.jpg)
1 hour ago
2
While the Boston Celtics’ head-scratching decision to trade Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks earlier this offseason could easily backfire, the franchise can take solace in knowing they drastically improved their frontcourt by adding Mitchell Robinson.
The former New York Knicks rebounding prodigy is coming off a campaign in which he controlled the boards to near perfection and was undoubtedly the NBA champion franchise’s second-unit MVP.
Are the Celtics finished making moves? In Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale’s opinion, Boston could outbid the Los Angeles Lakers for a 6-foot-7 Golden State Warriors NBA castoff to give them a high-energy wing with star potential.
“Boston Celtics team president Brad Stevens has made it his mission to add rim pressure over the offseason. That largely explains Beantown's dalliance with Giannis Antetokounmpo,” Favale wrote Wednesday.
“Using a chunk of the non-taxpayer mid-level on a Jonathan Kuminga flier could be a worthwhile contingency. His 5.08 attempts at the rim per 75 possessions last season would have ranked second among the Celtics' non-bigs, trailing only Jaylen Brown's 5.20.”
“Though Boston cannot count on Kuminga for lights-out spacing, it has the stretch elsewhere to open up the floor for his drives and isos. The Celtics would still be betting on his improvement as a rebounder and defender, but he showed progress last season in the former department.”
Considering the Lakers, who have expressed serious interest in Kuminga but have yet to close the deal on the former, it’s safe to say the Celtics will have a chance to snag him on the unrestricted free agent market if they choose to pursue him.
Athletically and physically, Kuminga has shown he can be a high-level downhill slasher who has no problem finishing well above the rim. Shooting-wise, though, the former first-round pick isn’t moving in the right direction, as he shot below 35% from beyond the arc for the third straight season.
Kuminga is also inconsistent as a perimeter defender, making him an asset that’s far from a finished project. Still, that doesn’t rule out the possibility of the Celtics stepping up and embracing the challenge of transforming Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo native, into a complete player.
More NBA news:
English (US)