The Celtics overhauled their roster this summer — the process and the why have been well-documented at this point in the offseason. Basketball penalties from the salary cap and second apron make team building difficult. So, the C’s shipped off talented-yet-expensive players like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis elsewhere.
And for all the criticism Jayson Tatum gets, before his Achilles injury, he was one of the most durable stars in the league. There was a reason he was named first-team All-NBA four straight seasons. So as the Celtics head into a season without their star next season, it also means there are plenty of rotation minutes to go around.
Amid the roster tinkering has led to questions up and down the roster. The Celtics have opportunity for young players looking to make their mark on the league. But it’s also a question of who will emerge as rotation contributors throughout the season. The big man situation has been a talking point this summer as the C’s are set to lose their top-3 centers from last season.
But the wing rotation is also one of the more intriguing spots going into training camp. Jaylen Brown is set to return and he’ll be the guy at the top of the opposing scouting report every night. Sam Hauser has been a dependable 3-point shooter, though injuries slowed him down for most of last season. Beyond them, a glut of young players have their best shot at a rotation spot in their short time in the league.
Three of the four guys who will be in the mix are recent C’s draft picks. Jordan Walsh (38th overall, 2023), Baylor Scheierman (30th, 2024) and Hugo Gonzalez (28th, 2025) are all on the roster for next season. Realistically, Gonzalez won’t be expected to contribute much as a rookie since he’s just 19. There were some positives from his Summer League performance, but he‘s still raw as a prospect.
Walsh and Scheierman are the names to watch. Walsh, 21, is entering his third pro season after a one-and-done college career at Arkansas. He saw early minutes last season but wasn’t able to make much of an impact at the NBA level, though he did play in 52 games. Walsh had a nice Summer League showing, but at some point, he’ll need to prove he can consistently impact the game with the main club.
Scheierman, who turns 25 next month, will be a second-year pro but that’s after a five-year college career. He spent most of the first half of last season with the Maine Celtics in the G League after a tough shooting start to his pro career. Scheierman came on in the second half of the season, showing some flashes. The Summer League showing was a mixed bag that was highlighted by his shooting woes. Realistically, he’s going to need to produce offensively to stick in the NBA as it’s an important year for the former first-round pick.
Josh Minott, 22, was also signed by the Celtics in free agency, coming over from the Timberwolves. He’s shown some nice traits in 93 career games over three seasons, but it’s also a make-or-break season for him. The opportunity is there and the Celtics liked him enough to sign him early in free agency.
Brown and Hauser are the returning key guys, but beyond them is one of the more underrated questions on the Celtics roster. There’s been a lot of draft capital invested as the Celtics are looking to find another contributor not just for this season but beyond, as well. All those questions will be answered come training camp, which is still roughly a month away.
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