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Boston Celtics Roster Possibility for the 2015-16 NBA Season

By Timmy Sclafani

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In a weak Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics only need to make a few moves to put themselves in a position to thrive in the 2015-16 NBA season. Despite the plethora of draft picks and assets that Danny Ainge has acquired over the past few years, the Celtics don’t really need to cash in those chips to build up their roster for the coming season. The best moves that the Celtics can make would come through free agency, leaving the highly-coveted 2016 and 2018 Brooklyn Nets picks ripe for trading at the deadline.

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For the sake of this hypothetical Celtics roster, I will be assuming that Boston does not trade up in this years draft. With that said, lets take a look at a realistic possibility of what the team could look like for next year:

C: Tyler Zeller, Kelly Olynyk

Apr 21, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) drives against Boston Celtics center Tyler Zeller (44) in the fourth quarter in game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Say what you want about Zeller and Olynyk, but I still like this duo and think it has potential going forward. An arguement that I hear a lot about both of these guys is “neither of them would ever start on a true championship contending team”, and I have to disagree. At the respective ages of 25 and 24 years old, I don’t think anyone knows what either player will be like in their prime, two or three seasons down the road.

Both players are still trending upwards. Zeller played well on both ends of the court, especially in the second half of the season. He developed strong chemistry with the Celtics backcourt, and could be borderline lethal on the pick-and-roll at times. On the defensive end, he frequently held his own against other centers who were bigger and stronger than him, and he found a way to keep himself from getting in to foul trouble early.

Olynyk is a different style of center, though a style that the league is trending towards, and he is a unique player that doesn’t come around every day. He is seven feet tall and he shoots fairly consistently from behind the arc. Additionally, no matter how awkward he looks when he does it, he is one of the better Celtics at driving to the hoop and finishing. When Olynyk is feeling it, and playing aggressively, he has one of the most diverse offensive games on the team.

These guys will never be the center pieces of a team, but they are valuable moving forward. I’m not ready to trade either player just yet, with their prime years coming up.

PF: LaMarcus Aldridge, Jared Sullinger, Bobby Portis

April 9, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) shoots the basketball against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Trail Blazers 116-105. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

If the Celtics start the season with these three power-forwards, they COULD have the most depth at this position of any team in the entire league. I say COULD, because it would be dependent on a number of factors.

First and foremost, Ainge would need to pitch Aldridge and convince him to come be the next star of the Boston Celtics. Considering Aldridge was in Boston just last week, this process may have already started. The addition of Aldridge alone could boost the Celtics in to a position to be powerful Eastern Conference contenders.

Aldridge is a massive scoring threat on his current team, the Portland Trail Blazers, and that is with him playing second-fiddle to one of the leagues best young talents in Damien Lillard. In Boston, Aldridge could easily average upwards of 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.

The second condition for the Celtics to be stacked at power forward is for Sullinger to realize his full potential. Sullinger has battled weight-induced injuries throughout his three year career and that is unacceptable for an NBA player. Sullinger has showed he can be brilliant on the offensive end of the court, and it is time that he started to play like that all of the time. For him to do that, he needs to bulk up and get serious about playing basketball at a professional level. From what he has said on social media lately, it SEEMS like he is prepared to do exactly this.

Lastly, the Celtics would need to draft Bobby Portis. At the 16 spot in the draft, Portis is my top choice for the Celtics in the 2015 NBA Entry Draft. I think his work ethic and play style are a perfect match for Boston, and if he is available I think they will feel the same way. It’s hard to say exactly how well Portis will transition in to the NBA, but I would certainly trust him in the hands of a star like LaMarcus Aldridge. Since Portis seems to already have a strong work ethic, I’m not overly concerned about Sullinger’s attitude from previous years rubbing off on him.

SF: Tobias Harris, Jae Crowder

Apr 8, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris (12) pushes back against Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) during the second half at Amway Center. The Magic won 105-103. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Two more young guys who could prove to be dominant NBA players as soon as next year. Harris and Crowder would be another lethal combination in Boston at the small forward position. Harris is clearly an upwards trending player, and if the Celtics can pry him from the Orlando Magic I think it would be brilliant for them to do so. Harris isn’t exactly a max player just yet, but signing him to a max now will be an absolute bargain next year when the salary cap goes up. Unfortunately, the Magic are aware of this too, so it wouldn’t be easy to score the young forward.

