Will Austin Rivers join the Celtics?
“Rivers, who played with the Timberwolves last season, is looking for more than a mentor role,” said Washburn. “Rivers is likely one of those players who will be squeezed out of the free-agent market and seeking an NBA minimum contract.”
This late in the free agency process, Rivers is one of the few veteran guards left on the market and will fit in well with a Boston team in search of guard depth after losing 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team deal to acquire former All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards.
Initially, the Celtics were exploring other options to bring in another guard who can make an impact on defense. Back in June, Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports reported Boston’s interest in signing former All-Defensive guard Patrick Beverley, who eventually joined the Philadelphia 76ers. If you want another reputable source on the latest NBA free agency news and rumors, consider checking out https://www.overtimeheroics.net/.
An 11-Year NBA veteran, what Rivers brings to the table is a combination of experience, solid-floor spacing, and plug-and-play defense. With nearly an entire season’s worth of playoff basketball experience on teams including the Clippers, Rockets, and Nuggets, Rivers will fit right in with a battle-tested postseason squad who have made the Conference Finals in three of the last four years.
You don’t have to go back very far to see the potential impact Rivers can have in a playoff series. On the 2021 Denver Nuggets, the 6’4 combo guard was a crucial piece in their surprising first round series win over the Portland Trail Blazers despite missing star guard Jamal Murray. Rivers averaged over 11 points per game, and his consistent effectiveness as a floor spacer helped open up the middle of the floor for Nikola Jokic to dominate down low.
While Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White are the presumed starting backcourt for the Celtics, Rivers would help bolster a bench unit that’s looking a bit shallow at guard. He’d be competing for minutes with Oregon sharpshooter Payton Pritchard, the jumbo playmaker from Toronto Dalano Banton, and this year’s 38th overall pick out of Arkansas Jordan Walsh. Don’t expect Rivers to be a consistent part of the rotation, but he would be excellent injury insurance if either Brogdon or White miss significant time.
As far as contracts go, Rivers would be eligible for a minimum contract worth over $3 million thanks to his decade-plus in the NBA. But, for players with at least three years of NBA experience, that contract would only count for a little over $2 million towards the Celtics’ cap space, meaning they wouldn’t have to worry about potentially going over the second tax apron, which they are currently $3.4 million under.
At the end of the day, Austin Rivers isn’t likely to push the Celtics’ title odds in one way or another. While he might be a nice addition to the end of the bench and a solid veteran presence, Rivers will most likely only get consistent minutes if someone ahead of him on the depth chart goes down injured. Still there are far worse additions to the tail end of a roster than a defensive-minded guard with 60+ games of playoff experience.
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