Playmaking PGs for $5M / TMLE ?

[smokeablount]

Hey guys, I have heard frequently that we need a playmaking point guard. I am bullish on the KP trade but I acknowledge that we aren't a great playmaking team (solid though) and we just traded our best passer.

Other than a Grant S&T, we only have vet minimums to offer and the $5M a year TMLE. If we were going to get a backup PG to facilitate, who is out there for $5M a year? Assume the new CBA drives costs down.

[boscel33]

personally, don't think it's a need.

white, brogdon, pritchard, and davison can handle the playmaking pg role.  i think they need wing help, so who's the 5m wing they can get?

[Goldstar88]

The year before White came to Boston he averaged 5.6apg with a per36 of 6.6apg.

Brogdon’s last year in Indiana he averaged 5.9apg with a per36 of 6.3apg.

They are more than capable of taking over for Smart.

[keevsnick]

I think what this Smart trade signifies is the Celtics are going to be putting the ball in Tatum's and to a lesser extent Browns hands a lot more.

Smart was an underrated offensive player, but his shooting inconsistency and lack of burts on ball made it easier to help off him onto Tatum/Brown in pNr. That's why the ball found Smart so often late in games, because he was the guy opposing teams could leave open. They were generally fine with letting him shoot if it meant gumming up the offense for Tatum and Brown.

I'm not sure "playmaking" is so important for c's guards anymore. Its more about shooting and attacking closeouts because mostly Tatum and some Brown are going to create the offense with a pNr via KP/Rob/Al and your spacing players have to be able to shoot at a high level when the other team sends help at the pNr.

Basically i think the c's did this in part to just have a reliable offensive option (wing pNr with KP) that the other team can't switch, so for that to work the ball will be in the wings hands and everyone else will have to be a shooter. 

[Who]

I don't see a playmaking PG at the TMLE making any real difference to the quality of passing on this team.

The main issue will be down to Tatum, Jaylen and Porzingis. Tatum is the only one of them who is a good passer. With that trio using what 75% of our possessions (something like that) that will make it very difficult for us to have good passing. Tatum and Jaylen like to dribble the ball quite a bit on top of that.

There is only so much a PG can do to improve that situation and it would take a highly talented floor general to make a significant improvement. And there are only a few of them in the league to begin with given most PGs now are more scoring-orientated. And none of them will be available at the TMLE.

So best just to accept it as it is. Focus more on the defense and outside shooting that D White and Brogdon provide. That is more important for our team than a better passing but lesser overall talent playmaking PG.

[Celtics2021]

I agree if we go the MLE route we should focus on wing more than PG.  Guys I’d look at are Hamidou Diallo and old friend Javonte Green.

[Celtics4ever]

Backup for Tatum and Brown as a wing is way more important .

[celticinorlando]

Legit wing that can defend is more important. Boston has plenty of ball handlers esp with point Tatum

[Surferdad]

personally, don't think it's a need.

white, brogdon, pritchard, and davison can handle the playmaking pg role.  i think they need wing help, so who's the 5m wing they can get?

Legit wing that can defend is more important. Boston has plenty of ball handlers esp with point Tatum

I am bullish on our new rookie Jordan Walsh. He has NBA-ready defensive skills. He would be 10th-11th man after Brogdon, Pritchard, Davison, Grant (if he stays) and Blake (if he resigns here).

[Vermont Green]

personally, don't think it's a need.

white, brogdon, pritchard, and davison can handle the playmaking pg role.  i think they need wing help, so who's the 5m wing they can get?

I agree with this. For guards, we have White, Brown, Brogdon, and the 4th is Pritchard.

For wings, we have Brown and Tatum, the 3rd is Hauser.

For Bigs, we have Porzingis, Horford, RWill and for the 4th Kornet.

To me, what you are looking to upgrade is Pritchard, Hauser, or Kornet.  Which is the greater need?  To me, clearly the biggest need is a big.  Not only is Kornet the weakest of the last back up options, but the core rotation of bigs has the greatest risk of injury.

Then second, is wing.  I think Brogdon would play some wing too but as we stand, we would expect that Hauser would need to play some rotation minutes.

For the guards, there is already debate as to whether or not there will be enough minutes for Pritchard.  This is the last place we need an upgrade.

[Donoghus]

I'm not worried about the PG position.  I think we're set there.

[jambr380]

Josh Richardson seems like the type of player who could be a playmaker if necessary, a 3 point shooting wing if necessary, and be able to cover well on D across 3 positions.

I get that he isn't a world-beater, but I think he fit in relatively well on the roster last time he was here. As a veteran who can also eat up minutes in case of an injury, we could do a lot worse for $5M.

[liam]

Josh Richardson seems like the type of player who could be a playmaker if necessary, a 3 point shooting wing if necessary, and be able to cover well on D across 3 positions.

I get that he isn't a world-beater, but I think he fit in relatively well on the roster last time he was here. As a veteran who can also eat up minutes in case of an injury, we could do a lot worse for $5M.

A guy who can play 2 or 3 positions like Richardson would be a good tool in the toolbox.

[PAOBoston]

Unless they plan on still shipping Brogdon out, I do not think they need a point guard. Their focus should be getting a wing/swing to backup up the Jays

[smokeablount]

Thanks for the thoughtful responses guys. Makes sense that people would prioritize a wing or a big. I don’t know how much wing $5m gets you but $5m is actually a decent budget for a 4th big so that’s where I’d lean unless there are specific wing names in mind. Like Javonte Green for the TMLE doesn’t sound enticing. Torrey Craig maybe.