Celtics Among Top Landing Spots for $132 Million Ex-Top Pick

The Boston Celtics are still trying to figure out how to get a starting center after trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks. Losing Luke Kornet didn't help that, either.

Boston doesn't have a starting-caliber center on the roster. Right now, they only have Neemias Queta and Luka Garza as centers, and they just signed Garza in free agency.

That doesn't mean that there aren't other options out there for Boston. In fact, they could end up looking at a center who just recently got waived, despite the fact that he was a number-one overall pick.

The Celtics could be interested in recently waived center Deandre Ayton. Ayton was recently released by the Portland Trail Blazers, leaving him free to sign with any team.

Bleacher Report believes that Ayton could be someone that the Celtics target. The Celtics are going to have to find a way to get someone who can be a reliable starting center, and Ayton has those skills.

Boston will have competition for Ayton, despite the effort and work ethic issues that Ayton showed in Portland. The Lakers, Pacers, and Warriors could all look to bring him in.

Ayton still averaged a double-double with the Trail Blazers last season, so he has a lot of talent. He hasn't lived up to his number-one overall pick billing in his career, but he can still help a team.

That's especially true of a team that is looking to contend for a title in the next few years, and that's what the Celtics still see themselves as.

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For Boston, they need a center who can help protect the rim and actually be available. Part of the reason why they were so comfortable trading Porzingis is that he was never on the court.

Ayton had some injury issues this year, including a calf injury that ended his season. By and large, he has been available to play most of the games in his career.

This season, Ayton averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.

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