There may not be a team dividing fans as much as the Boston Celtics. It's easy to understand why many have critiqued them for trading Jaylen Brown, but anyone who knows how the team has operated under Joe Mazzulla understands they built a team better suited for what he wants. However, for it to work, they need every single piece to be at their best.
Long-time Boston-based sportswriter Bill SImmons revealed that two core Boston pieces are ready to take that next step: Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman.
On his latest podcast, Simmons revealed on his podcast that Boston was impressed by what Gonzalez and Scheierman had done this offseason.
"Celtics tidbit: Hugo and Scheierman, phenomenal shape... The enitre organization has been stunned by all the work they put in this summer. From my mouth to God's ears... You know who doesn't have baby fat anymore? Hugo."
Keep in mind that these are the two specific players the Celtics refused to part ways with when they discussed trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. That's also facing some backlash with the little they've proven compared to a future Hall of Famer like the Greek Freak.
But it's pieces of intel like these that should give them confidence that they made the right choice in not paying too much for Antetokounmpo. It's not like Gonzalez nor Scheierman will ever measure up to Antetokounmpo in the long run, but if their developments play a role into Banner 19, then that justifies the deal.
This season is a golden opportunity for both of them
The Celtics may have replaced Brown with Paul George, but they know as well as anyone that George is not only aging but has typically needed extended periods off due to injury. Times like those should give those two the chance to prove Boston was right to both pick them and keep them instead of dealing them for Giannis.
Remember that Boston went 9-2 in games Brown didn't play last season, and a fair amount fo those games were without Jayson Tatum. That's a testament to how good their depth was and still should be this season.
And if Boston proves that they did just as fine - maybe even better? - without Brown, don't be shocked if a lot of that comes down to Gonzalez's and Scheierman's improvements as players. It's not that Brown intentionally tried to hold them back or anything. It's that, now that he's gone, that opens opportunities for them to prove that they can make up for his absence.
They don't necessarily have to be as good as Brown was - expecting that much is unfair - but rather that they can impact winning enough to mitigate his absence.
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