What could the Boston Celtics be looking for in a new potential point guard after Kemba Walker trade?
The Celtics accomplished a lot of their present and future goals when they shipped Kemba Walkers contract to the Thunder. They gave up the No. 16 overall pick, but still have all of their future firsts going forward. The wing depth is still the teams greatest strength while center is now overflowing with bodies. That leaves perhaps the biggest question on the roster: Point guard. The Cs will likely upgrade the spot this offseason with someone who fits better alongside Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Even at Walkers peak form early in his Boston tenure, his fit alongside the young stars was always a little awkward. The two point guards on the current roster are Marcus Smart and Payton Pritchard. The Celtics could roll with Smart with his playmaking ability after averaging a career-high 5.7 assists per game. But having him as another option as a ballhander fits his role better instead of as a full-time point guard. Pritchard should fill in nicely as a backup point guard after his solid rookie season. There were certainly bumps just like any other rookie, though his long-range shooting was a plus and should continue being a pleasant surprise. Al Horford should ease much of the playmaking duties off the Celtics, regardless of which point guard they get this offseason. While hes not the player he was in his prime now that hes 35, the man can still pass at a high level. Doing so at the center position  while being able to stretch the floor  unlocks a unique level of the Celtics offense that wasnt there this past season. There are plenty of outside options for a point guard, some more reasonable than others. Fans clamoring for a LaMelo Ball sign-and-trade will be disappointed as the cap and assets make that a long shot. Ben Simmons is technically a point guard, but he doesnt quite fit what the Celtics need at that price and on the trade market. Theres no exact need to get a shoot-first or scoring point guard by any means. Thats why Walkers fit was less than ideal: hes a volume scorer but efficiency isnt necessarily his best strength. Walker certainly brought the talent level of the roster up, but fit is partly why the Cs never seemed to play up to the sum of their parts. Boston will likely be looking for at least a backup point guard. The Celtics options are limited in free agency with how much they can spend, but perhaps they can sign someone who views the Cs as a competitive opportunity. Theres also a chance they take a look at their two two-way spots and try to ink someone down for depth. Tremont Waters had been on a two-way deal the past two seasons, and while he showed some promise, the Celtics cant sign him to another two-way deal because of league rules. The bottom line for the Celtics this offseason and beyond is making life easier for Tatum and Brown, which president Brad Stevens pointed out. A point guard determines a bulk of those responsibilities, setting up his teammates and running the offense.