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Boston Celtics: Still too Early to Read Into Rotation

By Joshua Bateman

WALTHAM, MA - SEPTEMBER 29: Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics looks on during open practice on September 29, 2017 at the Boston Celtics practice facility in Waltham, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Michael J. LeBrecht II/NBAE via Getty Images)
WALTHAM, MA - SEPTEMBER 29: Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics looks on during open practice on September 29, 2017 at the Boston Celtics practice facility in Waltham, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Michael J. LeBrecht II/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Boston Celtics have started the preseason, but do not expect any more clarity for the rotation

The preseason is going to be crucial for the Boston Celtics in establishing their rotation. There are still two starting spots up for grabs, and not a single role on the second unit is well defined yet. After the first preseason game, there are plenty of conclusions to jump to.

It appears as though Brad Stevens wants Marcus Smart running the second unit, and Aron Baynes is going to bring that traditional size to the starting unit. The problem, however, is that you cannot expect that to even stay consistent in the first preseason game.

Stevens even spoke about a constantly changing starting unit, that will be dictated by matchups. That alone would ensure that no part of the rotation will ever be set. Even if that is not the case, there is still nothing we can know with certainty.

There are so many different things that Stevens needs to figure out, and he is going to try out as much as possible in the preseason. Even if we see a lot of any one thing in the preseason, that does not mean it will carry over into the regular season, because it could just be Stevens giving a different idea more of a chance when it does not matter.

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Even early on in the regular season, Stevens could be using that time to try out some final options, that he is not quite ready to throw out yet, but also may never become a long term part of their plans. We have seen it before with Stevens, and players could easily be a fixture in the rotation early on, only to see their role disappear completely once things start getting established.

In fact, having something occur in the preseason could even be an indication that it will not happen in the regular season. If we see something more in the preseason , chances are it is because Stevens is unsure about it and wants to get a better look. But, if he never gets the good look he is searching for, something that was prominent in the preseason could be completely lost in the regular season.

We cannot even trust what we see in the rotation to start the regular season. Players and coaches have spoken a lot of the process of transitioning, and there is no way Stevens will figure out his optimal rotation any time soon.

There can be hints and indications in the preseason, but do not put any stock into it translating to the regular season, especially with the young second unit players that need to show Stevens everything they can offer, and pretty much all the second unit players are in that same position.

All we can know from the preseason are the things that Stevens is trying to figure out. Who knows how many of these options are legitimate possibilities, and the preseason is far too small of a sample size to trust anything either way.

When you add on that Marcus Morris, who is expected to be a big part of this rotation, is missing preseason and training camp so far, then you get even more lost. There will be possibilities that Stevens is not capable of exploring in the regular season, and there could be plenty of options that emerge only during the regular season.

It is fun to speculate about, because there are so many options for the Celtics, and all of them look like a lot of fun. The problem is speculation is the furthest we are capable of getting. Thinking there will be any indicators of how things will actually function in the regular season is a bit foolish at this point.

Next: Quick Takeaways from the Preseason Game

We know that Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford are going to be starting all year long, but how they are staggered and the exact role they play when on the court is also undefined. Horford is the closest we will be able to get, but an ideal situation will feature Stevens finding more and more ways to use the most talent he’s ever had, and that is something that nobody will be able to predict with confidence any time soon.

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