The Celtics have made some very loud moves this offseason, but the actual roster hasn’t been overhauled or anything like that. For years, this team has been defined by the Jays, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, arguably the best and most accomplished superstar duo in the entire NBA.
But with the trade of Brown, that identity has taken a major shift. This is now clearly Tatum’s team, and the rest of the roster is built to fit him and accentuate his strengths, as well as the scheme and system of Joe Mazzulla.
Overall, they may not be more talented after swapping Brown for George, but the sum of the parts may be greater. Another key theme when analyzing the new-look roster is the versatility of the players. Other than the centers, almost everyone can play multiple positions, and it seems like Brad Stevens’ longtime dream of positionless basketball is finally being realized.
Having said that, I tried to lump players into the position where I think they’ll play the most minutes, but depending on the lineup combinations, the distinction between shooting guard, small forward, and power forward is going to be negligible a lot of the time. So, don’t get too bogged down in whether a guy is more of a 2 than a 3, or what have you.Â
Instead, focus on the depth and optionality that Mazzulla will have this year and imagine some of the lineups and rotations he’ll have at his disposal. Here’s my best guess for how things stand at the moment, with 14 players on the roster.
Point Guard
Early Projection: Payton Pritchard, Mike Conley
This could be Derrick White’s starting job, but I think it’s time for Payton Pritchard to shed the 6th man label for good and become a core part of the offense. As the starting point guard, he can soak up usage alongside Jayson Tatum and run the show for Boston. They’re hoping he can take a huge leap, and with thin guard depth, they better be right.Â
Conley is a great vet leader, but he probably can’t be relied on for major minutes at this point in his career. Realistically, one of White or Pritchard will probably be filling this slot in any meaningful minutes.
Shooting Guard
Early Projection: Derrick White, Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr.
D-White may play more point guard, but I think he and Pritchard will both start and close games with Pritchard playing more of an on-ball true ‘point guard’ role. But for the most part, the two will be mostly interchangeable. White is obviously much more of a defensive anchor, and playing next to more of a floor general in Pritchard should allow him to focus on his true strengths.
Gonzalez is another player that Boston is hoping will take a huge leap. He has looked solid in summer league and has shown that he may be worthy of some on-ball reps. Still, as a second-year player, he’ll probably be mostly relied on for defense and energy. Harper Jr. has been an interesting find who can play with or without the ball on offense and defends his position well. He’s a great, versatile option on the bench who can do a little bit of everything. I think he’ll have a bigger role than people expect this season.
Small Forward
Early Projection: Paul George, Baylor Scheierman, Sam Hauser
I’m sure PG and Tatum will be the starting forwards, so classify them however you want. At this point in his career, George is best suited to play more off-ball and space the floor with his shooting. He should get plenty of easy looks in this offense and can attack a compromised defense or beat his man one-on-one when needed.
Scheierman is yet another guy expected to take a big leap. He showed his chops last season as a playmaker, a shooter, a defender, and an active rebounder. He can do a little bit of everything and should have a major role in the rotation all season. Hauser is one of the best shooters in the league, and while he may lose his starting job, he’ll still be very involved.
Power Forward
Early Projection: Jayson Tatum, Jordan Walsh, Chris Cenac Jr.
Tatum will basically play every position from 1-5 and will do everything for the Celtics. Look out for an MVP-type of season with JT clearly being ‘the guy’ for 82 games. Walsh is going to take on a lot of Brown’s defensive role and will be leaned on heavily to guard elite perimeter players on a nightly basis.Â
He showed some flashes off the bounce last year and hit a good percentage of his open looks. If he can take another leap on offense, he should be a huge part of the team. Cenac is an intriguing rookie who has popped off the screen a few times at summer league, but given the depth he’s up against, he’s probably a year or two away from being a real piece of the rotation.
Center
Early Projection: Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson, Luka Garza, Amari Williams (2-way)
It doesn’t really matter who starts between Queta and Robinson, but the important part is that the Celtics should have 48 minutes of elite defensive play and rebounding at the center position. They should anchor an elite defense and help the Celtics threaten to lead the NBA in rebounding on both ends of the court. Offense will almost be a bonus.
Garza offers the change-of-pace look, as he was, statistically, the best shooting center in the league last season. He’ll still get plenty of run in the regular season and offer Boston some scoring punch from the position and more elite rebounding. Williams is back on a two-way, and he has the makeup of an offensive-hub type of center who can really pass it and make plays from the elbow and the high-post. He’s got a ways to go still, but he played in 22 games last year for Boston and held his own.Â
This Celtics roster is clearly lacking a number two superstar, as it has had for almost a decade. But the team is oozing with depth and potential. It’s going to be hard to get all of these guys the minutes they deserve, and there should be real healthy competition for playing time.
Is this a title contender? On paper, probably not. But if the pieces fit well enough, and the young guys all take a step forward, crazier things have certainly happened. But if not, this season should still be a great learning experience, and they’ll be able to balance things out next season with a better sample size and the flexibility to go hunting for whatever upgrades they need.
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