#2 Austin Rivers – Denver Nuggets

A key veteran name to watch this offseason in free agency is Austin Rivers. He is not a high-valued player and will likely be signing a minimum contract wherever he goes, but Rivers should absolutely be on the Celtics’ radar because of what he brings to the table as versatile combo guard. 

Throughout his entire 9-year NBA career, Rivers has played for six different franchises, but he has found success everywhere he has gone. Again, he is not a high-value or big threat, but Austin Rivers is more than capable of playing his role on any team. 

Originally starting the year with the New York Knicks, Rivers quickly became a second-thought within that organization and was nothing more than an end-of-the-bench guy. As a result, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline and soon released after. Rivers then signed a minimum contract for the rest of the year with the Denver Nuggets after Jamal Murray went down with a torn ACL in his left knee. 

With the Nuggets, Rivers shined in his two-way role in their backcourt and started 9 of the 10 playoff games he appeared in for Denver this year. Being a “3-and-D” threat that can also be a primary ball-handler is what makes Austin Rivers valuable and why he would be a good fit in Boston. 

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They should be able to get him to sign on a minimum contract and his value for a team definitely eclipses what a minimum contract pays out. For his career, Rivers has averaged 9.1 poins, 2.1 rebounds and has shot 35% from deep, making him a key bench player in this league. 

Boston needs talent on their bench, especially since their bench is loaded with young, unpolished players, which is why signing Auatin Rivers would be a smart move for the Celtics. He can make an impact with or without the ball in his hands, which is why he could be of value to the Celtics moving forward.