The Celtics have navigated this season brilliantly so far. Every bit of adversity has been met and handled perfectly, and things that seemed like they could become potential issues have largely been turned into strengths by Joe Mazzulla and his staff.
And soon, the team will be faced with another big change, once their All-NBA superstar Jayson Tatum returns. For now, the JT season debut is still speculation, but all signs point to a comeback sometime this month. That’s going to change the dynamic, but hopefully in a good way.
If this is considered a “problem”, it’s certainly a good problem to have. Reintegrating Tatum will be a process that takes time and may have some unintended consequences, but there will be ripple effects felt throughout the entire roster.
I don’t imagine Tatum stepping in and being a 1:1 replacement for any specific player. Instead, I expect he’ll be kind of like a hybrid role of what a few different players are doing now, taking parts of several different roles to combine into some version of Jayson Tatum.
But one question that will have to be answered sooner than later is what the Cs do with their starting lineup? In his career, Tatum has played in 585 NBA games, and he has started every single one. There will obviously be a ramp-up process, but whether it’s immediate or not, he’ll be back with the starters in short order. So, who goes to the bench?
Baylor Scheierman putting forth great audition to keep starting job
The obvious solution would seem to be having Tatum slide right into the Baylor Scheierman slot, which was likely the original plan after the last lineup shuffle in the wake of the Anfernee Simons trade. But in reality, Baylor has been a major X-Factor since joining the starting lineup.
On the season, Scheierman has started 14 games, and the Celtics have won 11. Since being added to the starting unit in February, the Celtics have the best defense in the league, and he’s a big part of the reason. Scheierman has proven to be a very good defender, guarding the opponent’s best player every night, from Luka Doncic to Tyrese Maxey, and everyone in between.
He has brought a new type of energy with his relentless effort on defense, on the glass, and his constant motion on offense. He is elite at crashing from the corner and creates countless extra possessions for his team. He has become a sort of do-it-all dirt dog who perfectly brings the starting lineup together.
In theory, that could be a boon once Tatum comes back. Having Scheierman in there to do all the dirty work and little things will make it easier for JT to come back and ease his way into the lineup without being tasked with the hard work that he has become synonymous with over the years.
Allowing someone like Baylor to shoulder a lot of the load could be a blessing for Tatum, and could help set the tone right off the rip to start games.
Sam Hauser has proven himself a starter
The other, perhaps less obvious option to hit the bench would be Sam Hauser. Sam is one of the best shooters in the entire league, and his spacing and gravity are on another level. Letting him fit around the Jays and Derrick White creates countless easy looks and opens the doors for a three-point barrage to get started early.
Hauser is the more established, veteran option, and he has built great chemistry with the rest of the starters over the years, including Tatum. At the same time, there’s no question he’s not giving you the same level of energy and dirty work that you’re getting from Scheierman. He’s definitely an underrated defender, and has improved his game in a lot of ways, but he’s not someone you’re starting off on the Doncics and Maxeys of the world.
It has become a tricky decision, and that’s a testament to how well everyone has played. All of the options are good ones, and it doesn’t seem like the Celtics can really go wrong. The best part is, there’s nobody besides Joe Mazzulla I’d rather have making this decision.