3 Biggest Celtics storylines to follow during training camp

Training camp is right around the corner. The Boston Celtics are walking into next season as the reigning NBA Champions, and there’s isn’t much to track during the early stages of the year. They brought back all of their core pieces, meaning they are going to look very similar to last season.

That said, there are still a few intriguing stories to follow as the Celtics get prepped for the upcoming season. Outside of the injury to Kristaps Porzingis, the starting lineup looks the same, and the team’s top players are under contract for the next few years. Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Sam Hauser all earned extensions this summer.

But just because Boston is projected to be one of the best teams in the league doesn’t mean there won’t be intrigue during training camp. Here are three of the top storylines to follow.

1. Which backup center looks best?

Porzingis is slated to be sidelined for the first few months of the season, with his potential return date set for around Christmas. That will leave the likes of Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman, and Neemias Queta to fill in the gaps.

The Celtics re-signed all three players this summer despite the fact that they already have one of the most expensive payrolls in the NBA. All three guys will have a chance to prove their worth, as they will all earn significant playing time while Porzingis is out.

Tillman is an extremely switchable defender and developing three-point shooter, Queta is a freak athlete with the potential to be a great shot-blocker, and Kornet is a very reliable big man, especially in the pick-and-roll.

2. How do the rookies look?

This won’t matter too much for the upcoming season, as neither Baylor Scheierman nor Anton Watson is likely to earn playing time, but it’s still one of the more intriguing storylines of training camp.

Boston selected Scheierman with the No. 30 pick in the draft and Watson with the No. 54 pick. Both played fairly well in Summer League (though Watson looked a bit more reliable).

If either shows off enough talent to warrant playing time this year or next year, then it will be an absolute win for the Celtics.

3. Lonnie Walker IV vs. the field

The Celtics have one roster spot open. Reports have indicated their desire to keep the spot open heading into the season in an attempt to maintain roster flexibility. However, they brought in Lonnie Walker IV on an Exhibit 10 contract.

Walker played real minutes for the Brooklyn Nets last year. He’s an improving three-point shooter, a solid shot-creator, and an elite athlete.

In addition to Walker, the Celtics have Dmytro Skapintsev, Tristan Enaruna, and Ron Harper Jr. on training camp contracts. Can Walker play well enough to earn a roster spot? Or will the Celtics keep the spot open (or sign someone else)?