Options On The Wing
As Ray Allen’s contract expired following this season, the Shooting Guard position has been something Celtics fans have been keeping their eyes on with a little money to play with in the offseason. Though 2012 is a relatively weak Free Agent class, there are several attractive options available to fill the void of instant offense off the bench who can also compliment starters Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley in the backcourt.
The Celts have been linked to several of the top options available including O.J. Mayo, Jamal Crawford and Jason Terry. All three of these players are capable ball handlers with potential to help keep the offense on track when Rondo is resting while also being very comfortable off of the ball playing off guard. Additionally, each can get hot and take over primary-scorer duty in stretches where the normally stagnant Celtics offense can really use a boost.
Mayo is the top defender out of the three, though he lacks the 4th quarter shot-making pedigree of both Terry and Crawford. All 3 are terrific (if streaky) three point shooters and should be able to provide some of the floor spacing Rondo needs to operate should Ray Allen move on.
Age is another thing to consider. Terry (34) and Crawford (32) are veterans closer to the end of their careers than the beginning, while Mayo is just 24 years old and has some untapped potential that he has yet to reach in the league. That being said, Mayo will likely command a longer-term deal at higher dollars. Depending on how Ray Allen’s negotiations play out, locking up Mayo as the third guard in a Rondo-Bradley-Mayo trio sounds like a stable backcourt that GM Danny Ainge can build off of for years to come.
