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Weighing Whether the Celtics Should Sign Carmelo Anthony
According to Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson of Bally Sports, the Celtics are considering adding Carmelo Anthony to a roster that some, such as FanDuel Sportsbook, already view as the betting favorite to win the 2022-23 NBA title.
This report comes on the heels of Danilo Gallinari tearing the meniscus in his left knee while playing for the Italian National Team over the weekend. It's possible the 13-year veteran returns in November, as reported by Sportando, but as detailed while evaluating how he and the Celtics will proceed, whether Gallinari has surgery, the extent of that procedure, or if his recovery centers on rest and rehab, determines when he'll make his season debut.
Boston signed Gallinari, a career 15.6 points per game scorer and 38.2 percent three-point shooter on 5.1 attempts per contest, to provide a scoring boost to a second unit that ranked in the bottom five in points per game in the regular season, averaging 30.2 per contest. In the playoffs, they ranked 14th out of 16 teams, providing only 22.5 points, according to NBA.com.
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If Gallinari's able to return in November, the Celtics will likely decide against signing Anthony. A brief absence could create an opportunity for Sam Hauser.
However, if Gallinari is out for a significant amount of time, adding Anthony, a career 22.5 point-per-game scorer, to replace his projected production makes sense. He's also shot at least 37.5 percent from beyond the arc on a minimum of 3.9 long-range attempts per game in the last three seasons.
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Bringing in Anthony, who produced 13.3 points on 10.5 shots while logging 26 minutes per game for the Lakers last season, would reflect Boston's confidence in their second-unit options to defend on the perimeter. The future Hall of Famer was never known for his defense, and at 38, he's best suited to guard fours.
The Celtics don't have a natural small forward to bring off the bench, but Grant Williams can slide down a position, depending on the matchup, and at six-foot-five and six-foot-four, respectively, Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White can move up. It also helps that the former has a 6'10 wingspan and that White's is 6'7.5.
Most of the time, Boston also short-shifts Jayson Tatum to keep at least one of him and Jaylen Brown on the court. Still, it's necessary to pace those two through the coming campaign.
The Celtics must also take into account that Gallinari factored into how they'll manage their rotation at center. He's not the most athletically gifted to begin with, and at 34, it might be the position he's best equipped for defensively.
While he's out, regardless of the length of his absence, Boston may feel inclined to add a more natural center. The Celtics must fill at least two of their three open roster spots, so they could sign a player who fits that description and Anthony.
However, they already project to have one of the NBA's most expensive payrolls this season. Their roster currently costs roughly $170.1 million and comes with a luxury tax bill of $45.2 million, resulting in a combined payment of $215.3 million. Signing at least two more players to standard contracts will bring their luxury tax payment to at least $59 million. As a result, their total expenses will exceed $230 million this season.
Even if Gallinari is out for a while, Boston can overcome losing his offensive production easier than it could fill his minutes at center without placing more of a burden on Robert Williams and Al Horford. That's why, even though it's more entertaining to ponder the Celtics adding a player whose had as decorated a career as Anthony's had, signing someone to play the pivot seems more likely and more logical.
Further Reading
Panel of NBA Coaches, Executives, and Scouts Cites Celtics as the Team that had the Best Offseason
[Watch] Jaylen Brown Pushes Himself to the Limit in Offseason Workout
