The Boston Celtics are currently in pursuit of their 18th championship, but it's never too early to look at 2022 free agency.
Luckily for the Celtics, they won't have too much to worry about in this upcoming offseason. Their young core have signed contract extensions and are locked up for at least the next two years. The Celtics do not have their first-round pick in this year's draft, but Derrick White, the player Boston traded their first-round pick for at this year's trade deadline, has proven to be a key contributor for the team.
What the Celtics can focus on in the 2022 offseason is building depth throughout the roster. That is what Bleacher Report columnist Grant Hughes identified in his Tuesday piece where he picked out one player every NBA team should pursue in free agency.
For the Celtics, Hughes picked Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio as a player they should sign. Rubio is coming off his second ACL tear but impressed in 34 games this season, matching his career-high in points (13.1) and taking more shot attempts from the field (12.1) and from the 3-point line (5.1), according to Basketball Reference.
"If a key to the Celtics' dominance is better passing and more frequent setups, why not target a guy whose best skill is facilitation?," Hughes wrote.
Rubio will be 32 years old in the 2022-23 season, but he proved he could be a reliable veteran, helping lead the Cavs to the playoffs. The Celtics will be on the edge of the luxury tax, but they can resolve that issue by waiving and stretching Al Horford's contract. Rubio also will not be commanding a large amount of money considering he is coming off an injury.
