Boston Celtics: 5 cheap replacements if Marcus Smart leaves
3. Shabazz Napier
Raised in the Boston area, Shabazz Napier experienced something of a breakout year in Portland. The skill-set has always been there for Napier, but he has often been placed into unfortunate situations for his career development.
He went to Miami just as LeBron bolted. Next, he got traded to Orlando only to see his minutes go to lottery pick Elfrid Payton. It was a slight miracle he earned playing time alongside C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard.
The Trail Blazers decided not to extend Napier his qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. Perhaps this could see Shabazz fulfill a homecoming at a cheaper rate. What would the Cs be getting if Napier agreed to sign? Compare Napier to last year’s third string point guard for the Celtics, Shane Larkin.
| Rk | Player | Season | Age | G | MP | PER | TS% | 3PAr | AST% | TOV% | USG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shane Larkin | 2017-18 | 25 | 54 | 775 | 10.4 | .491 | .393 | 18.5 | 12.3 | 15.5 |
| 2 | Shabazz Napier | 2017-18 | 26 | 74 | 1535 | 14.2 | .544 | .411 | 14.6 | 13.2 | 19.5 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/9/2018.
These advanced numbers indicate that Stevens wants a third string guard who can stretch the floor from deep or simply keep the ball moving. Napier can do that and would be an upgrade over Larkin, who played well for the Celtics last season.
If he were brought into Boston, expect the Cs to replace Smart’s defense with Wanamaker, Rozier and Brown while using Napier for brief — albeit effective — spells.