Exhibit-10: Boston Celtics sign a free agent Taylor Funk is another in a long series of Brad Stevens signings that have fit a particular archetype: tall, lanky, and with the ability to knock down the 3-ball, at least according to NESN’s Keagan Stiefel. However, Taylor Funk should not be confused with the “Hardcore Legend” Terry Funk (RIP).
Brad Stevens, president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics, “has a type,” Stiefel said. “If his recent string of signings is representative of anything, it’s that he has a type.” “In essence, he can shoot and has length. The players Stevens has been searching for over the previous two seasons that meet that description are Danilo Gallinari, Kristaps Porzingis, Delano Banton, and Svi Mykhailiuk.
Funk was a productive shooter at Utah State, averaging 13.4 points and shooting 37% from outside the arc on 6.4 tries per game. He is unlikely to make the squad out of training camp, but he has a chance as the Cs strive to surround their expensive roster with cost-controlled talent.
The Boston Celtics must give veteran free agents top priority.
The Boston Celtics front office should have only one goal, and signing Funk or acquiring DJ Steward in a G-League trade won’t change the situation for the Cs any time soon.
There might be a completely new core by the time these players are potentially prepared to contribute in Boston. If it’s going to cost them millions to not carry home Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters, this present group probably has a set lifespan. Teams like the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020–21 and the Denver Nuggets in 2022–23 benefited from their perseverance, but there are innumerable instances of teams who hung on for too long as well. Given the events of the Rose City’s 2023 offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers of Damian Lillard immediately come to mind.
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