The Terry Rozier Problem

The Boston Celtics have a Terry Rozier problem, and there may not be any possible solution right now

We have known for quite some time now that the Boston Celtics were going to have to sacrifice something in their back court. The Celtics went multiple seasons where they continued to take guards with their top picks, and then they went out and traded for the best guard on the team, Isaiah Thomas. This offseason may be the first time the Celtics are forced to sacrifice value, and the number one suspect is Terry Rozier.

So much depends on what the plan is for Avery Bradley and Thomas. The two of them have two of the best contracts in the NBA right now, but both are also in line for a massive pay day next summer.

The Celtics not only need to think about how many guards they are going to carry on their roster, but they also have to think about how much cap space they are going to allocate. Even if Rozier is not going to command a massive contract any time soon, every bit of space is going to be valuable once the Celtics decide on their next max contract.

If it wasn’t for the playoffs, this would probably be an easy decision. Rozier disappeared from the rotation, was a non factor and his biggest role on the team was being a part of every single trade rumor. It appeared as though Rozier was going to follow the route of R.J Hunter, where the Celtics had to cut ties and let some other team take their chances on a player that just never worked out for them.

More from Hardwood Houdini

Then, Rozier came in and blew everyone away in the playoffs. Not only was he the rating leader by a significant margin, but the eye test also told you that Rozier was finally ready to take on a serious role. He had the energy on defense and aggressive rebounding that they desperately needed.

On offense, he showed signs of being great at the one, controlling the offense and instigating ball movement. He also looked great at the two as a confident shooter that was knocking down shots for this first time in his career.

Rozier had the kind of playoff performance that forces the Celtics to reevaluate exactly what they want to do with him, and it makes decisions this summer very difficult. Rozier has put himself in a position where he has leverage on the Celtics, because he has established that he is a player that could grow into a force for this team. Unfortunately, there is almost no room left for young guards to grow on this roster.

The other problem is that, despite his breakout in the playoffs, the Celtics have all but shattered his trade value. The Celtics are much better off taking a chance on Rozier, than turning him into a throw in to a big trade. The other side is then that no team is going to give up a significant amount for a player that could not get into a rotation for the entire regular season. Rozier is in a situation where the Celtics will perceive his value very differently form the rest of the league

Everywhere the Celtics look, it appears as though they are going to lose value on Rozier. With Markelle Fultz incoming and Marcus Smart, Bradley and Thomas firmly ahead of him in the rotation, there really are not enough minutes to go around. If the Celtics trade him, there is little value, but if they keep him they wont be able to optimize his ability.

The only way the Celtics can really make it work with Rozier is if they make a trade that involved one of their established guards, opening up space in the rotation for a player that could be on the verge of doing a lot of damage in the NBA.

The Celtics cannot toss Rozier aside, they cannot properly utilize him in their lineup and they cannot get adequate trade value for him. It is a shame because he has shown tremendous potential, and the Celtics have shown confidence and patience in him, but Rozier is now trapped in a situation and it is difficult to see how anyone will maneuver their way around it.

There are so many factors that could come into play to help Rozier. He could start playing well enough to steal minutes, but that will be difficult considering the competition ahead of him. There is also the trade scenario, or maybe Stevens is just going to take his small ball to another level and allow Rozier to spend significant time at the three.

The Celtics clearly want Rozier to be a part of their future. The problem is that they already have too many guards that are supposed to be a part of the future, and that is before the number one pick and apparent generational talent is drafted.

Next: Five Boston Celtics Who have Reached Their Prime

The Celtics have a lot of roster decisions to make this offseason, and Rozier may be the most difficult. The Celtics can still wait a year and embrace the unbelievable contracts their starting guards have, taking the pressure off o figuring out exactly what to do with them. For Rozier, this should be the season where he elevates his game and starts contributing on a regular basis, but he will inevitably be held back unless Danny Ainge finally comes through with that franchise altering trade, which could send Rozier packing, or leave him with a nice spot in the rotation.

Home/Celtics News