Terry Rozier: The Survivor

Terry Rozier has remarkably made it though the complete roster turnover for the Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics have gone through the most remarkable roster turnover maybe in the history of the game. With just four players and one starter returning from an Eastern Conference Finals team, the Celtics have flipped just about every possible option.

When you look at the returning members, it initially makes a lot of sense. Al Horford, the lone returning starter, was just signed to a max contract and was arguably the most important player on the team, so it was obvious that he was staying put.

Then you have Jaylen Brown, which also makes a lot of sense. His name was certainly thrown around in trade discussions, but the it feels as though the Celtics value him a lot more than most of the league, and he might have been and may continue to be the most untouchable player on this team.

With Marcus Smart, there was some real risk of losing him. When the Celtics signed Gordon Hayward, they knew they would have to free up cap space. The Celtics then made their commitment to Smart by trying Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder instead.

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It is also not too difficult to see why. He is younger, and he already has a case to be the best defensive guard in the league. If Smart develops a shot, then he could be one of the best two way guards in the league.

Then there is the final player returning, and he might be the most fascinating part of this Celtics’ offseason. There may not be another player more tied to trade rumors than Terry Rozier, and despite having a minor role on the team, he is one of the last men standing.

It gets even more interesting when you look at Rozier’s entire tenure with the Celtics. He was drafted in the same round as R.J Hunter, and the two of them started out quite similarly. Both of them were in and out of the rotation, and there was a time when Hunter’s shooting potential appeared to be better than anything Rozier could offer.

But, with his intense rebounding and ability to push the pace, Rozier managed to stick around a little longer.

The first real good sign, however, is when he got a chance in the playoffs. Rozier had his first real role in the playoffs, and he did not disappoint. Despite that, he was still tied to each and every trade rumor, and many people were wondering why Danny Ainge was holding onto a guard who cant shoot on a roster with plenty of guards that can’t shoot.

For whatever reason, Rozier’s shooting was never enough for the Celtics to part ways with him. Despite that, Rozier still never managed to get a consistent role on the team, making it perplexing that the Celtics held onto a player that they were not playing.

Then last year’s playoffs came around, and that might have been the beginning of something special. The fact that the Celtics held onto him after that playoff performance, despite losing almost the entire roster, could be an indication of a breakout season.

The Celtics had every reason, and probably every chance to trade Rozier in one of their many moves. At no point, however, did it ever appear to be a real possibility that Rozier would be getting traded.

Next: Breaking Down Marcus Smart's Hustle Game

There may not be another player that appeared to be close to being off the roster, while still beating out the plethora of players that were sent packing before him. Maybe they never had an acceptable package involving him, or maybe Rozier is just the ultimate trade rumor survivor.

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