(source:
https://hardwoodhoudini.com/2017/07/22/ranking-boston-celtics-rookie-chances/ )
#1 Jayson Tatum
Tatum was not the number one pick in the draft, but Danny Ainge made it known that he was the top player on the Celtics board. You do not get the best player in a draft and not have an already planned role for him.
He should expect to be the primary scorer on the second unit, and if the the defense comes around he will get time with the starters.
Of course he still has to prove himself. That being said, his leash will be longer. The Celtics will accept more problems from him before taking down his minutes, because they realize how high his ceiling could be.
It may end up being a Jaylen Brown type role from a season ago. Minutes will be inconsistent and the role will be largely undetermined. That being said, as he improves his minutes will increase, and by the end of the season he should have the most important role and biggest impact of any rookie on this team.
#2 Ante Zizic
Zizic does not have the versatility of the two previous bigs, but he is the most NBA ready rookie on this team, and is the best chance the Celtics have at fixing their rebounding issues.
He has an outside chance at the starting lineup based on how badly they need rebounding. The reason Zizic is so high on the list is that it is hard to imagine him having no role. The Celtics have multiple options when it comes to versatile bigs. For traditional bigs out there primarily to rebound, Zizic has almost no competition.
If Zizic proves to just be a capable rebounder, then he will be getting minutes. If he can offer more than just rebounding, then he could break the 20 minutes per game plateau. The Celtics are going to have an odd rotation with their bigs this season, and Zizic could fit in a lot of different ways.
#3 Guerschon Yabusele
Yabusele is Ojeleye with a year of professional ball under his belt. It was overseas, but the Celtics have a much better idea of how good Yabusele can be, and he fits in quite similarly to how Ojeleye will.
The bottom line is that the Celtics will never have too many of these kinds of versatile bigs. Yabusele may take minutes away from Ojeleye and vise versa, but if the two of them are playing well then they will both be prominent options off the bench.
The Celtics need the versatility, they need the offense and they need the defense. Yabusele has a great chance to have a real impact on the second unit. And, if his versatility can improve throughout the season, he could see some small ball time with the starters.
#4 Semi Ojeleye
Ojeleye caught a lot of eyes in the summer league, and has quickly become a fan favorite for the Celtics. It is rare to see a second round pick contribute as a rookie, but there is too much momentum around Ojeleye to ignore right now.
After Stevens’ comments about his ability to guard the five position, Ojeleye looks like he could be the key to small ball on the second unit. With a completely revamped second unit front court, Ojeleye is the exact kind of player they are hoping will work out.
His defensive versatility may actually make him underrated on this list. In terms of getting roles as a rookie, one thing is more important than anything else for the Celtics, defense.
#5 Daniel Theis
It feels a bit different looking at Theis as a rookie. He is already an established player in Germany, and just brought home a defensive player of the year award. That being said, the Celtics will be giving him his first NBA experience, and he does two things that this team desperately needs: rim protection and outside shooting.
Theis can certainly provide floor spacing, and he does it while being a stellar interior presence. Obviously competition difference is the biggest concern. There is no doubt that Theis will have a difficult transition. That being said, if he brings some of that Europe success to the Celtics, then he should have a prominent role on the bench.
The Celtics certainly have the space for him in the second unit front court, but he is going to be a bit more difficult to gauge. What the Celtics need him to do will be a lot more difficult at the NBA level, and if he takes a while to adjust, you know there are multiple options right behind him that will look to take any minutes away as quickly as possible.
#6 Abdel Nader
Nader has been impressive in lower competitions. He has proven that he can excel over lesser competition, but he will need a lot more to have an impact on the Celtics this season.
He certainly is a solid fit for the Celtics. He is a versatile forward who can be dynamic on offense. The problem is that the Celtics have invested a lot of assets into that exact kind of player. Nader has not excelled in any one way well enough to set himself a part from the other competing for the similar role.
One advantage Nader has is a bit more trust. He has been around the franchise for a bit longer, and Stevens has a better idea of what he is capable of compared to other rookies fresh out of college or coming from overseas.
#7 Kadeem Allen
Allen was impressive enough to make the Celtics want to keep him around, but there is a lot working against him right now. The Celtics do not have a direct need for anything that Allen does, and there is incredible depth ahead of him.
Allen needs to be even more special than maybe anyone else to earn a roster spot. His draft position will make any kind of benefit of the doubt difficult to establish, and he needs to be special enough to make up for a lot of trust established by those ahead of him on the roster.
The Celtics have plenty of guards. If there is one thing they may need more of is pure ball handlers. Unfortunately, Allen has a long ways to go before he can be a trusted ball handler.
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#8 Jabari Bird
The 6’6″ shooting guard out of California reportedly impressed team team officials with his summer league play. He was the 56th player taken in this year’s draft after averaging 14.1 points and 4.7 rebounds as a senior with the Golden Bears.
https://hardwoodhoudini.com/2017/07/22/ranking-boston-celtics-rookie-chances/
Topic: Celtics rookies ranked by chance to get playing time (Read 4200 times)