3 buyout candidates the Boston Celtics should sign

3 buyout candidates the Boston Celtics should sign – Semi Ojeleye

Alright, this is where things admittedly start to get a bit bizarre. But for several reasons, I think this signing could be more likely than one might first imagine.

Semi Ojeleye was dealt to the LA Clippers at this year’s trade deadline as part of a massive, four-team trade. It is completely possible that the Clippers choose to keep him through this season, but a buyout should not be ruled out either.

His contract expires at the end of this year, and the Clippers have an abundance of players that play the same position as Ojeleye. With Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum, Terrence Mann, Robert Covington, and even Brandon Boston Jr all playing over him, it would not be surprising to see Ojeyele bought out or even waived.

If he does become a free agent before the deadline, Boston would clearly be the natural fit to sign him. Brad Stevens has already proven to have an interest in bringing back players that he coached in previous years (Al Horford and Daniel Theis for example).

Ojeleye might not be the piece that completes the puzzle in Boston, but bringing in the former Celtic to bolster their defense would be a low-risk move with potential upside.

In previous playoff runs, Ojeleye helped the Celtics with his incredible strength and quality interior defense. While he isn’t a defensive stopper, he is a strong wing that the Celtics could deploy against some of the opposing stars in the East such as Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kevin Durant.

While not incredibly consistent, Ojeyele could provide a minimized version of what PJ Tucker provided to Milwaukee in last year’s playoff run. This, plus his familiarity with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, makes him a likely buyout candidate for Boston.

Whether or not any of the three players I mentioned end up a Celtic is truly anyone’s guess. But with their recent success and many open roster spots, expect Boston to be active in the buyout market.