Beside the lack of anyone who could stop Joel Embiid, one of the Boston Celtics’ most glaring flaws in its first-round exit from the 2026 playoffs was its lack of an experienced, steady-handed veteran to right the ship when seas got choppy.
During the Celtics’ 2024 championship run, one of the team’s biggest strengths was the reliability and composure of its two players over the age of 30: Al Horford and Jrue Holiday.
Horford, who was 38 by the Finals, stepped up when Kristaps Porzingis went down and
started 15 of 19 playoff games. His efficiency dropped from the regular season, but Big Al still put up 9.2 points, 7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 stocks over 30.3 minutes per game on 47.8% field goal shooting and 36.8% three-point shooting. All while anchoring Boston’s defense despite the fact that his lateral quickness had noticeably declined.
Beyond the averages, Horford provided a calming locker room presence and stepped up in some of the run’s biggest moments. That includes putting up a classic performance (22 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 3 blocks) in the closing game of the Celtics’ second-round series against the Cavaliers and exploding in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers for 23 points on a career-high 7 three-point makes.
Jrue Holiday, who was 33, was arguably Boston’s third most impactful player during the run. He averaged 13.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.7 stocks per game while shooting 50.3% from the floor and 40.2% from three-point range.
Despite sharing the floor with the Jays, there was a legitimate argument that Jrue deserved the ECF MVP award. He averaged 18.5 points per game while feasting on open shots created by the Celtics’ spacing, creating quality looks for himself, and playing elite, timely defense that led to a game-sealing steal in Game 3.
Boston has struggled in some high intensity moments over the Jays era, but the steady hands of Horford and Holiday brought a level of poise and dependability that took the 2023-24 team over the top.
The Celtics’ current roster simply lacks those tertiary veteran pieces. Nikola Vucevic, 35, was a bust on the court for Boston and it doesn’t look like he’ll return next year. Derrick White, 31, contributes on many levels, but it’s hard to call him steady-handed when his shot has become so unreliable.
So, who could Boston target to fill such a role? While there may not be many — or any — savvy, two-way veterans on the level of Horford or Holiday, there are a few vets the Celtics can realistically pursue this offseason who could contribute to another deep playoff run.
Andrew Wiggins
The thought of acquiring Wiggins, 31, may leave a bad taste in the mouths of Celtics fans. He played a crucial role against Boston in the 2022 Finals for the Golden State Warriors, ending a magical run that eclipses even the 2024 championship run for some fans.
Nevertheless, Wiggins has continued to mature into a solid veteran who would immediately slot in as a starter on the Celtics in place of Sam Hauser, who has consistently struggled in the playoffs for Boston as defenses dial in and focus on taking away his lone offensive strength: his three-point shooting.
Wiggins has also struggled to match his regular season three-point shooting numbers over his playoff career, but his offensive versatility and defensive chops allow him to impact the game in other ways. This season for the Miami Heat, Wiggins averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.1 stocks per game on 47.5% shooting from the field and 41.4% shooting from three-point range (and a whopping 48.2% from the corner).
Despite beginning his career with expectations of superstardom, the stringy Canadian has settled into more of a supporting role since joining the Warriors during the 2019-20 season. His 19.7% usage rate in 2025-26 was the lowest of his career and, while he still creates more than half of his own shots within the arc, 94.2% of his three-point makes were assisted. Between his elite efficiency on catch-and-shoot opportunities, ability to drive to the rim (6.8 drives per game) and low usage demand, he’d easily fit into Mazzulla’s offensive system without stepping on any toes.
“Two-Way Wigs,” as his Warriors teammates called him, would also provide a solid defensive presence between the Jays on the perimeter. While Wiggins has yet to replicate the 109 defensive rating he put up in 2021-22, he is a strong athlete with length and impressive lateral quickness. He is no OG Anunoby, but his addition would undoubtedly strengthen Boston’s perimeter defense.
