If you look at championship caliber teams, nearly all of them has at least one player who scores 20+ points a game and is one of the elite scorers in the league at his position. Typically there's a second player who averages in the high teens, as well.
I think it's plain to see that there's no player fitting that description on the team right now. Jeff Green is NOT that guy. Rondo is not a natural scorer. Sullinger looks like he could eventually be a 16-17 point per game guy, but I'm not so optimistic that I think he'll turn into a true #1 option. I think there are a few guys who would make a quality third scorer, but no top options.
Given that a scorer of that caliber is not currently on the roster, getting that player has got to be one of the main priorities for turning this team back into one of the elite (getting a defensive anchor would be goal #2).
So who is that guy gonna be?
Is it a player who has yet to enter the league? Maybe the Celtics will get lucky and they'll end up with Jabari Parker. He looks like a guy who might average 20 points a game for his career if he stays healthy. He's a talented scorer even at a very young age. I'm not sure if there are any other guys in the draft who project as true pure scorers like that.
If you want to talk about guys in the league right now, here's a useful list:
List of qualified scorers age 30 or underThat list tends toward inclusiveness rather than exclusiveness, so not everybody there is a great scorer. But the name you're looking for is probably there, if it's a guy already in the league.
List of scorers under 30 based on per-minute production.The second link provides some more names who might have the potential to break into the elite scorer category, based on per-minute production (Bradley Beal is one who stands out to me).
I suppose Kevin Love will be a popular mention. I tend to feel like that's a long shot. Also, I don't think Aldridge is leaving Portland given what they're building there.
Eric Gordon is a relatively young player who at one point was a 20+ ppg scorer, but injuries seem to have diminished his ability to be a consistent lead scorer. Maybe he'll rediscover that.
Most of the guys you see at the top of the list aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Cousins is probably the best of the names on the list among players who I could see being available, albeit a few years down the road.
Topic: Who is the next great Celtics scorer? (Read 5276 times)