Tuesday marked the start of training camp for the Boston Celtics. It was a chance to get a progress report from Jordan Walsh. Ahead of his fourth year in the Association, he spent this offseason building towards a new offensive identity.
He doesn't want to be viewed as a limited player who has to be subbed out when his team needs a bucket. To be a solution in those situations and remain a threat at all points in the game, the 22-year-old wing has worked tirelessly on his shot. He has also been focusing on his ball-handling. That will allow him to create his own shots when opportunities present themselves.
On the practice floor at the Auerbach Center, Walsh shared that his offensive evolution is going really well. His new teammate, Paul George, is now aiding that process.
Paul George helping Jordan Walsh unlock new offensive identity
When Boston acquired the nine-time All-Star in the trade that sent Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, Walsh quickly reached out to him.
With the former Arkansas Razorback adding to his game, he knew George could sharpen tools like a mid-range pull-up. It's something the two have worked on together in Los Angeles and Boston.
"He's taught me some things, put some things in my bag that I think is going to come in handy in moments this season," said Walsh on Tuesday.
Why it's an ideal time for Jordan Walsh to evolve offensively
The six-foot-six wing has considerable competition for playing time. His position is the most crowded one on the Celtics' depth chart. It helps that they'll regularly operate with three wings on the floor. However, the battle for minutes will remain intense.
Walsh had to address the area of his game that limited his playing time last season. He's competing with Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Sam Hauser, and Ron Harper Jr. That group is behind entrenched starters, Jayson Tatum and Paul George.
Growth isn't always linear, and unfortunately, this isn't NBA 2K, where you can turn off injuries. However, odds are, at least one of Boston's burgeoning wings—and likely multiple members of that group—will be better in 2026-27 than in the previous campaign.
Walsh couldn't tread water. This evolution is necessary for his minutes to increase after averaging 17.8 per contest last year. He must continue to shoot well. His breakout season included converting on 38.4 percent of the 1.8 threes he hoisted. If he pairs that efficiency with the ability to become more of a threat off the dribble when those opportunities arrive, he becomes an even better fit in a Celtics offense that will be free-flowing and rely on dynamic talents beating defenses with their IQ and versatility.
Add us as a preferred source on Google