How Boston Celtics can fix the Center position now that Draft is over

[Taylor_Petersen24]

The Boston Celtics Biggest need after drafting Marcus Smart PG/SG and James Young SG/SF is the Center position. Boston really needs a defensive presence down low to play with J. Sullinger or K. Olynyk. Here are some potential targets:

Free Agent Targets:

1. Marcin Gortat, WAS (2013-14 stats:MPG- 32.8,PPG- 13.2, RPG- 9.5, APG- 1.7, SPG- 0.5, BPG- 1.5)
2. Greg Monroe, DET (2013-14 stats: MPG- 32.8, PPG- 15.2, RPG- 9.3, APG- 2.1, SPG- 1.1, BPG- 0.6)
3. Pau Gasol, LAL (2013-14 stats: MPG- 31-4, PPG- 17.4, RPG- 9.7, APG- 3.4, SPG- 0.5, BPG- 1.5)
4. Jordan Hill, LAL (2013-14 stats: MPG- 20.8, PPG- 9.7, RPG- 7.4, APG- 0.8, SPG- 0.4, BPG- 0.9)
5. Emeka Okafor, PHX (2012-13 stats: MPG- 26, PPG- 9.7, RPG- 8.8, APG- 1.2, SPG- 0.6, BPG- 1)
6. Andrew Bynum, IND (2013-14 stats:MPG- 19.8, PPG- 8.7, RPG- 5.6, APG-1.1, SPG- 0.2, BPG- 1.1)

Trade Targets:

1. Joakim Noah, CHC (2013-14 stats:MPG- 35.3,PPG- 12.6, RPG- 11.3, APG- 5.4, SPG- 1.2, BPG- 1.5)
2. Larry Sanders, MIL (2013-14 stats:MPG- 25.4, PPG- 7.7, RPG- 7.2, APG- 0.8, SPG- 0.8, BPG- 1.7)
3. Derrick Favors, UTAH (2013-14 stats:MPG- 30.2, PPG- 13.3, RPG- 8.7, APG- 1.2, SPG- 1, BPG- 1.5)
4. Enes Kanter, UTAH (2013-14 stats:MPG- 26.7, PPG- 12.3, RPG- 7.5, APG- 0.9, SPG- 0.4, BPG- 0.5)
5. Timofey Mozgov, DEN (2013-14 stats:MPG- 21.6,PPG- 9.4,RPG- 6.4, APG- 0.8, SPG- 0.3, BPG- 1.2)
6. Kosta Koufos, MEM (2013-14 stats:MPG- 16.9, PPG- 6.4, RPG- 5.2, APG- 0.5, SPG- 0.4, BPG- 0.9)

There is 12 potential targets for Boston Celtics Center problem.

Who would you take?

[manl_lui]

I don't think we can get Noah, but I would love Noah

Rondo/Smart/Noah as our trio looks like a good start

[knuckleballer]

Our center of the future will be...

1. Jahil Okafor
2. Karl Towns
3. Myles Turner
4. Willie Cauley-Stein

[Tr1boy]

With the nuggets taking nurkic I think there is a decent chance we can get mozgov. I mean how many centers do you need?

You forgot to mention cole aldrich who really played well late in the year.

I personally would love to get dieng.

[Taylor_Petersen24]

With the nuggets taking nurkic I think there is a decent chance we can get mozgov. I mean how many centers do you need?

You forgot to mention cole aldrich who really played well late in the year.

I personally would love to get dieng.

I would love Dieng too, but there is no way the T-Wolves are gonna let him go already.

And Aldrich is a good target but he would be my 14th choice after the top 12 and Ekpe Udoh.

And we could also maybe land Nerlens Noel if Philly decides to trade him after drafting Joel Embiid.

[clover]

With the nuggets taking nurkic I think there is a decent chance we can get mozgov. I mean how many centers do you need?

You forgot to mention cole aldrich who really played well late in the year.

I personally would love to get dieng.

I can see Rondo for Lawson and one of those young centers.

[dreamgreen]

Most of those are not realistic targets.

But it is to hard to say because we have no idea if Danny is going with youth/long term or still trying to be a playoff team now.

[kozlodoev]

That's a tough one. Maybe you can convince Utah to part with Kanter for Sullinger, Bogans' contract, and a future first? They really seem to like Favors at C, and look very light in the PF department at this point.

I like Gortat, but I worry about the price tag. It makes more sense to add someone who's cheaper and still has a little room for growth down the road.

[manl_lui]

Our center of the future will be...

1. Jahil Okafor
2. Karl Towns
3. Myles Turner
4. Willie Cauley-Stein

Don't think we can get Okafor, if he is projected to go #1 next year...that's another tanking season

also, didn't Willie Cauley-Stein enter the draft this year? anyhow, even next year I think we can grab him

[knuckleballer]

Our center of the future will be...

1. Jahil Okafor
2. Karl Towns
3. Myles Turner
4. Willie Cauley-Stein

Don't think we can get Okafor, if he is projected to go #1 next year...that's another tanking season

also, didn't Willie Cauley-Stein enter the draft this year? anyhow, even next year I think we can grab him

Unless we add a guy like Love or Melo, I think we'll be back in the lottery again.  Next year's draft is loaded with centers and that's our biggest need.

[LooseCannon]

A lot of people have wanted to trade for PF/C Jason Smith in the past.  Since he is coming off of a knee injury and the Pelicans have traded for Omer Asik, there's a good chance he is available for cheap.  (Same goes for Greg Stiemsma.)  Maybe Jeff Withey is the price you ask if NO wants to salary dump Austin Rivers.

None of those guys are defensive anchors, but maybe they can be part of short-term fixes.

[BudweiserCeltic]

That's a tough one. Maybe you can convince Utah to part with Kanter for Sullinger, Bogans' contract, and a future first? They really seem to like Favors at C, and look very light in the PF department at this point.

I like Gortat, but I worry about the price tag. It makes more sense to add someone who's cheaper and still has a little room for growth down the road.

I really don't have any worries about Gortat's price tag. We should have plenty of young talent on rookie level contracts going forward, quite a few of them ready to become solid contributors for us. And in two years, even with Gortat on hand (unless he gets some sort of ridiculous contract), we should have plenty of room to acquire big talent if the opportunity presents itself.

So in all, I have little worry on that regard, and I really like what Gortat brings to the table and have little problem spending on him. I think the balance he'll bring to our roster would be huge.

That said, I'm much higher on Sullinger than you are obviously. I think your concerns with his weight are a bit overblown.

[kozlodoev]

That said, I'm much higher on Sullinger than you are obviously. I think your concerns with his weight are a bit overblown.

Kanter is actually pretty good. As in, 16 and 10 per 36 good (which he has been consistently for the past 2 seasons). Not his fault he's stuck behind Favors, and sadly I don't think he can be had for the package I mentioned.

edit: I just realized Kanter had knee surgery today. Hm.

[BudweiserCeltic]

That said, I'm much higher on Sullinger than you are obviously. I think your concerns with his weight are a bit overblown.

Kanter is actually pretty good.

Nothing to do with Kanter. I just like Sullinger, and I prefer him over KO. So, I lean towards the Gortat + Sullinger pairing.

Or I would have zero problem on getting Kanter for KO, if that's an option...

[Tr1boy]

Asik took only a future 1st. Why didnt danny make the trade first.

It would of been an easier offseason to go through then