Jordan Walsh may never have an NBA opportunity like the one in front of him. The Boston Celtics invested draft capital in him. He has spent two years working in their player development program. The time for that to pay dividends is now.
The Celtics are entering a projected gap year. With Jayson Tatum rehabbing a torn Achilles, players up and down the roster will take on increased responsibility. Can Walsh take advantage?
"This is sort of a make-or-break year for him," a Celtics coach told Spotrac's Keith Smith at Summer League. "The minutes will be there if he takes them. This summer was a good start."
If Walsh doesn't build on a productive showing in Las Vegas, he could feel the effects of this more punitive collective bargaining agreement, and that there is more talent in the NBA than perhaps ever.
That combination could see him go from a standard contract to a two-way deal, playing exclusively in the G League, or signing with a club overseas.
What Jordan Walsh has on his side
Walsh's most significant advantages are the opportunity he has this season and that it's with the franchise that selected him 38th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.
That he's only 21 years old could also help persuade another NBA team to take a chance on him if the upcoming campaign doesn't go as he hopes. It's also a factor that lends itself to the possibility that he matures elsewhere and later returns to the Association as a better player.
A local example of this happening is Guerschon Yabusele. After two years in Boston, at age 23, the Celtics' former first-round draft pick took his talents overseas. There, his game blossomed.
That led to an NBA return with the Philadelphia 76ers this season. His impact in "The City of Brotherly Love" led to him signing with the New York Knicks on a more lucrative deal this summer. Yabusele landed a two-year, $12 million contract that has a player option.
So, if Walsh doesn't capitalize on the opportunity in front of him, there is hope for what happens next. But that's not the road he wants to travel. It's not why he worked so hard to elevate his play at both ends of the floor. It was a development on display at Summer League.
"I'm working on all parts of my game, obviously," Walsh said in Sin City. "But I think, when it comes to Summer League, it's all about, 'What can you do in the moment to help us win?'
"And in the moment, I was getting a couple [of] plays called for me, where I had to create, or was just in the flow of offense. It was like -- I had to create. And so I just took every moment like that with as much confidence as I could. Determination to just get a bucket."
Walsh's teammates appreciate that maturation. That includes Baylor Scheierman, who spent the last two Summer Leagues with him. He has seen the former Arkansas Razorbacks' transformation first-hand.
"He's grown in a lot of different areas," said Scheierman while the Celtics were in Las Vegas. "I think, obviously, the older you are, the more comfortable you become, and obviously, this Summer League, I think he's done a great job of just balancing when to be aggressive and when to kind of just chill out. And he's playing great."
Walsh forced the issue last summer, paying the price for trying to do too much or letting missed shots get the best of him. This go around, he was more poised -- save for his uncharacteristic ejection.
The six-foot-six wing was less frantic. Instead, Walsh operated with more control. That allowed him to play on his terms and showcase progress that has unfolded mostly behind the scenes.
As the NBA season creeps closer, soon enough, it will be time for him to step into the spotlight and try to prove that in a higher-skilled setting. Walsh's contract contains a $2.4 million club option for the 2026-27 campaign. However, his tenure in Boston and his NBA future may hinge on what he does with what may prove to be the best chance of his career.