Boston Celtics: The definitive guide to next year’s center rotation
By Jack Simone
Current Boston Celtics center Tristan Thompson (18-20 mins)
Tristan Thompson is a very interesting case to look at. He played around 24 minutes last season, but there will be significantly more competition in his way this year.
Last season, Brad Stevens played him in tandem with Daniel Theis to start the year. Then when Theis got traded, Thompson was still splitting the center minutes with Robert Williams.
However, with Al Horford back in town and Moses Brown in Boston as well, Thompson has a lot less to offer. His elite rebounding is the one advantage he has left.
Horford and Grant Williams provide floor spacing, Moses Brown is a great rebounder oozing potential, and Robert Williams is supposedly the center of the future in Boston. Thompson is becoming less important by the day.
That being said, he certainly still has value to this team. His championship experience and overall intensity provide some much-needed energy when the C’s need it most.
Energy doesn’t always win basketball games, though. Sometimes skill and defense are what’s needed the most, and while Thompson has both of those to some degree, other players excel in those areas more.
As the C’s attempt to progress with Robert Williams, he should certainly see an uptick in minutes. At the same time, both Horford and Brown need playing time, too.
Thompson is likely a trade candidate this offseason. However, if he stays with the team, expect his minutes to go down a bit.