As we come off the excessive of a championship and enter the beginning of a brand new season, I’ve been tasked with rating the Celtics roster. So right here is my rankings of the very best gamers on the Celtics roster, from Anton Watson to Jayson Tatum.
17. Anton Watson
I’m not going to name Anton Watson mini Al Horford simply but, however the 54th decide within the 2024 NBA Draft did present some flashes in Summer season League. He’s a do-it-all participant on protection who’s a extremely good rebounder for his dimension at 6-foot-8. His three-point share elevated over all 5 seasons of his collegiate profession.
16. JD Davison
Davison has been within the NBA for 2 seasons now and has not carved a task out for himself. In simply 105 profession minutes, Davison has a profession 35 factors, 21 assists, and 19 rebounds. After a really disappointing Summer season League, I’m not positive how Davison carves out a profession with the Celtics.
15. Drew Peterson
In three NBA video games final season, Drew Peterson shot 60% from past the arc. In 56 G-League video games, he shot 37% from three-point vary. At 6-foot-9, Peterson has the dimensions to turn into a stable NBA position participant and the Celtics ought to completely proceed to try to develop him.
14. Baylor Scheierman
The thirtieth decide within the 2024 draft is a knockdown shooter. A profession 39% three-point shooter in school, Scheierman must be an elite shooter to reach the NBA. He didn’t make these threes in Summer season League, taking pictures simply 29% from past the arc in 5 video games. If he’s ever going to carve out a task in Boston, he’ll have to make photographs.
13. Jordan Walsh
The thirty seventh decide within the 2023 draft didn’t have a task final season and I don’t anticipate Jordan Walsh to have a lot of a task this season. An elite defender at Arkansas, Walsh had a tough Summer season League after enjoying nicely within the Maine Celtics run to the G-League Finals final season, averaging 14.5 factors in 48 video games. Walsh ought to proceed to be a key a part of Maine’s roster this season.
12. Jaden Springer
The Jaden Springer commerce was fascinating. The forty first decide doesn’t look like an enormous funding, however with how deep the Celtics are into the second apron, Springer’s $4.02 million wage this season balloons with the posh and repeater taxes tacked on. Nevertheless, Brad Stevens clearly likes the participant and he ought to. Springer is an elite defensive participant who, if he can develop an offensive recreation, couldl be an actual participant who can contribute to a extremely good group.
11. Neemias Queta
After signing a three-year contract with the Celtics this summer time, I anticipate Neemias Queta to have an opportunity to carve out a task for himself on the 2024-25 Celtics early within the season when Kristaps Porzingis is out. For a man who can’t shoot, Queta’s recreation is fairly modernized. Whereas his contact across the rim is unhealthy — he missed a jarring quantity of layups final season — he is an effective pick-and-roll participant who performs above the rim. On the defensive finish, Queta is an effective rim protector who nonetheless has room to develop. Whereas his recreation is tough across the edges, if Queta can proceed to enhance, he will likely be an enormous a part of the Celtics going ahead.
10. Luke Kornet
Luke Kornet is an fascinating case examine in the case of bigs and stretching the ground. He holds the document for probably the most made three pointers in school basketball historical past by a seven footer at 150. But, he solely took one three pointer final season.
He’s considered one of Boston’s steadiest gamers when he’s within the recreation. Along with his nice contact across the rim and the way he has improved as a rim protector, Luke Kornet is a greater participant ever since he stopped taking threes. Many individuals need Kornet to take three pointers once more, I simply don’t assume it’s needed.
9. Xavier Tillman Sr.
Earlier than we get began, let’s re-live Tillman’s enormous three in Recreation 3 of the Finals.
Tillman is an effective NBA participant. Whereas he isn’t the display screen and roll participant Kornet or Queta are, he takes some threes and is a extremely good participant, at all times discovering the suitable locations to be. There are two locations that put Tillman above Kornet and Queta for me. First is his versatility, whereas 100% of Kornets minutes and 95% of Queta’s minutes got here at heart final season, in line with Cleansing the Glass, simply 79% of Tillman’s minutes got here on the 5 after his commerce to Boston. In consequence, Joe Mazzulla is ready to use Tillman in additional methods than he can Kornet or Queta. The opposite, and extra distinguished, motive is that Tillman is a far more versatile defender. If Kornet or Queta get switched onto a guard, they’re toast however Tillman is ready to transfer his toes and hold guys in entrance of him. Within the playoffs, that’s such an enormous issue as a result of whereas it may get tough for Kornet at occasions (Queta by no means bought actual playoff minutes), it by no means felt like Tillman was hurting the group with him on the courtroom.
8. Payton Pritchard
It’s type of loopy we’re getting into Yr 5 of Payton Pritchard’s Celtics profession. His buzzer beater towards the Warmth as a rookie in 2021 feels prefer it was yesterday. The twenty sixth decide within the 2020 NBA Draft, Pritchard was in the identical highschool recruiting class as Jayson Tatum.
Final season was Pritchard’s greatest, averaging 9.6 factors and taking pictures 38.5% from three on a profession excessive 4.7 makes an attempt per recreation. His three-point taking pictures is such a helpful half to this Celtics group, as his vary goes to this point past the three-point line. I anticipate one other massive 12 months from Pritchard, after his two buzzer beaters within the Finals.
