Days after coming up just short of an NBA Finals berth, Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge made it clear he wasn’t looking to shake things up this summer. That notion lasted a solid day before a report emerged regarding Boston’s interest in 2018 NBA Draft prospect Mo Bamba.
According to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, the Celtics expressed interest in the Texas center at the pre-draft combine and could target the big man should he fall to No. 4 (Memphis Grizzlies) or No. 5 (Dallas Mavericks).
Deveney notes it could take a young player and multiple picks for the Celtics to move up from No. 27 into the prime position for Bamba. With Jayson Tatum likely off the trade block, it could come down to a combination of Terry Rozier and/or Jaylen Brown and multiple draft picks.
It’s a risky move for Ainge, who would need to hope Bamba is everything his 7’10 wingspan is cracked up to be. The seven-foot, 200-pound big man has the makings of a defensively-minded franchise center. Without much behind Al Horford, this would be a real opportunity to add depth and size to Boston’s title-contending roster.
The move away from Brown would prevent next year’s discussion over how the Celtics plan to get all of their guys shots. Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving are returning, and there’s almost no doubt Boston plans to continue feeding Tatum in his development. That could relegate Brown to a lesser role, even though he was a focal point in the Celtics’ run to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
How Boston approaches the offseason could be franchise-altering, as it can either take another step toward dethroning the Cleveland Cavaliers or hit a ceiling. Apparently, one idea the Celtics are kicking around is that Bamba can help them achieve the former.
