Boston Celtics stopped effort to get center Greg Monroe from Milwaukee Bucks into its roster. Will Al Horford and Amir Johnson be enough for Celtics' frountcourt and bring them to championship mode?
Celtics has stopped its search to seek another center-forward after acquiring Horford in July. When rumors about Celtics is focusing to acquire Monroe circulated around June, many speculated that the trade wil involve multi player in the center-forward position. That includes Bucks' Jabari Parker and Celtics' frontcourt players Amir Johnson, Jonas Jerebko and Marcus Smart.
However, Celtics made a strategic move to acquire free-agent Horford. President of Boston Celtics basketball operation Danny Ainge has already expressed his respect toward the 6'10" center-forward. Ainge said that Horford remind him of Kevin Garnett, nicknamed KG.
"I hate to make comparisons but let me compare my team's new big man to one of the greatest teammates and players ever," Ainge said as quoted by MassLive.
According to Ainge, Horford is the shot maker and handle the ball the way Garnett did. But he praised Horford for not being too vocal in the locker room, unlike Garnett. Horford is known to be a team player and his teammate love the way he blend in with the team.
Point guard Isaiah Thomas said that he is glad to have Horford in the team and that makes a lot of things easier for the entire team. While Horford himself also praised the young players in Celtics. The four-time NBA All Star said in an interview with Bleacher Report that he was impressed how the Celtics' young players when he was with Atlanta Hawks beat Celtics in the last year's playoffs.
Al Horford will complete the Celtics frontcourt with Amir Johnson and small forward Jay Crowder. While in the backcourt they have an agile point guard Thomas with a stong defensive shooting guard Avery Bradley. In the bench, Celtics has Jerebko to backup Horford and in Kelly Olynic for Johnson.
Celtics will tip-off its pre-season with a game against Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, Oct.4 in Mullins Center at 7:00 p.m. EST.
