Potential Free Agent Big Man Targets

It's slim pickings.

We’re on to our final set of potential free agent targets. On Monday, we looked at guards. On Wednesday, we looked at wings. So, today, we look at bigs.

Similar to the Wings, there isn’t a lot of younger talent hitting the free agency market, so we will be widening our search.

Let’s dive in.

Robert Williams

The Timelord.

I would not be mad at a reunion with Rob Williams. We already know what he can bring to the table in terms of rim-protection, rim deterrence, lob threat and as a passing hub on the perimeter or the block.

The problem, as it always has been, is that Rob comes with risk.

Since Brad Stevens traded Rob to the Portland Trail Blazers, he’s suited up for a total of 85 games. That means he’s missed 161 games over three seasons. For those of you who prefer percentages, he’s played in 34.6% of Portland’s games since being on the roster.

You can’t build a contending team when a key member of the rotation will miss almost two-thirds of the season.

We’ve lived through this.

We know how it goes.

Rob is the NBA version of hotel WiFi — incredible when it works, unavailable when you need it most.

I get that Rob is coming off a 59-game season with Portland. And I get that he’d likely be coming off the bench. However, that doesn’t change much. He played 61 games in 2021-22, only to spend most of 2022-23 on the injury report.

Getting Rob to a point where he’s healthy and playing his best basketball has long been a pipedream. I, for one, do not want to relive that now that we’re talking about Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s prime.

It would be great from a nostalgia point of view. I’m also sure Tatum would love it. If the Celtics are going to chase a rim-runner, I’d much rather them look elsewhere, even if that means doing so in the trade market.

Mitchell Robinson

Mitchell Robinson is another big man who stands out as a potential defensive upgrade at the five. However, he’s had similar availability problems over the past three seasons, playing in 108 games. That means he’s missed 138 of the Knicks' games over the past three seasons, which is a 43.9% availability.

Like Rob, Robinson has been far more available this season, playing in 60 games and finishing in the top-8 of Sixth Man of the Year voting. If we were looking at this season in a vacuum, I’d argue that he’d be a solid pickup. There would also be the added bonus of slightly weakening the New York Knicks.

We’re not looking at this season in a vacuum, though.

The fact remains that Robinson has spent more than half of the last three seasons on the injury report. His impact, while clear, comes in flashes, because his availability does too.

I’d also argue that while Robinson is the better player, there’s significant crossover between his and Neemias Queta’s skillset. Both are big bodies who can run the floor, control the glass and defend the rim. The only difference is that Queta is cheaper and doesn’t come with a sizeable injury history.

Robinson will likely enter the offseason looking for a deal at, or near, the mid-level exception. If the Knicks get to the NBA Finals or win the whole thing, he might have a shot at getting something in that region. Hopefully, that paycheque doesn’t come from Boston.

Zach Collins

Zach Collins is interesting. He didn’t play much this season due to a toe injury. He’s also had some issues with health throughout his career, but in the three years leading to this season, he broke 60 games each time.

At 28 years old, Collins would fit with Boston’s current timeline. He’s capable of operating as a starter or bench big. He also brings a balanced approach on the offensive end.

Collins is a reliable option. He can plug gaps and play within a defined role. Yet, the gap between Collins and Luka Garza may not be large enough to justify adding him to the roster this summer. We know what we’re getting with Garza: elite screening, reliable floor spacing and solid work on the offensive glass.

If Collins isn’t a clear-cut better option, I don’t see the value in bringing him in. If Brad Stevens is going to lean on a “big man by committee” approach, then a switchable big man would hold more value to round out the rotation.

Nevertheless, I could be sold on Collins as a buy-low option if other avenues don’t pan out. Again, though, at that point, I’d much rather see the Celtics turn to the trade market and look for a clear-cut upgrade — where that would come from is a conversation for a different day.

Andre Drummond

Andre Drummond had a solid series against the Celtics during the postseason. He played his role like the veteran he is, providing physicality, toughness and his usual brand of rebounding.

Drummond is an old-school big man. He’s at his best running drop defense, crashing the glass and getting buckets via putbacks. I do like that he’s trying to expand his game into the corners, but he’s not at a level where he could thrive in Boston’s five-out offense.

On defense, Drummond doesn’t give the Celtics anything different. He’s older, slower-footed and can be a target for opposing offenses. On offense, though, Drummond can open things up with his screening, give you extra possessions with his rebounding, and isn’t awful at running some dribble hand-off actions.

Again, though, is Drummond better than Garza? Doesn’t Garza do most of what Drummond does, but with more youthful energy?

A few years ago, when rebounding was somewhat of an issue for the Celtics, I would have jumped at adding Drummond. Now? I wouldn’t be mad, but i’d certainly be disappointed.

In truth, this is a weak free agency class for bigs, and if Brad is intent on shopping in this aisle, then tradeoffs will have to be made. At least Drummond would bring some additional physicality and size to the front court.

Nick Richards

Arguably the best option on the free agency market.

Nick Richards played in 48 games this season, split between the Phoenix Suns and the Chicago Bulls. When on the floor, he looked like a reliable backup big. However, he’s not someone I would class as a true upgrade over Queta. In fact, I’d argue that Queta is as good, if not better.

At that point, we’re back to the question of whether adding Richards would move the needle. Sure, he gives you some additional size, rebounding and interior scoring, but isn’t the goal to get closer to a championship?

Last summer, I was incredibly low on Queta’s ability to rise to the occasion as Boston’s starting big man. I was wrong. Not only did he meet the challenge, but he also raised the bar of expectations. Now, any new big man will have to clear that bar — assuming the Celtics move to fill the starting role and slide Queta onto the bench.

Either way, Richards doesn’t meet that requirement, not for me at least. He’s a “nice to have,” not a “we can’t miss this opportunity.”

Then we have the question of: “Do we worry that the Los Angeles Lakers nixed a trade for him due to a failed medical?” Unfortunately, that’s a question mark that will likely follow him around for the rest of his career, fairly or unfairly.

Richards is coming to the end of his three-year $15 million deal, earning $5 million per season. I can’t see him earning much more than that on his next contract either. So, if the Celtics are looking for depth, rather than an upgrade, he could be a cost-effective option.

However, judging by what we saw in the playoffs, searching out an upgrade should be the priority; it’s just unlikely to happen in the free agency market. Which is why I think they should sign a free-agent guard and then use their TPE to address the center position.

With that in mind, we’ll be looking at potential TPE targets by position over the next week.