Report: Celtics linked to TJ Warren, Danilo Gallinari as free agency nears originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics were lacking another scorer off the bench in their 2022 NBA Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors.
The Celtics' defense wasn't a problem versus the Warriors, it was their offense. Boston's bench was outplayed and didn't provide enough offense, especially when Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown needed a rest.
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Forsberg: Laying out the Celtics' free-agent options using MLE
Finding another bench scorer should be a priority for the Celtics this offseason. Which players could fill this role?
"Boston appears focused on high-scoring, small-ball forwards for the Celtics' mid-level," Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reported Wednesday. "They have been linked to Danillo Gallinari and T.J. Warren, among others. Gallinari is also expected to draw interest from Miami should it lose P.J. Tucker."
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Gallinari has one more year left on his contract with a $21.45 million salary cap hit. His salary won't fit into any of the three Celtics traded-player exceptions (TPE). However, Gallinari would become a free agent if he's waived and clears.
Gallinari averaged 11.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season. He also shot 38.1 percent from 3-point range. He's been an excellent 3-point shooter throughout his career, converting on 38.2 percent of those attempts over 13 seasons. The Celtics need more outside shooting, so from an offensive perspective, Gallinari would be a good fit in Boston.
Warren would be a strong fit, too. He's a quality shot creator who's averaged 15.5 points and shot 50.5 percent from the field in his career. The concern with Warren is durability. He played four games in 2020-21 and didn't see the court at all last season due to injuries. A left foot injury derailed his 2021-22 campaign. If healthy, Warren would be a great bench scorer for the Celtics, but that's a big if.
Warren is an unrestricted free agent.
