Amir Johnson Can be the Most Improved Player for Boston

A lot has been made about the Boston Celtics this upcoming season. Some experts are buyers of their stock, while some aren’t. Other experts talk about the players they find desirable, or some that could potentially turn into a franchise player (mostly just Marcus Smart). However, a lot of buzz has been placed on David Lee since it was the acquisition of him that shipped away Gerald Wallace‘s contract.

Lee was injured last season and lost his starting job to Draymond Green. Some want to believe that Lee will turn out to be a stud for Boston in the starting lineup, and return to his All-Star form. I have my eyes on a different Celtic, and one who many fans weren’t happy about coming in. That player is Amir Johnson.

I do believe Amir Johnson can become one of the more reliable players in Brad Stevens’ arsenal. David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Amir Johnson was signed to a two-year $24 million contract. That seems pretty steep for a player who hasn’t averaged a double-double or more than ten points per game, but a lot experts love what he can do when it comes to efficiency (plus his contract is only guaranteed for one season). Just last season his usage rate was almost 16 percent, yet his PER was 15.4. In case your wondering, that shows how he was efficient on the court pretty much every time he was playing. It’s been like that for his career, and it’s one aspect that head coach Brad Stevens must be drooling over about. He shoots well from the floor with his true shooting percentage near or at 60 percent almost every season. If he can continue to do what he has been doing in Toronto, Johnson could take a lot of Tyler Zeller‘s minutes.

I’m certainly fine if Zeller loses out to Johnson, when it comes to minutes. In fact, I’d like it if Johnson was taking minutes away from Jared Sullinger, Jonas Jerebko, and Zeller. I think Johnson could be a huge key for the Celtics this upcoming season. He can play two, possibly three positions on the court and can do damage on the glass. I think if Johnson is given the opportunity to play a lot of minutes (starters minutes like Isaiah Thomas), I really think the Celtics made out with one of the biggest steals last offseason.

Johnson can add a little grit on the defensive side of the ball. He could become a great playmaker for the Celtics. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

He is viewed at as a advanced stats darling in the NBA. Many experts drool over the type of advanced numbers he brings to the table. Plus many love his versatility on the court. What it looks like Boston is doing is getting a lot of efficient players on the team in order to help win games. This line of thinking could be that if the team has nothing but efficient players, then the team would win more games. Efficient players only take shots that are wide open or what the defense gives them. Players would also steer away from unnecessary risks on defense (going after steals too much). This could lead to better shooting percentage from the team from both inside and outside the arc. That means this season could be an experiment, but you can’t argue with that kind of philosophy (if that is indeed what the front office is thinking). Johnson is tough and someone who can easily get the crowd behind him (think Jae Crowder). He fits the mold of efficient and gritty, which fits in both with the fans and with the team’s supposed philosophy.

I believe he can help change the culture of this team if he’s given a chance to play a lot of minutes. If he’s given that chance, he could be one of the finalist for the Most Improved Player of the year award. If he becomes a starter (wishful thinking) or is used heavily in Stevens’ rotation, that could boost his numbers. I’m thinking 12-13 points per game, and hopefully 10 or more rebounds could give him the award. That’s not even looking at the advanced stats that would see a huge boost as well if he received a large quantity of minutes.

So yes, I’ll be the be the first to say Amir Johnson could gain some attention for the award. I won’t try to start a Twitter trend to get him the attention he deserves, but he’s someone fans should keep an eye on. However, it shouldn’t be that farfetched to think he will do well when dealing with the Boston Celtics. I’m sure Isaiah Thomas and David Lee will get a lot of attention (Marcus Smart will be talked about a lot as well). This could be a season where a lot of the lesser-known players will get some notoriety. I think Amir Johnson will be looked at as a vital signing and one that could help the Celtics return to an NBA title (think James Posey).

C.J Maffris is a writer for Hardwoodhoudini.com. He likes to think that every Boston Celtic will be in the top 15 of PER, which will win them a lot of games. Feel free to follow C.J @SeaJayMaffris

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