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The Boston Celtics need some type of presence in the paint. Ideally, they need one that can contribute on offense, but more importantly, they need a guy who can rebound and protect the rim. The addition of Kosta Koufos would help the team improve in both of those areas.
The Celtics had reportedly expressed interest in trading for Koufos earlier this season. However, the Memphis Grizzlies valued his ability to rebound and defend in the post and were not willing to part with him. Now that he is an unrestricted free agent, the door has opened for teams like the Celtics to make a run at him this summer. For the majority of his seven-year career, Koufos has come off of the bench, but he has voiced a desire to be in a starting role.
For the past two seasons, he played in the shadow of Marc Gasol, averaging just under 17 minutes per game. With Gasol a free agent as well this summer, the Grizzlies’ focus will be on retaining him. As long as Gasol is in the mix, they won’t be able to offer a starting position to Koufos, which makes it less likely that he will return to Memphis.
It is difficult to judge Koufos just by looking at his numbers. He has never put up eye-popping statistics, partly because his minutes have always been limited, and probably never will. In 2012-13, his lone season as a starter, he posted career highs in both points (8.0) and rebounds per game (6.9) with the Denver Nuggets. And while his numbers with the Grizzlies don’t jump off the page, playing behind a former Defensive Player of the Year in Gasol and next to a guy like Zach Randolph has only benefited Koufos. If given a sufficient amount of minutes, Koufos could be poised for a breakout year.
Koufos would not be relied upon for his offense, though he does have modest offensive skills around the basket. The Celtics already have offensive-minded bigs in Tyler Zeller and Kelly Olynyk, but neither is an intimidating presence in the paint. Koufos has become an established rim-protector and also has fared well when matched up with some of the best centers the Western Conference has to offer. With a much weaker talent pool in the Eastern Conference, Koufos could fare very well in a Celtics uniform.
Koufos also possesses some desirable intangibles. He is confident in his abilities as a player but at the same recognizes that he can still learn from watching others. He also has a great work ethic. No matter the circumstance, Koufos gives his best effort when he is on the floor, a quality that would quickly make him a favorite of head coach Brad Stevens.
He’s no LaMarcus Aldridge or DeAndre Jordan, but Koufos is a realistic target for the Celtics this summer. The team doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to free agency. They have rarely been able to land a top-tier free agent and there’s nothing to suggest that things will be different this year.
Would the addition Koufos alone turn the Celtics into championship contenders? Absolutely not. But he would make an immediate impact and improve their interior defense.
Derek McVay is a Boston Celtics beat writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @mcvay34, or add him to your network on Google.
