Report: Celtics have strong interest in Davis Bertans
Another day, another rumored green target.
There is strong interest in Boston in Davis Bertans, who would fill a couple of needs. Bertans could join the frontcourt rotation and juice what has been a brutally bad shooting bench. The Celtics second unit is 28 in three-point shooting, per NBA.com, sandwiched between Minnesota and Cleveland. For a team that makes a living beyond the three-point line … that’s bad. Washington has effectively hung up on teams looking to extract Bertans, but Boston could make things interesting if they throw a pick or two into the pot. Because really … what are they holding on to them for?
This rumor is from Chris Mannix who is typically pretty dialed in to the Celtics. Bertans makes just over $7 million a year and will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He's a tremendous 3-pt threat and the Spurs have missed him this season. He was the casualty of the whole Marcus Morris switcheroo fiasco when San Antonio moved Bertans to get the cap space to sign Morris and then Marcus reneged on the deal.
Yesterday we heard about the Celtics interest in Rockets big man Clint Capela. The Rockets are apparently trying to move him desperately which isn't a great sign. Capela puts up traditional center numbers, but has plantar fasciitis issues and statistically hasn't fared well defensively against the bigs the Celtics would need him to cover like Giannis and Embiid. He also has a $90 million contract.
Bertans doesn't have as sexy a name to fans, but would seamlessly onto any team as a stretch big. Typically I'd be hesitant to just trade picks for the rationale of "really … what are they holding on to them for?" but Danny Ainge in 16 years drafting tends to miss way more than he hits on draft picks outside the very top of the lottery, so there's also that. Maybe time to trade one if the alternative is just using it on a player that won't be much of a contributor. Bertans is the type of player the Celtics don't draft. A foreign born player who a team like the Spurs tends to steal late in the draft.
Anyway, enough whoas me about Ainge's drafting. I'd be excited to add Bertans. There is no one available that will match up well with Giannis, Embiid and Anthony Davis, so might as well as go for something different. One of the best 3-point shooting bigs in the NBA would do. The "Latvian Laser" hit 145 3-pointers last season for the Spurs and already has 144 this season for the Wizards. All the while while shooting at an elite 43% clip from beyond the arc. My guess is there are a ton of suitors due to these facts. His negatives are he's not much of an inside force or rebounder. 20 years ago that would be a huge deal. Now, not so much.
Related: Report: Celtics have shown interest in trading for Rockets' center Clint Capela
