Charles Bassey stole the Summer League spotlight when he was a surprise addition to the Boston Celtics’ roster in Las Vegas. Fans learned Bassey would be a part of the team heading into their opener against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.
The big man showed out with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks off the bench in his debut. Two days later, he followed that up with another monster outing, logging 22 points, 13 boards, and three rejections against the New York Knicks.
The Celtics community was buzzing about the big man after seeing him dominate in both of his appearances for the Summer Cs. Many were even making the case for Boston to sign him for next season, which would require clearing a roster spot as they already have 15 players signed.
Bassey would make an interesting addition, for sure, especially with the Celtics' lack of frontcourt depth after losing Luke Kornet, Kristaps Porzingis, and likely Al Horford, too. As of today, fans are picking a side in the Luka Garza vs Neemias Queta starting center race.
Charles Bassey's outing vs. Miami is a wake-up call for the Celtics
The Bassey hype train slowed down a little bit after his showing in Monday’s loss to the Miami Heat. It would be unfair to say the big man was bad, but he certainly wasn’t nearly as dominant against Kel’el Ware as he’d been in the prior two games against less-talented opponents. Ware, who was named to the NBA’s second team All-Rookie, was one of the best players on the floor with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Meanwhile, Bassey posted just 10 points and 9 rebounds in the start, with rookie Amari Williams resting on the second night of a back-to-back.
It was a reminder that Summer League isn’t always a great indicator of whether or not a player can impact winning at the highest level.
Just take Queta for example. Last July, the Portuguese big man was in a similar spot to Bassey. He headed to Vegas with more NBA experience than most and played like it. Quetta dominated both games he played in before eventually being shut down in the final two matchups last year. He averaged 21 points, 8.5 rebounds, and two blocks per outing on 64% from the field.
Based on those numbers, as well as the eye test, many believed Queta was due to take a jump the following season. It felt even more likely with extra minutes up for grabs as Kristaps Porzingis was expected to miss the first few months of the campaign with an ankle injury.
Yet, Queta found himself buried behind Kornet, who proved to be the more reliable option.
Now, is this an exact one-to-one comparison?
No, that wouldn’t be fair. It is, however, a reminder of how impactful a player can project to be at Summer League, despite not quite being ready for a big role in the NBA. Maybe the Celtics should take a flyer on Bassey. But that flyer shouldn’t be bundled with the hope of finding their next starting center.