While it may not be likely, it is possible for the Celtics to acquire Wiggins this summer. He has a $30,169,644 player option he could decline in order to seek a new deal before he turns 32. Boston only has a $15 million full mid-level exception to spend on free agents, but it can also pursue Wiggins via sign-and-trade with the Heat. That would allow his salary to be absorbed into the Celtics’ $27.7 million traded player exception created by the Anfernee Simons trade.
Norman Powell
Norman Powell, another member of the 2025-26 Heat, just put up what may be his best season yet — and first All-Star appearance — at the ripe age of 33.
If the Celtics decide to trade Derrick White and elevate Payton Pritchard to a starting role, the team will be in need of another bench scorer to help carry the offensive load when one or both of the Jays take a breather. That is a role Powell, a top-4 Sixth Man of the Year candidate in 2022-23 and 2023-24, would be more than equipped to excel in.
Over the 2025-26 regular season, Powell averaged 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game on 47% shooting from the field and 38% from three-point range despite taking on the largest offensive role of his career. He had a shaky jumper when he entered the league, but has become an elite shooter in the latter half of his 10-year career: Powell hasn’t shot below 38% on three pointers since 2017-18 (his third year in the league).
This season, Powell started 52 of 58 games played for the Heat and became one of the team’s offensive lynchpins. His 27.2% usage rate was the highest mark among all Miami’s players with at least 10 games played. As part of Erik Spoelstra’s latest offensive system, Powell learned to create off-the-dribble opportunities from the top of the key and feast on one-on-one matchups — a useful trait for a sixth man.
While he can lead an offense in need, he can also slot in as a tertiary scorer alongside the Jays. During his time with the Los Angeles Clippers, Powell operated as an elite off-ball scorer, often running around pindown and flare screens for open looks. Even in Miami, he was assisted on the vast majority of his buckets (58.1% of his made field goals and 85.9% of his three pointers).
The professional scorer would not provide the same defensive impact as Wiggins, but his adaptive offense would surely benefit the Celtics’ attack, which can stutter when shots aren’t falling. He may be easier to acquire than his teammate, too. Powell’s current contract currently expires this offseason, so Boston could sign him to the full mid-level exception — which may not be too little for a 33-year-old coming off a $20,482,758 annual salary — or pursue him via sign-and-trade.
Alex Caruso
This is more of a pie-in-the-sky idea since Caruso, 32, is entering the second season of a four-year deal and has expressed a desire to stay in Oklahoma City. Additionally, the Thunder’s front office reportedly feels the same way, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Since it would take a trade for the Celtics to acquire Caruso, that may take such a trade off the table, or at least make it prohibitively expensive for Boston.
Regardless, it’s not an impossibility. Caruso’s age is an outlier on OKC, which is on track to become a second apron team next season. As Celtics fans know, the second apron brings with it hefty restrictions and forces any team in it to make hard decisions. If it wasn’t for the second apron, Horford and Holiday (and Porzingis and Luke Kornet) might have still been playing for Boston this year. So, if the Thunder make the tough decision to part ways with Caruso in order to pay the youth, the Celtics should jump at the opportunity to add the veteran.
Caruso has won two rings, one with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and one with OKC in 2025, and was instrumental in the success of both teams. He is one of the best defensive guards in the league, who is often tasked with slowing down the opponent’s greatest offensive weapon using his 6’5” frame, tireless motor and exceptional basketball IQ. Caruso’s decent size and impressive strength make him one of the most versatile defensive guards in the league. That versatility inspired the Thunder to charge him with guarding Victor Wembanyama, who stands about a foot taller than Caruso, early on in this season’s Western Conference Finals (admittedly to mixed, if not poor, results).
Caruso is not only an elite defender, though. He is a proven playoff riser who is usually at his best when the lights are brightest. In 38 playoff games over the past two seasons in OKC, Caruso averaged 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.2 stocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 42.7% from three-point range. While he has not been used as a primary scorer, he is also capable of exploding on offense — proven by a 31-point performance in Game 1 of the WCF this year.
As he has for the young and talented Thunder, Caruso would provide the Celtics with as steady-handed a presence on the court and in the locker room as anyone could ask for.
