Brad: Willie try Willie come and Willie help?

The Celtics are currently embroiled in a four-way battle for the Eastern Conference’s top spot and will be doing battle with the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers. So, while Boston may be buoyed by a potential second-round return for their primary rim protector, there’s still a lot to play for between now and then.

As such, the idea of adding another center on a short-term deal is quickly gaining traction. Ideally, any new addition will have the required size to protect the rim, and motor to fulfill Williams’ rim-running duties.
Celtics Talk with Steve Bulpett and Sean Deveney
Heavy.com's Sean Deveney and Steve Bulpett discuss what's next for the Celtics and injured center Robert Williams.
2022-03-29T15:02:05Z

According to Heavy.com’s Steve Bulpett, one player the Celtics should consider reaching out to, is former Dallas Mavericks big man, Willie Cauley-Stein.

“Willie Cauley-Stein is the other guy who would be an obvious plug-in as a big man. He had some issues in Dallas earlier this year, then he signed with Philly and the Sixers might have kept him except the chance to get DeAndre Jordan came around. Cauley-Stein is not going to hurt you out there, he can play defense, he can use his six fouls wisely. I think they need an emergency option and for me, he’d be a sensible pick,” Bulpett told Heavy’s Sean Deveney in a recent episode of Heavy On The NBA.
Cauley-Stein has struggled to find a long-term home in the NBA and has represented four teams in seven seasons, providing diminishing returns year on year. Yet, Cauley-Stein, 28, is a true seven-footer and has a proven motor at the NBA level, and that could be valuable to a Celtics team looking to add a stopgap rim-runner to their rotation.

Former Golden State Warriors Center is Also an Option
If the Celtics aren’t enthused by the idea of adding Cauley-Stein to their roster, there are alternative options available in the free-agency market. Any player still without a team at this point of the season will likely come with warts on their game, but it’s feasible that Boston can find an impactful bench player.
“Based on skillset, I think Jordan Bell could help a team like the Celtics. There have been questions about him as far as maturity and all of that but if you want an athletic shot-blocker who can switch a little, he is that type of guy. He is not nearly the offensive player Williams is, though, and you would worry about him getting up to speed,” Bulpett told Deveney.
Jordan Bell might make more sense for Boston due to his athleticism and height (6-foot-. Adding another athletic big that is slightly undersized could allow Udoka to continue running his “free safety” defense, with Bell guarding an off-ball shooter and roaming the paint to deter shots around the basket.
When Bell started his NBA career with the Golden State Warriors, it looked like he was a role-playing big of the future, and impressed during his 125 regular-season games for the team. Unfortunately, since leaving the Warriors in 2019, Bell has struggled to find a home around the league and has been bouncing around teams on short-term deals while he tries to prove his value to NBA front offices.
Boston could be the ideal fit for the Los Angeles native, as they would put him in a position to showcase his defensive upside and athleticism, while not limiting his offensive opportunities.

Celtics Likely to Stand Pat
Brad Stevens and the Celtics front office staff have been incredibly judicial about who they extend contract offers to throughout this season. Even when the team was struggling with a COVID outbreak earlier in the year, Boston was deliberate in who they added on hardship exceptions, even shunning younger talent for the likes of Joe Johnson, 40.
It’s unlikely that the Celtics suddenly change their modus operandi so close to the playoffs, especially when Udoka’s rotations are already set and the team’s defensive scheme is so complex.
“This is not something the Celtics have been eager to do this year. A couple of names popped up. One is Jordan Bell, who is an athletic sort of guy, a little like Rob Williams—not nearly on the same level but at least has some of the same tools. And Willie Cauley-Stein, who has had a hard time sticking in the league. It hasn’t been their style this year,” Deveney noted.


Dan Kelley
@DanKelle


Dan Kelley
@DanKelley66
Some possible free agent bigs the Celtics might be contacting:


Cody Zeller

Willie Cauley-Stein

Harry Giles

Justin Patton

Tacko Fall

Cristiano Felicio

John Henson

Jahlil Okafor

Marques Bolden

Greg Monroe

dbrown4 wrote:If we signed any of those, would they be available for the playoffs or just the regular season?  Just curious.  

db

Good question. And do we even have a roster slot available? Seems like we have 17 now. So would we have to waive someone? No one seems to have these answers