Boston Celtics: best-case scenarios for 2 Cs rising stars

Tremont Waters best case scenario: Fred VanVleet

Unlike Jaylen Brown, the heights we envision for Tremont Waters are a bit more tempered. Though we still believe the rookie’s heights could easily be in the quality player category, realistically we do not foresee him reaching “face of the franchise” status like we do with Brown.

Somewhere along the lines of Fred VanVleet is where we can see Waters’ ceiling being in a few years time.

This is not just due to similarities with their smaller statures but, frankly, their skillsets.

Recently, we even spoke about how the C’s young guard could learn a thing or two from the rising Toronto Raptors star:

"During his rookie season, like Waters, the undersized guard found himself accumulating ample playing time in the G-League with the Raptors 905. Averaging very similar numbers to the Boston Celtics’ young prospect this season, VanVleet put up 16.9 points, 7.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game during his stint in the development league. His impressive play proved worthy of him being considered for the lead backup point guard role in his sophomore season (2017-18) — similar to where we view Waters —  where he wound up producing to the tune of 8.6 points, 3.2 assists, and just shy of a steal per game on 43 percent shooting from the field, 41 percent shooting from deep and, by the time awards season rolled around, found himself finishing third in the running for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award."

The reigning G-League Rookie of the Year proved to be a solid all-around talent during his stints both with the Maine Red Claws and with the Boston Celtics.

In 33.8 minutes in Maine, Waters averaged an impressive 18 points, 7.3 assists, and two steals per game on 35 percent shooting from deep. In the NBA, though boasting less impressive per-game numbers — 8.9 minutes, 3.3 points, 1.2 assists, and half a steal through 10 games — Waters showed glimpses of brilliance that has many, including us at the Houdini, believing he could come into next year with a legitimate shot of becoming the team’s primary backup to Kemba Walker.

If the second-round rookie Tremont Waters plays his cards right, he has the potential to have quite a productive career in the NBA, á la Fred VanVleet.