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Marcus Morris to Miss Start of Season

By Joshua Bateman

CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 11: Marcus Morris #13 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on October 11, 2017 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 11: Marcus Morris #13 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on October 11, 2017 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Marcus Morris is expected to miss the first week of the season for the Boston Celtics

Just a few days after finding out that Aron Baynes should be good to go on opening night, Brad Stevens announced that Marcus Morris could be out for the first week of the season (Via Boston Herald). We already expected Morris to have a tough transition after missing so much time due to his trial, and this could trap him even further down the depth chart.

Morris played just one preseason game, but he did not start that and did not get many minutes. The Celtics need to make sure he is healthy, they need to make sure he gains some sort of chemistry, and they need to make sure he is the best option.

To this point, the Celtics have not had the opportunity to tell if Morris is the player they want starting next to Al Horford, and if Jayson Tatum is as NBA ready as most are hoping, then Morris may have lost his chance to start.

That being said, Tatum is just a rookie, and having him in the lineup will means that there could be some size and defensive issues. We know that Tatum will be just fine on offense, but that is not going to be the biggest concern with that second big.

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If the Celtics decide to go with Tatum, which is expected, the Celtics are fully committing to small ball and versatility. While that does take some emphasis on what Morris offers, it does leave the door open for him to jump ahead Baynes on the depth chart.

The Celtics know they can use Morris’ strength in the paint, and his shooting would be incredibly valuable. The problem is that with no opportunities to figure out how to use him, and all kinds of other lineup issues to figure out, it could be hard to fit Morris back in without pushing this transition period too far.

The worst part is that we still do not know if it will only be the first week. Brad Stevens has emphasized the importance of giving him a proper preseason time, in order to make up for all the time he lost, going all the way back to training camp.

Next: Good News From Aron Baynes

If this injury is serious at all, then this time may not be able to count towards that progression. At this point, Morris could need that week tor recover, then he could even more time to get up to speed. Hopefully he will at least be able to get some minutes after a week, giving him some opportunities to prove he is ready on an NBA court.

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