starting five with an average height of over 6-foot-8.

The C’s acquired Oshae Brissett and Dalano Banton in July, adding depth pieces who will bring serious height and length to the Boston bench. With the No. 37 pick in the draft, the Celtics also brought in NBA newcomer Jordan Walsh. The 6-foot-7 Arkansas product has a huge 7-foot-2 wingspan, and he should provide Beantown with an extra burst of energy and athleticism on the defensive end.

Boston made its most recent addition with the signing of Ukrainian sharpshooter Svi Mykhailiuk, who has played in the NBA for five years now.

Despite their offseason moves, the 17-time champions still need to finalize their roster with one more player. Here are three free agents the Celtics should consider signing.

T.J. Warren

In late August, NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Celtics were meeting with T.J. Warren for a workout in Boston. The 6-foot-7 wing provides the general size Boston has sought after all summer.

While “Bubble Warren” will live on forever in basketball lore, Warren’s time with Indiana was sadly marred by left foot injuries. Those ailments followed him to Brooklyn last season before he made a homecoming with his return to the Phoenix Suns.

Warren is not the walking bucket he was three summers ago, but he still received rotational minutes for a high-level playoff team before they ran into a Denver Nuggets juggernaut. As an end-of-the-bench rotation player, Warren could provide Boston with some extra wing scoring.

Outside of Tatum and Brown, the Celtics rarely get much offense from the small forward position. While Sam Hauser and Jordan Walsh should make an impact in their own right, neither of those wings have scored 19.1 points per game over a three-year span the way Warren has.

Blake Griffin

The Celtics thoroughly enjoyed Blake Griffin’s services last season. The six-time All-Star brought a valuable veteran presence to the locker room, and he did so while having some fun with the bench mob.

Griffin played 41 games last season, starting in 16 of them. The former No. 1 overall pick played as hard as anyone in the league, diving for loose balls and flying for rebounds on a nightly basis. He even turned back the clock a few times with some vintage dunks.

According to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, Griffin seems unlikely to return to the Celtics. However, the high-flying forward has expressed on multiple occasions how much he enjoyed his time in Boston.

In a recent interview with Dan Rappoport of Barstool Sports, Griffin discussed his love for the organization.

“Dude, Boston is unbelievable,” Griffin told Rappoport. “Living in Boston, playing in Boston, was like one of the best experiences. Dude, the fans are incredible… Just having a team that is so championship focused, they do everything. The players on that team are just like such a great group of guys. Everybody’s all different.”

Needless to say, Griffin left a strong impression on the fans and players of Boston. He also spoke highly of Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum to Rappoport.

“A guy like Jayson Tatum – a legit superstar, so humble – talks to everyone on the team, talks to the whole staff. He’d go sit and have a conversation with like whoever.”

Due to Griffin’s rapport with his teammates from last season, the Celtics should heavily consider re-signing the big man.

Hamidou Diallo

Given his expected market value, Hamidou Diallo is the ultimate low-risk option for the Celtics. During his time in Detroit, the athletic forward flashed some signs of untapped potential.

Coming off of his second full year with the Pistons, Diallo saw his playing time fluctuate on a team loaded with young talent and inconsistent rotations. Detroit rolled out 32 different starting lineups last season, but didn’t start Diallo once.

Known for his 2019 NBA Slam Dunk Contest victory, Diallo can jump out of the gym. Although the NBA lists him as a shooting guard, the 25-year-old can slot in as a small forward due to his frame and play-style. His positional versatility would mesh well with Boston’s defensive schemes and switchable personnel.

Despite his 17.8 minutes per game last season, Diallo displayed incredible shooting efficiency. The former Kentucky Wildcat shot a career-best 57.3% from the field during the 2022-23 campaign. His field goal percentage marked the highest conversion rate among guards last season. In fact, it marked the ninth-highest single-season field goal percentage for a guard in NBA history.

Per 36 minutes, Diallo averaged 18.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.9 steals. He also grabbed 2.1 offensive boards per 36 minutes. For reference, 6-foot-8 youngster Josh Giddey led all guards with 1.9 offensive rebounds per contest.

Based on his per-minute production, Diallo could seriously help a Boston squad that struggled on the offensive glass last season. If they can sign Diallo on a cheap deal, the Celtics should at least consider pulling the trigger.