On the most recent episode of the Bill Simmons Podcast, Bill and Zach Lowe went live following Boston’s Sunday night win over the 76ers and broke down the team in green. Bill had plenty to say, of course, including his hunch that Jayson Tatum will make his long-awaited season debut on Friday night against the Mavericks.
But one of his other interesting theories that bordered into ‘Conspiracy Bill’ territory was that Joe Mazzulla is using Baylor Scheierman as a Jayson Tatum facsimile, keeping that role warm for when JT is ready to step into it.
It’s easy to see why Bill might think this. Baylor has been the latest addition to the starting lineup, playing on the wing and doing a fair share of ballhandling and shooting. But there are several issues with this theory that are giving me pause, and wondering if Simmons may not have the right read on this situation.
Scheierman has become a defensive ace
For one thing, Scheierman has actually become an extremely important and reliable defender, starting most games recently on the other team’s best player. That’s a big job, and something the Celtics likely won’t want Tatum doing, especially right away.Â
We’ve seen Baylor matching up with the likes of Luka Doncic, Tyrese Maxey, Jamal Murray, and others. Those are going to be some super tough matchups for JT, and I can’t imagine they want him draining his energy guarding those types of guys.
Having someone like Baylor in there to pester these guys is going to allow Jayson to conserve his energy and impact the game in other ways. Since he has entered the starting lineup, the Celtics have the best defense in the entire league, and that’s not a coincidence.
Baylor corner crashes have become invaluable
Beyond the obvious defensive matchups, Baylor has become a total dirt-dog, doing all the little things for this team. Tatum has proven capable, and his malleability is part of what makes him one of the best players in the league, but as he tries to return from achilles surgery, we don’t want him assuming that role.
Having a guy like Scheierman to do all of those little things, like crashing from the corners and keeping balls alive and creating extra possessions, has become a staple of this offense, and something they don’t want to lose. An uncanny skill like this will only be amplified when another elite playmaker is on the floor; it’s not a role you can simply ask Tatum to assume.
Scheierman has earned spot in the rotation
And finally, this theory from Simmons just seems too dismissive of Scheierman and the player he has become. Baylor has worked very hard and has become a rock-solid two-way player. He plays his role masterfully, and regardless of whether he gets sent to the bench for JT or not, he deserves to stay in the rotation.
He’s a useful player on offense and defense, and he has a good knack for the game. Again, I understand that Tatum is going to have to take minutes away from someone, and everyone has played so well that it’s not going to be an easy decision for Joe Mazzulla to make.
But to just assume that JT will come in and completely take away Scheierman’s role doesn’t make any sense, and makes me think Simmons needs to give Baylor a little more respect and appreciate how valuable he has become to the Celtics.