The Boston Celtics had something sorely missing last season, but part of that may have been answered at least in the frontcourt.
Coming in this season are two tested National Basketball Association (NBA) forwards who have been around. David Lee and Amir Johnson have stocked up the Celtics dramatically, although it remains to be seen if they are enough to help the Celtics improve on their NBA playoff sting last season.
Lee, acquired in a trade with the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors, is someone the Celtics have long been targeting; now, they finally have him. Although he has not really been much of the main protagonists in the NBA Finals, the fact remains that he brings a wealth of playoff experience for the Celts.
Johnson, on the other hand, brings experience and toughness to the frontcourt as well, something that players like Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, and Tyler Zeller should benefit immensely from.
With the two, the Celtics have addressed the inexperience, which the Celtics suffered from last season. But would it be enough?
"He knows how it is with everything he had over in Golden State. Him bringing that championship mentality, and we have a lot of young guys coming in, and then Amir, and Jae [Crowder] signing again, we're looking good. We're confident" says Jonas Jerebko.
Zeller, on the other hand, is upbeat at the coming of the vets. And he seems to speak for all when it comes down to the things that they can look forward to in the coming season.
"Hopefully we can learn from Amir and David Lee," he said. "David has had a lot of success all over the board being an All-Star and winning a championship. Hopefully, he can kind of push us in the right direction and make us a better team," he added.
A lot, of course, falls as well on head coach Brad Stevens, who turned heads by surprisingly making it to the NBA playoffs. The Celtics may have been on the lower end of the bracket, but the fact is not too many gave them a chance owing to the dramatic changes in personnel as well as the fact that they were considered to be in the rebuilding stages.
Now, with some key veterans in tow, the Celtics are aiming to improve. Could Lee and Johnson be enough?
