Boston Celtics: Former Bucks, Kings sharpshooter ‘surprise’ free agent target

The Boston Celtics have been thrown a potential bone in the form of Donte DiVincenzo becoming an unrestricted free agent. The Sacramento Kings declined to tender him a qualifying offer to would have made him a restricted free agent.

DiVincenzo had initially indicated that he was happy to finally be in Sacramento after the Kings failed to acquire him in the voided Bogdan Bogdanovic trade with Milwaukee — one that cost the Bucks a 2022 second-round draft pick. Unfortunately, the relationship soured in Sacramento after he became unsatisfied with his role as a reserve, which led to accusations from the guard that the Kings were intentionally driving down his market value to make it easier to retain him.

With the Boston Celtics armed with the taxpayer’s MLE–which is slightly lower than what DiVincenzo’s $6.6 million qualifying offer would have been–a pursuit of the former Kings and Bucks sharpshooter could be possible from the defending Eastern Conference champions.

MassLive’s Brian Robb called him a ‘surprise free agent target’ this offseason, a true statement in the Houdini’s eyes considering his unforeseen unrestricted free agent status:

How Donte DiVincenzo fits in with the Boston Celtics

Traded at the February 10th NBA trade deadline, DiVincenzo ended up starting just one game in 2022 with the Kings in 25 appearances. He did get 26 minutes per game in Sacramento, though, which was just shy of his average when he was a starter with the Bucks during their 2020-21 NBA Championship season. Perhaps his theory the Kings were sinking his trade value lacked merit, especially considering he found the floor 17 times in a Bucks uniform last season and every showing was as a reserve.

While DiVincenzo shot a career-worst from the field in 2021-22, he did improve his 3-point efficiency in the move to northern California. He also, notably, upped his assists per game to a career-high 3.6 per game, a good way to offset a career-high in turnovers.

DiVincenzo is an intriguing add to Boston’s bench, where he’d be a spot-up complement to Derrick White in the backcourt. There could be skill overlap with Payton Pritchard to an extent but with all three offering catch-and-shoot outlets for Marcus Smart and the ‘Jays’, Ime Udoka could have a second unit that could get hot from beyond the arc and shoot opponents out of games when the starters sit.