Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics have been the surprise package of the NBA this season. During the summer, Brad Stevens oversaw the start of a retooling project, trading away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, while letting Al Horford and Luke Kornet walk during free agency.
Despite the roster turnover and the multiple young “prove it” talents on the roster, the Celtics have emerged as one of the best teams in the NBA. Jayson Tatum’s return from his Achilles injury has given Boston a further boost toward being a championship contender, too.
Nevertheless, the retooling project is still in its infancy. Stevens will likely continue to reshape the roster until it’s viewed among the strongest in the league. As such, we could see some movement over the summer, both in free agency and the trade market.
According to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, John Collins could emerge as a realistic upgrade in the front court.
“The Celtics have gotten good mileage up front by pairing Neemias Queta with a rangier, more offensive-minded big,” Buckley wrote. “Collins could thrive in that role while costing a lot less than his numbers might make you think. If his defensive shortcomings keep his pay rate in check, he could really jolt this frontcourt as a bouncy, in-prime play-finisher.”
Collins is currently contracted to the LA Clippers. He’s played in 61 regular-season games so far, averaging 13.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1 assist per outing, shooting 62.5% from two-point range and 40.6% from deep.
The 28-year-old forward is in the final year of his current contract and will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
Celtics Have Been Linked To John Collins Before
The Celtics reportedly had interest in Collins in 2021, when he was heading into restricted free agency.
“Another player of interest for the Celtics: Hawks big man John Collins, sources said. Atlanta’s asking price has been steep for Collins, however: A high-level first-round draft pick and/or a talented young player,” Shams Charania, then of The Athletic, wrote at the time.
Collins ultimately ended up re-signing with the Atlanta Hawks. He was eventually traded to the Utah Jazz before being shipped to the Clippers ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Still, Collins perimeter shooting, explosive interior finishing and rebounding could certainly add to Boston’s front-court rotation. However, if he did land in Boston, Collins may need to accept a bench role for the majority of his minutes.
Celtics May Choose To Extend Nikola Vucevic
Another option the Celtics could explore, in terms of bolstering their front court, could be extending Nikola Vucevic’s tenure with the franchise. The veteran big man joined the Celtics at the Feb. 5 trade deadline, following a trade with the Chicago Bulls.
Unfortunately, an injury has hampered Vucevic’s ability to settle in with his new team. He’s missed the past 10 games, and currently, there’s no definitive return date for the veteran big man.
Vucevic is in the final year of his current contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer. However, if the Celtics believe that he can improve the current front-court rotation, they may look to ink him to a team-friendly short-term deal.
Still, Vucevic would likely need to take a sizeable pay cut. He will also face competition from Luka Garza, who has impressed in his absence. Boston has a lot of flexibility heading into the offseason. As such, it will be interesting to see how the next phase of the retooling process plays out.
Furthermore, it will be interesting to see whether Vucevic is part of that next phase or was just a stopgap.
Adam Taylor is a basketball reporter covering the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Miami Heat for Heavy. He holds bylines for CelticsBlog, USA Today and Yardbarker. Adam also covers the WWE and AEW. He has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Open University. More about Adam Taylor
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