Boston Celtics: Is Brandon Bass The Odd Man Out?

When the 2013-14 NBA season begins, the Boston Celtics’ roster is going to be nearly unrecognizable from the one that we have seen for the past six seasons. Just one member of the 2007-08 championship squad is still with the team (Rajon Rondo) and he is out indefinitely with injury. The veterans who carried the team, one for more than a decade, have been traded and even their long-term coach will no longer be seen roaming the sidelines. One familiar face on the roster, however, is power forward Brandon Bass. Bass has been with the team for just two seasons and must wonder how this drastic overhaul has happened in such a short space of time. With an influx of young talent in the frontcourt and an obvious plan to rebuild around youth and draft picks, has Bass suddenly become expendable to the new-look Boston Celtics?

When Bass originally joined the Celtics in 2011, he seemed like a great fit alongside the likes of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett thanks to his reliable mid-range shooting and his low-maintenance personality made him an ideal role player for a team hoping to return to the NBA finals. In his two seasons with the Celtics, Bass has averaged 10.3 points and 5.6 rebounds while playing a role both as a starter and off the bench. He has improved defensively, showing some great stretches in the playoffs guarding the Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony and his improved mobility helps make up for being slightly undersized at the power forward position. He has played hard, knocked down his shots, competed on both ends of the floor and seemingly done everything he was asked to when he was brought to Boston.

How long will Brandon Bass have a place in Boston? (NBA.com photo)

Bass is now 28 years old, in the prime of his career, and is a proven commodity in the NBA. He has been in the league for eight years, played on four different teams and has seen the big stage in more than 50 playoff games. While there are no questions that Brandon Bass could help the Celtics win some games this season, he is unlikely to factor into their future plans and could no doubt help a playoff team by adding depth and reliability to the roster, while the Celtics need to give minutes to their new crop of young bigs. Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk and Vitor Faverani have all shown they can compete at the NBA level and their development hinges on their ability to get minutes throughout the regular season. As the team will likely struggle for wins, the key to the 2013-14 season is the development of the young prospects on the roster. Bass may well be a more reliable player than all three at this stage of his career, but at this point he is what he is, there is no untapped potential or room for improvement, you know what you will get from him every night but it may be of no long-term benefit to Boston for him to be on the roster.

With two years left on his contract at more than $6 million a season, Bass’ deal is quite manageable for a player of his caliber and there would be no shortage of teams who could afford to take on that salary to bolster their frontcourt. At near mid-level exception money, numerous teams around the league would have expiring contracts or younger players that would interest the Celtics; it is not about necessarily upgrading but simply finding minutes for their young big men and gaining any additional assets in the process. It is yet to be seen how the new Celtics will fare, but even if they exceed expectations there is no realistic goal of winning a championship before Bass’ deal expires anyway. It would seem to be in everybody’s best interest if general manager Danny Ainge can find a deal for the veteran forward before the deadline and with his track record, you know Ainge will be trying constantly to find the best value. Bass bought in to everything the Boston Celtics represent and has played the good-soldier ever since his first game in Celtics green. It is, however, time for the team to move in a different direction and being forced to play Bass while young guns wait on the bench would seem counter-productive to everything we know about the Celtics’ new objectives. Watch this space, because when the February trade deadline hits Bass is likely to be one of a number of players on their way out of Boston.

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