Robb: Examining recent additions to the free agent market for a Celtics fit

It’s a different landscape for many players headed into the free agent market this summer. For years, most potential free agents would opt out of player options so they could hit the open market as soon as possible to secure themselves a raise or a longer-term payday. That kind of opportunity won’t be available for most players this summer due to the salary cap number going up by just two percent and a smaller number of teams than usual (10) having significant cap room.

In response, several players have opted to avoid the market altogether in free agency. Over 75 percent of potential free agents with player options have elected to opt into those deals to secure a payday for 2018-19. However, there have been a few exceptions to the rule. Some guys have ducked out of a less than ideal playing situation. Others were signed to under market deals in the first place that they still wanted to get out of.

Those decisions and a couple cuts by franchises have created a few surprise names that were recently added to the free agent market over the past couple of weeks. Let’s examine these players and see whether any of them might interest the Celtics in the weeks to come.

Rudy Gay
6-foot-8
SF/PF
Age: 32
Opted out of $8.8-million player option with Spurs

Overview: The veteran scorer signed a discount two-year deal with San Antonio last summer but decided to cut himself loose in the face of an uncertain situation looming in Texas surrounding the status of Kawhi Leonard and the future direction of the Spurs franchise.

Gay averaged 11.5 ppg off the bench for the Spurs in a sixth-man role but only played 57 games due to injury. He fits the role of a stretch four in the modern NBA with efficient offense, a subpar 3-point shot (34 percent for career) and iffy defense at age 32. The 2006 lottery pick has made lots of money (over $140 million over his career) but has never advanced past the first round of the postseason. The guess here is he may be willing to take a discount for a meaningful bench role in a contending situation.

Would the Celtics have interest? Last year’s version of the Celtics could have used an offensive upgrade, but they are already getting that with the returns of Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. If the current roster holds, I can’t envision either side having much interest due to a lack of playing time available. However, if Marcus Morris was to be moved in another trade (which remains a possibility) that opens up a stretch four role for Gay coming off the bench. Throwing Gay on the floor with the likes of Irving, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum and Hayward would allow for plenty of switchability and could give opposing defenses nightmares. Gay is not the defender that Morris is, but he’s also a far more efficient offensive weapon. The former UConn star also rebounds well for his size, which would be useful for an undersized Boston frontline

Could it happen? It becomes a possibility if Morris gets dealt. If that happens, Gay will need to be willing to take a discount.

Kyle O’Quinn
6-foot-10
C/PF
Age: 28
Opted out of $4.20-million player option with Knicks

Overview: The reserve big man has been one of the best rebounding bench bigs in the NBA for a few years now. He lacks a 3-point shot but his midrange jumper is serviceable and is a common source of easy buckets around the rim thanks to his strong finishes on second-chance opportunities. He signed a four-year deal back before the initial salary cap spike with the Knicks in 2014 and has largely outperformed it in a limited role for the past few seasons. His defense is average at best, but he provides solid rim protection.

Would the Celtics be a fit? There won’t be room for O’Quinn and Aron Baynes on this roster, so the former Knicks big man could be considered a backup option to the Australian. However, O’Quinn has only made $15 million in his career so the guess here is he will be looking for a sizable payday. That’s something that the Celtics will struggle to provide this summer, barring some sort of sign-and-trade. Even then, it’s hard to envision Danny Ainge committing over $5 million per year to a big after drafting Robert Williams III. Given the salary obligations that loom for this core in the future, the Celtics aren’t going to provide the years and money necessary to entice O’Quinn in all likelihood.

Could it happen? O’Quinn will probably be out of Boston’s price range.

Jamal Crawford
6-foot-5
PG/SG
Age: 38
Opted out of $4.5 million player option with Wolves

Overview: The scoring sixth man struggled to convince Tom Thibodeau to keep him on the floor much in Minnesota last season. He averaged 10.3 points in just 20 minutes per game, his lowest playing time total in 15 years. His efficient has gone down in recent years (31 percent 3-point shooting last year) and he has always been a limited defender.

Would the Celtics be a fit? This doesn’t work on a couple of fronts. First, the Celtics backcourt is already jampacked. Barring some a big trade, there just isn’t any need for him to dominate the ball in that group when the C’s have a better option (Irving) on the court for most of the game anyway. Additionally, Crawford is a subpar defender that opposing teams love to take advantage of. That’s the type of player that the Celtics have strayed from anyway in recent years.

Could it happen? Don't see it.

Other recent cuts 

These players were recently added to the free-agent market after being cut by their original teams before their deals became guaranteed.

Shelvin Mack (PG): The former Butler Bulldog was cut loose by the Magic this week before his $6-million option guaranteed. Mack is probably best suited to a third-string point guard role right now on a winning team and that role is likely filled in Boston by Brad Wanamaker. If the Celtics end up being unable to retain Marcus Smart or trade Terry Rozier, Mack could be a potential fit for the veteran’s minimum. Otherwise, there isn’t room for him on this roster heading into next season.

Lance Stephenson (SG/SF): The Pacers made the swingman a surprise cut this week when they declined his $4.3 team option for next year. Stephenson isn’t going to sign anywhere for the veteran’s minimum at this stage of his career and that’s the only kind of deal Boston would probably offer. The Celtics have a better version of Stephenson in Smart, so as long as the Celtics can retain the point guard in restricted free agency, there’s no need for another defensive-first player on the wing with an iffy jump shot in Boston.

Coming later this week: A position-by-position breakdown of the possibilities for the Celtics in free agency