Report: Evan Turner, Celtics Finalizing Deal To Bring Free Agent To Boston

Well, this is something different.

Evan Turner and the Boston Celtics are working to finish a deal that would bring the free-agent swingman to Boston, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald reported Monday, citing sources. Turner apparently will receive a portion of the Celtics’ mid-level exception.

This development is shocking, yet not in the way many Celtics fans would prefer. Turner, 25,  is a former No. 2 overall pick and averaged more than 17 points per game with the Philadelphia 76ers last season before a trade to the Indiana Pacers.

But he has massively underachieved in four NBA seasons, to the point that there is nothing that he does particularly well on a basketball court, besides be 6-foot-7.

Turner’s signing would give Boston an interesting (read: weird) conglomeration of talent in its backcourt and wing positions. The Celtics would have nine players on guaranteed contracts to man the 1-3 positions: Incumbents Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley and Phil Pressey are being joined by veteran Marcus Thornton, along with rookies Marcus Smart and James Young, at the guard spots, while Turner enters a crowded small forward rotation currently inhabited by Jeff Green and Gerald Wallace.