Ranking the Celtics roster – CelticsBlog

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 perfect 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 choose 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 very good rebounder for his dimension at 6-foot-8. His three-point proportion 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 job 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 certain 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 scale to turn into a stable NBA position participant and the Celtics ought to completely proceed to attempt to develop him.

14. Baylor Scheierman

The thirtieth choose within the 2024 draft is a knockdown shooter. A profession 39% three-point shooter in faculty, Scheierman must be an elite shooter to reach the NBA. He didn’t make these threes in Summer season League, capturing simply 29% from past the arc in 5 video games. If he’s ever going to carve out a job in Boston, he’ll have to make pictures.

13. Jordan Walsh

The thirty seventh choose within the 2023 draft didn’t have a job final season and I don’t anticipate Jordan Walsh to have a lot of a job this season. An elite defender at Arkansas, Walsh had a tough Summer season League after taking part in properly 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 choose 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. Nonetheless, 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 very good staff.

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 job 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 dangerous — he missed a jarring quantity of layups final season — he is an efficient pick-and-roll participant who performs above the rim. On the defensive finish, Queta is an efficient 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 terms of bigs and stretching the ground. He holds the document for probably the most made three pointers in faculty 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. Together 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 crucial.

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 efficient NBA participant. Whereas he isn’t the display and roll participant Kornet or Queta are, he takes some threes and is a very good participant, all the time discovering the appropriate 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, based on Cleansing the Glass, simply 79% of Tillman’s minutes got here on the 5 after his commerce to Boston. Consequently, Joe Mazzulla is ready to use Tillman in additional methods than he can Kornet or Queta. The opposite, and extra distinguished, purpose 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 ft and maintain 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 instances (Queta by no means received actual playoff minutes), it by no means felt like Tillman was hurting the staff with him on the court docket.

8. Payton Pritchard

It’s sort of loopy we’re getting into 12 months 5 of Payton Pritchard’s Celtics profession. His buzzer beater in opposition to the Warmth as a rookie in 2021 feels prefer it was yesterday. The twenty sixth choose 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 capturing 38.5% from three on a profession excessive 4.7 makes an attempt per recreation. His three-point capturing is such a useful half to this Celtics staff, as his vary goes thus far past the three-point line. I anticipate one other large 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 because of his dimension and capturing. 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 found out a manner to have the ability to maintain gamers in entrance of him. At 6-foot-8, he has the scale 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 plenty of ball left and he made a huge effect 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 in opposition to the Cavs.

What about his seven three-pointers in Recreation 3 in opposition to Indiana?

Horford was superior all through the complete playoffs and proved that, even at 37-years-old, he may nonetheless play at a excessive degree within the largest moments. Making 15 playoff begins in 19 video games, Horford averaged 9.2 factors and seven.0 rebounds making large performs all through the playoffs. He confirmed he may nonetheless transfer his ft properly and guard gamers on the perimeter at an elite degree 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 surprise has proven he’s up for the problem.

5. Derrick White

It hurts me a little bit to rank White at 5 and if this was a “most necessary to the staff” rankings, he could be greater however it isn’t that. This doesn’t change the truth that White is an distinctive participant and has been, to me, the perfect transfer of Brad Stevens’ tenure. For starters, he’s the perfect shot blocking guard within the NBA.

He’s additionally possible the Celtics greatest level of assault defender on the staff, making the All-Defensive Second Workforce in back-to-back seasons. His offense has additionally gotten so much higher as properly. When he first got here to the Celtics, White was capturing 31% from three-point vary. For the reason that begin of final season, he has shot 39% from three and has turn into a extra full offensive participant. In fact, no shot was larger than his dagger in Recreation 4 in opposition to 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 court docket 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 properly. You can not have a mismatch on KP as a result of it’s simply too simple for him.

It’s simply unfair how good Porzingis is when he’s proper and the way he suits with Tatum and Brown. Together with his rim safety and layered offensive recreation, when Porzingis is on the market and taking part in at a excessive degree for the Celtics, they’re practically unbeatable.

3. Jrue Vacation

What does Jrue Vacation not do on a basketball court docket? 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 an incredible level of assault defender and being good with the ball in his arms. One factor that’s a particularly underrated a part of Vacation’s recreation is his skill to publish up little guards making it not possible 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 successful in so some ways.

2. Jaylen Brown

Mr. Convention Finals and Finals MVP is available in at quantity two on this record which needs to be a shock to nobody. Jaylen Brown is without doubt one of the nice success tales in participant improvement. Brown put the work in: after capturing 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 staff’s greatest participant, as we noticed within the Finals when he was tasked with defending Luka Doncic.

He grew to become the staff chief as soon as the staff traded Marcus Good this summer time.

Jaylen Brown entered the NBA as a mission and he and the staff have turned him into one of many elite two-way gamers within the NBA, with a leap shot that earned a double bang from Mike Breen.

1. Jayson Tatum

To me, this isn’t a debate. Jayson Tatum is the perfect participant on the staff, regardless of who received the Finals or Jap Convention Finals MVPs. Tatum has turn into probably the greatest and underrated defensive gamers within the NBA, with the ability to guard 1 by way of 5 and taking over the duty of guarding the Mavericks heart within the Finals so the Celtics may change Luka’s choose 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 night time of his profession, Tatum confirmed off these new expertise he has added to his recreation.

Additionally, when Tatum will get going he’s practically not possible to cease. All of us keep in mind Recreation 7 in opposition to 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 an alternative, he did no matter it took to win and he was nonetheless superior whereas doing it.