Last season, Javonte Green found himself at the end of the Boston Celtics’ rotation, getting few opportunities to play meaningful minutes. In the upcoming season, can Green get more playing time, and even find a stable place in the rotation?
Javonte Green played 48 games for the Boston Celtics in his first season, averaging 3.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 10 minutes of action. Coming over from Europe after graduating from Radford in 2015, Javonte looked to find a home in Boston.
It was an intriguing call on Danny Ainge’s part, considering the past years, the Celtics have been successful in finding European players to bring to the NBA. That has resulted in Stevens finding several rotation players including the likes of Daniel Theis and Brad Wanamaker.
Green presented coach Brad Stevens with a more reliable wing option, proving to be an adequate defender and amazing athlete in transition. He has amazing verticality and overall athleticism in his finishing game, making many highlights and posters in his rookie year.
With the Boston Celtics having three first-round draft picks coming into the year, Green was a prime candidate to be let go from the roster, as the second year of his initial contract was non-guaranteed. However, the Celtics liked what they saw from Green in his limited minutes, likely keeping him for the following season.
As the Celtics lose Gordon Hayward to the Charlotte Hornets, wing depth suddenly becomes an issue for the championship-hopefuls. Beyond Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who takes the forward minutes?
The Cs used the 14th pick in the draft to select Aaron Nesmith, a sharpshooting wing from Vanderbilt, who will likely be thrust into a rotational spot before stepping on an NBA court. Standing at 6’6″, he can hold his own as an SG or SF in most lineups.
Next in line would likely be Romeo Langford, but the second-year man is still dealing with injuries suffered in the bubble. Then, besides potential lineups with Marcus Smart playing a forward position, there’s Semi Ojeleye and Javonte Green.
Ojeleye was another candidate to be waived this offseason, as the Celtics had a crunch for roster spots. However, his 4th-year option was picked up, the final year of his deal. He’s been in the Celtics’ system longer than Green but has shown little growth in his offensive game and he’s always been solid on the defensive end, not letting anyone back him down in the post, but he needs to be able to hit corner threes to have a positive impact on the team.
So, with the new season quickly approaching, the Boston Celtics could be looking for help in spots in the rotation that were previously filled, especially with the injuries to Kemba Walker and Langford.
After a potential starting lineup of Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Grant Williams, and Daniel Theis, what players could get minutes off the bench? Certainly, Jeff Teague and Tristan Thompson have earned time with their veteran status, and Aaron Nesmith provides shooting to a team that has desperately needed it.
So, does Ojeleye get backup minutes? How about rookie Payton Pritchard to get some playing time? Robert Williams is finally back and healthy, where does he fit in the rotation?
Early on in the season, the Celtics have an influx of players they want to see hit the court and look to Javonte Green to be a reliable option for coach Stevens.
Do you think Green will crack a regular spot in the rotation?