NBA Rumors: Boston Celtics a potential landing spot for point guard Patty Mills in free agency

Patty Mills #8 stretches his legs on the court.

The Boston Celtics have set their sights on Patty Mills of the San Antonio Spurs in their search for a point guard, per the latest NBA rumors. Evan Massey of NBA Analysis Network reported that Mills is on the Celtics’ radar with free agency season fast approaching.

“...the Celtics are a team to watch in free agency when it comes to point guard Patty Mills,” Massey said in a tweet.

PATTY MILLS FOR THE WIN pic.twitter.com/VYIpbgu6ek
— CJ Fogler (@cjzer0) July 11, 2021

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Patty Mills will be a free agent in the offseason after playing his last 10 seasons with the Spurs and beginning his career with the Portland Trail Blazers.

The interest in Patty Mills is to be expected after the Boston Celtics hired Ime Udoka as their new head coach following Brad Stevens stepping down from the job and taking on the President of Basketball Operations assignment. Mills is no stranger to Udoka, who played two years for the Spurs in the late-2000s and was an assistant coach to Gregg Popovich in San Antonio for seven years.

Patty Mills’ fit on the Boston Celtics

Gregg Popovich head coach gives advice to Patty Mills #8.

Last month, the Boston Celtics traded starting point guard Kemba Walker, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and a 2025 second-round draft pick to the OKC Thunder for Al Horford, Moses Brown and a 2023 second-round pick. This created an opening that Patty Mills could fill should he sign with the Celtics this offseason.

Although Patty Mills may not be the answer to the Boston Celtics' starting point guard opening, he can provide spot-up duty until they get a top-tier player at the position. The 12-year veteran provides stability in the backcourt off the bench and could be asked to start sparingly during the season if necessary.

Not only can he execute the pick-and-roll with efficiency, Mills could also provide veteran leadership, an excellent feel for the game and a clutch performer as well.

This past season, Mills averaged 10.8 points and 2.4 assists in 24.8 minutes of playing time. He received $13.5 million in the last year of a four-year, $50 million extension that he signed with the San Antonio Spurs in 2017. He could fit into the Boston Celtics’ mid-level exception for the 2021-22 season.