The Celtics could pursue Warriors small forward Otto Porter Jr. over the summer in free agency, per Brian Robb of MassLive.com.
Porter, 28, is 6-foot-8 is averaging 8.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in 57 games (through Thursday). He signed a one-year contract with the Warriors before the season, turning down larger offers from other clubs.
He would be an ideal fit in Boston, presumably offering wing defense and an ability to hit perimeter shots.
“He’s been a valuable bench player for them this season as a shooter/defender to your point off the bench and he would fill that role wherever he decides to go next season, including Boston,” Robb wrote. “The question is whether Porter Jr. would prefer to stay in Golden State on a cheap deal during their title window or if another contender like Boston could swoop in and offer him more money.”
Brad Stevens is in his first year as president of basketball operations with Ime Udoka in first year as coach. After struggling a little at the start of the season, the Celtics have been surging lately.
“As many games as we blew in the first half of the season — it would have been nice to have won some of those games because we would be in first right now,” guard/forward Jaylen Brown said. “But everything happens for a reason. We take it one game at a time and we’ll see where we’re at playoff time.”
Still, like all team executives, Stevens will be looking to making roster adjustments over the offseason. Porter makes sense as a veteran who is battle-tested.
“If the Warriors end up itching to keep OPJ on the roster next season, they’d likely aim to do so on a mid-level deal, if not another minimum contract,” wrote Will Bjarnar of SB Nation. “But should Porter Jr. have an itch of his own, perhaps for a bit more than the league minimum he took this season to play with one of the title favorites, the Celtics could be a suitor.”
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