If, however, they are able to, Harris would provide an excellent secondary scoring option after LaMarcus Aldridge. Harris averaged 17.1 points per game last year in addition to 6.3 rebounds, a pair of numbers that are bound to go up over the next several years, as he is just 22 years old.

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    • On the other hand, Jae Crowder is another Boston gem who they are very likely to hold on to through his restricted free agency this offseason. Crowder came to Boston in the Rondo trade and immediately became a fan favorite due to his dedication and his hustle. Crowder endeared himself to the fans even further with a solid playoff performance, and he surely deserves a nice paycheck and a spot on the roster next year. Crowder is the kind of guy that the Celtics should be built on.

    SG: Wesley Matthews, Avery Bradley, RJ Hunter

    Apr 3, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) drives the ball against Milwaukee Bucks guard O.J. Mayo (00) in the second half at TD Garden. The Bucks defeated the Celtics 110 to 101. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

    The main benefit to bringing in Wesley Matthews would be the improved chances of reeling in LaMarcus Aldridge. On top of that, after a season-ending injury for Matthews he will be less expensive than if he was playing prime basketball. In Boston, Matthews would get the ball in his hands more than in Portland which would allow him to improve his already steady offensive output.

    Matthews doesn’t exactly have ice in his veins, but he is certainly a guy you can count on to hit a big shot down the stretch. He is not a perfect fit, but he is close to the sharpshooter that the Celtics need. If Matthews could start and give the Celtics a spark from behind the perimeter, it would allow Avery Bradley to come of the bench and play his game.

    Bradley’s game, as most know, seems to consist of stellar perimeter defense and long-to-mid-range two’s. It sounds annoying, and often times it is, but when Bradley’s shots are falling he can look like an almost elite shooter. Much like at the small forward position, these two players give Stevens the opportunity to create favorable match ups based on having one more offensive-minded player and one more defensive-minded.

    Lastly, the Celtics could draft RJ Hunter. Hunter is something of a question mark in the draft, with some projecting him to go late in the lottery, and others projecting him to go late in the first round. If Hunter slips to the 28th pick, I think he should be the Celtics guy. He has showed flashes of Steph Curry-like quick release, and I think any team should be interested in that after the year Curry has had. If Hunter proves to be an immediate contributor, Stevens will find time to get him minutes.

    PG: Marcus Smart, Isaiah Thomas, Phil Pressey

    Apr 21, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) and guard Isaiah Thomas (4) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

    The Boston Celtics should feel good about what they have going at the point guard position. In their starting roster they have Marcus Smart, one of the most promising upcoming players in the game. He plays pesky on and off-ball defense, shows signs of becoming a good offensive player and gives 110 percent effort at all times. Even though he has showed some difficulties with being the guy to bring the ball up the floor and run the offense, I believe he can grow in to this position.

    Then, coming off the bench, the Celtics will have the should-have-been 6th Man of the Year Isaiah Thomas. He was the Celtics’ best player last year and he will lead their second unit again this year to make sure that the opposing teams never get a rest. When the starters are having an off night for Boston, Isaiah Thomas makes sure that he gets things going even if he has to will himself to the basket every time he brings it up court.

    If Smart really doesn’t look capable of handling the full set of point guard duties, Thomas could potentially breach the starting lineup. This seems unlikely to me, however, since the Celtics seem pretty intent on keeping him coming off the bench.

    I also think that Pressey is worth keeping around for the last year of his contract. Pressey isn’t anything special, but I can think of at least a few games last year where he put some wind back under the Celtics wings when they were down 15 or 20 late in a game. Even if his basketball playing isn’t top notch, that is an extremely valuable quality to have in a player on your team.

    Ideally, the Celtics won’t be down 15 or 20 late in a game nearly as often this year as they were last. With a roster similar to this one, I think the Celtics could be a 50 win team. If they enter this year with the momentum they left with last year, plus some impactful new players, they could finish in the top 4 in the Eastern Conference.

    Be weary though, the rest of the conference surely looks set to be improving this offseason as well; The Pacers will be getting Paul George back, the Heat will be getting Chris Bosh back and Orlando will be operating under a new head coach. That’s why it’s important now, more than ever, that Ainge makes a splash in free agency this year, and reels in a big fish like everyone is hoping for.

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