Celtics forward has slowly transformed into exactly what the team needs

The Boston Celtics found a hidden gem. Josh Minott spent his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves oscillating between the end of their bench and the G League. With his new franchise, he already looks the part of a contributor to a title contender.

The Florida native spent his offseason in Miami, doing three-a-days and sharpening his craft against the likes of Bam Adebayo, Obi Toppin, and Malik Beasley.

It immediately paid dividends. Minott ascended to the Celtics' starting lineup, then bounced back quickly after losing that role to Jordan Walsh. At the defensive end of the floor, he's helping fill the need for an on-ball stopper against the opposition's top options.

Beyond that, his ability to play the pivot in small-ball lineups is helping Boston field productive units when starting center Neemias Queta comes off the floor.

And not only does he make an impact in transition for a faster, more athletic iteration of the Celtics, but he's also evolving into a sharpshooter. The fourth-year wing is knocking down 43.8 percent of the 2.9 threes he's hoisting. That includes going 2/3 from beyond the arc in Friday's 126-105 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Minott also ranks third on the team in offensive rebounds. He's generating 1.7 second-chance opportunities per game.

After Boston cruised in a rivalry clash undermined by the NBA, his bench boss discussed what's fueling the 23-year-old's growth.

Joe Mazzulla on Josh Minott's maturation

"He plays a tough role because of his versatility and his ability to -- he's defending ball-handlers, he's defending screeners, they're changing matchups on him, and just continuing to grow and execute," voiced Mazzulla post-game. "He has a willingness to learn, and he has an open-mindedness, and he wants to get better. And I think he's gotten a lot better."

That defensive versatility is impossible to miss when Minott takes the floor. Against the Lakers, his primary assignments ranged from Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht to Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber.

"It's just a credit to him. He cares about the details. He cares about wanting to get it right. But he plays a unique role for us, where he's seeing a bunch of different reads over the course of the game on both ends of the floor," said Mazzulla.

However, it's also important to remember that the 23-year-old wing is in the early stages of his first opportunity as a rotation regular. The Celtics, now 14-9, are only 23 tilts into the current campaign. There is considerable room for growth in a role defined by its versatility. That's what makes what's to come for Minott even more exciting than how quickly he is capitalizing on his opportunity in Boston.

"The growth of him is to get to the point where he can just make those on his own consistently," said Mazzulla. "He does a great job studying those things, but it's just communication and teaching. I really enjoy coaching him."