Boston Celtics: 5 best free agent signings in team history

1. Kemba Walker

It’s not what Kemba Walker has already done in Boston that makes him the best free-agent signing in Celtics history. It’s the potential influence he could have on the organization in the coming years that makes his signing so impactful.

Having been low balled by the Charlotte Hornets’ front office after another sub-40-win season, Walker decided he’d had enough. After eight years, Walker left the Queen City and signed a four-year, $141 million maximum contract with the Boston Celtics.

Following a lackluster 2018-19 season, the Celtics were looking to bounce back in 2019-20. The drama and inconsistency from Kyrie Irving was gone, and another max contract player, Al Horford, left too.

This created a huge opening for Walker to win over the locker room immediately. And he did just that. Before the hiatus, Walker was averaging 21.2 points as the starting point guard and led the squad to a 43-21 record, good enough for the third seed in the competitive Eastern Conference.

Though Kemba has played only 50 games for the Celtics and his averages have slightly dropped compared to his previous three seasons in Charlotte, the leadership, confidence and playstyle he’s brought to Boston have had an immeasurable impact on the team.

Walker doesn’t bring any drama, selfishness, or indecisiveness to the locker room and can still drop 20 on any given night. And if we look back in 2018-19, that was exactly the type of player the Celtics were missing.

Kemba Walker hasn’t even settled into Boston yet, but something about this season says he’ll be a successful Celtic for many years to come.