7. Sam Hauser
Undrafted in 2022, Hauser has turn into a key a part of the Celtics rotation on account of his dimension and taking pictures. Everyone knows the kind of shooter Hauser is, profession 42% from three-point vary, however his protection is what has caught out to me over this previous season. Utilizing his dimension and size, Hauser has discovered a means to have the ability to hold gamers in entrance of him. At 6-foot-8, he has the dimensions to protect guards and wings and his athleticism is underrated.
6. Al Horford
All of us love Al Horford. The 38-year-old nonetheless has a variety of ball left and he made a big impact on the Celtics championship run final season. All of us keep in mind his three that result in his fired-up response in Recreation 5 towards the Cavs.
What about his seven three-pointers in Recreation 3 towards Indiana?
Horford was superior all through your complete playoffs and proved that, even at 37-years-old, he may nonetheless play at a excessive stage within the greatest moments. Making 15 playoff begins in 19 video games, Horford averaged 9.2 factors and seven.0 rebounds making massive performs all through the playoffs. He confirmed he may nonetheless transfer his toes nicely and guard gamers on the perimeter at an elite stage for a 37-year-old heart. There will likely be an enormous position on Horford to start out the season with Porzingis out however the ageless marvel has proven he’s up for the problem.
5. Derrick White
It hurts me a bit to rank White at 5 and if this was a “most essential to the group” rankings, he could be larger however it’s not that. This doesn’t change the truth that White is an distinctive participant and has been, to me, the very best transfer of Brad Stevens’ tenure. For starters, he’s the very best shot blocking guard within the NBA.
He’s additionally doubtless the Celtics greatest level of assault defender on the group, making the All-Defensive Second Workforce in back-to-back seasons. His offense has additionally gotten rather a lot higher as nicely. When he first got here to the Celtics, White was taking pictures 31% from three-point vary. Because the begin of final season, he has shot 39% from three and has turn into a extra full offensive participant. After all, no shot was greater than his dagger in Recreation 4 towards the Pacers.
Or his shot to place the Celtics up 14 in Recreation 2 of the Finals.
Derrick White has turn into one of many final glue guys within the NBA and is without doubt one of the key figures of the Celtics future.
4. Kristaps Porzingis
The Unicorn offers the Celtics a weapon not like another they’ve. Simply watch his efficiency from Recreation 1 of the Finals.
His first recreation as a Celtic within the common season confirmed us these flashes, too.
A top-5 rim protector to go together with how he stretches the courtroom as a shooter is as nightmare to take care of. He has since added a post-up recreation to his bag and that’s particular as nicely. You can’t have a mismatch on KP as a result of it’s simply too straightforward for him.
It’s simply unfair how good Porzingis is when he’s proper and the way he matches with Tatum and Brown. Along with his rim safety and layered offensive recreation, when Porzingis is on the market and enjoying at a excessive stage for the Celtics, they’re practically unbeatable.
3. Jrue Vacation
What does Jrue Vacation not do on a basketball courtroom? He shot 60% on nook threes this previous season, he grew to become a roamer off the ball in Joe Mazzulla’s protection, and he nonetheless did all the opposite Jrue Vacation issues, like being a fantastic level of assault defender and being good with the ball in his fingers. One factor that’s a particularly underrated a part of Vacation’s recreation is his capacity to put up up little guards making it unattainable for groups to cover their level guard on him.
There was additionally his strip of Andrew Nembhard in Recreation 3 of the Pacers collection which all however sealed the sport.
Jrue Vacation is an enormous time participant who simply impacts profitable in so some ways.
2. Jaylen Brown
Mr. Convention Finals and Finals MVP is available in at quantity two on this checklist which needs to be a shock to nobody. Jaylen Brown is without doubt one of the nice success tales in participant growth. Brown put the work in: after taking pictures 29% from three in his lone season at Cal, Brown has turn into a knockdown shooter at a profession 36% mark. He’s additionally far more managed in his recreation and he’s keen to tackle the task of guarding the opposing group’s greatest participant, as we noticed within the Finals when he was tasked with defending Luka Doncic.
He grew to become the group chief as soon as the group traded Marcus Sensible this summer time.
The Celtics are barking very loudly at shootaround proper now. That is your replace from the press room in Dallas.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) June 14, 2024
Jaylen Brown entered the NBA as a undertaking and he and the group have turned him into one of many elite two-way gamers within the NBA, with a soar shot that earned a double bang from Mike Breen.
1. Jayson Tatum
To me, this isn’t a debate. Jayson Tatum is the very best participant on the group, regardless of who gained the Finals or Japanese Convention Finals MVPs. Tatum has turn into among the finest and underrated defensive gamers within the NBA, with the ability to guard 1 by 5 and taking up the duty of guarding the Mavericks heart within the Finals so the Celtics may swap Luka’s decide and rolls, to not point out how a lot of an improved passer and finisher across the rim Tatum has turn into.
On the largest evening of his profession, Tatum confirmed off these new abilities he has added to his recreation.
Additionally, when Tatum will get going he’s practically unattainable to cease. All of us keep in mind Recreation 7 towards Philly.
And Recreation 6 in Milwaukee.
Jayson Tatum didn’t take over video games like that final season as a result of he didn’t have to. As a substitute, he did no matter it took to win and he was nonetheless superior whereas doing it.