Boston Celtics: 3 players that deserve more minutes
Boston Celtics that deserve more playing time: Aaron Nesmith
Aaron Nesmith, the Boston Celtics’ first-round draft pick this year, hasn’t seen much time on the floor yet in his young career, only appearing in eight of the team’s 17 games. Without training camp, Nesmith might not be ready for prime time yet, but he needs to get more minutes.
He has received more of a shot in the last week, playing 19 and 17 minutes against Chicago and Cleveland. He scored nine and 11 points in those games, beginning to find his shot from an NBA level. The intrigue with Nesmith was always his shot from distance, and that’s what will make him valuable in the league.
In the first few games of his career, his defensive rotations were a step too late, getting beat by his man again and again. This caused coach Stevens to limit his play, not seeing the court for extended periods of time. However, in the latter half of January, Nesmith has been able to get shots up both in garbage time and in meaningful minutes, and his shot has fallen.
Shooting 6-of-11 from deep in the last three games, the rookie’s shot looks smooth as butter. He has gotten plays run for him to get open looks, coming off of ball-screens to shoot from the top of the key. He has even showcased the ability to shoot the three off the dribble, something that’s usually a difficult skill for rookies to pull off.
On the defensive side of the ball, he has shown more aggression in rebounding the basketball and has been passable in team defense, especially for a first-year player. Standing at 6’5″ 215 pounds, Nesmith has the physical tools to become a successful 3&D wing for the Boston Celtics. He will gain muscle over time and will improve his 1-on-1 defense, but the prospect of him is promising for the championship contenders.
Sure, he may not be ready to contribute to a winning team just yet, but it’s good to play rookies early on in the season to see what they can add to a team in their first year. If coach Stevens waits too long to give him his opportunities, the Vanderbilt product may never find his confidence until it’s too late.