In a thinned out Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics are expected to be the primary threat to LeBron James getting to his eighth straight NBA Finals. The addition of Gordon Hayward via free agency and the Jayson Tatum draft selection certainly made this a fruitful offseason.
However, GM Danny Ainge knows it’s still going to take more to compete with Cleveland come playoff time. One of the few holes on this Boston roster is a top tier big man and that is exactly the type of player the C’s reportedly have their eyes on.
According to Chris Mannix of The Vertical, the Celtics are monitoring the New Orleans Pelicans and are expected to make a hard push at Anthony Davis if the Pels fail to mesh and have a down season:
It figures to be an interesting season in Boston. The addition of Gordon Hayward fortified a top-seeded roster, while dismal seasons by the Nets (who will fork over their 2018 first-round pick) and Lakers (who owe Boston their ’18 pick if it falls between Nos. 2 and 5) will help the Celtics continue to build for the future. In addition, rival executives expect Boston to be keeping close tabs on New Orleans, which is entering a critical season. The Pelicans are committed to seeing if an Anthony Davis-DeMarcus Cousins frontcourt can work, but if the season goes awry, it’s widely believed the Celtics will make a strong run at Davis, who is under contract through 2020.
Adding Davis to a talented roster like Boston would likely bring out the best in him and would undoubtedly take this Celtics team to new heights. Davis is one of the premier young talents the game has to offer and adding him to their frontcourt could be cause for concern if you’re the Cavs.
However, first Boston has to hope him and fellow Kentucky product DeMarcus Cousins fail to build a rapport in New Orleans. Both are two of the most talented big men the league has seen in maybe years so if they do find a rhythm, the Pelicans can be a team that surprises a lot of people out West for years to come.
