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 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 choose within the 2024 NBA Draft did present some flashes in Summer time League. He’s a do-it-all participant on protection who’s a very good rebounder for his measurement at 6-foot-8. His three-point share elevated over all 5 seasons of his collegiate profession.

Photograph by David Dow/NBAE by way of Getty Photos

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 time 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 dimensions to develop into a strong NBA position participant and the Celtics ought to completely proceed to try to develop him.

14. Baylor Scheierman

The thirtieth choose 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 time 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 must make photographs.

Photograph by David Dow/NBAE by way of Getty Photos

13. Jordan Walsh

The thirty seventh choose within the 2023 draft didn’t have a job final season and I don’t count on Jordan Walsh to have a lot of a job this season. An elite defender at Arkansas, Walsh had a tough Summer time League after taking part in effectively 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 appear to be 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 luxurious 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 sport, couldl be an actual participant who can contribute to a very good workforce.

11. Neemias Queta

After signing a three-year contract with the Celtics this summer time, I count on 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 not shoot, Queta’s sport is fairly modernized. Whereas his contact across the rim is unhealthy — 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 sport is tough across the edges, if Queta can proceed to enhance, he might be an enormous a part of the Celtics going ahead.

10. Luke Kornet

Luke Kornet is an fascinating case research on the subject of bigs and stretching the ground. He holds the file for essentially 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 one in all Boston’s steadiest gamers when he’s within the sport. 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 suppose it’s essential.

9. Xavier Tillman Sr.

Earlier than we get began, let’s re-live Tillman’s large three in Recreation 3 of the Finals.

Tillman is an efficient NBA participant. Whereas he’s not the display screen and roll participant Kornet or Queta are, he takes some threes and is a very sensible participant, at all times 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, in keeping with Cleansing the Glass, simply 79% of Tillman’s minutes got here on the 5 after his commerce to Boston. Because of this, Joe Mazzulla is ready to use Tillman in additional methods than he can Kornet or Queta. The opposite, and extra distinguished, cause 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 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 obtained actual playoff minutes), it by no means felt like Tillman was hurting the workforce with him on the court docket.

8. Payton Pritchard

It’s type 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 finest, averaging 9.6 factors and capturing 38.5% from three on a profession excessive 4.7 makes an attempt per sport. His three-point capturing is such a worthwhile half to this Celtics workforce, as his vary goes to date past the three-point line. I count on one other huge 12 months from Pritchard, after his two buzzer beaters within the Finals.

7. Sam Hauser

Undrafted in 2022, Hauser has develop into a key a part of the Celtics rotation as a consequence of his measurement 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 measurement 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 lots of ball left and he made a big impact on the Celtics championship run final season. All of us bear 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 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 huge performs all through the playoffs. He confirmed he may nonetheless transfer his ft effectively and guard gamers on the perimeter at an elite stage for a 37-year-old heart. There might be an enormous position on Horford to begin the season with Porzingis out however the ageless marvel has proven he’s up for the problem.

5. Derrick White

It hurts me somewhat to rank White at 5 and if this was a “most essential to the workforce” rankings, he can be increased 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 seemingly the Celtics finest level of assault defender on the workforce, making the All-Defensive Second Crew in back-to-back seasons. His offense has additionally gotten lots higher as effectively. When he first got here to the Celtics, White was capturing 31% from three-point vary. Because the begin of final season, he has shot 39% from three and has develop 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 develop 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 in contrast to some other they’ve. Simply watch his efficiency from Recreation 1 of the Finals.

His first sport as a Celtic within the common season confirmed us these flashes, too.

A top-5 rim protector to associate with how he stretches the court docket as a shooter is as nightmare to cope with. He has since added a post-up sport to his bag and that’s particular as effectively. You can not 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 suits with Tatum and Brown. Together with his rim safety and layered offensive sport, when Porzingis is on the market and taking part in at a excessive stage 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 a fantastic level of assault defender and being sensible with the ball in his arms. One factor that’s a particularly underrated a part of Vacation’s sport is his capability to submit 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 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 growth. Brown put the work in: after capturing 29% from three in his lone season at Cal, Brown has develop into a knockdown shooter at a profession 36% mark. He’s additionally far more managed in his sport and he’s keen to tackle the task of guarding the opposing workforce’s finest participant, as we noticed within the Finals when he was tasked with defending Luka Doncic.

He grew to become the workforce chief as soon as the workforce traded Marcus Sensible this summer time.

Jaylen Brown entered the NBA as a venture and he and the workforce 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 workforce, regardless of who gained the Finals or Japanese Convention Finals MVPs. Tatum has develop into among the finest and underrated defensive gamers within the NBA, with the ability to guard 1 by way of 5 and taking up the duty of guarding the Mavericks heart within the Finals so the Celtics may swap Luka’s choose and rolls, to not point out how a lot of an improved passer and finisher across the rim Tatum has develop into.

On the most important night time of his profession, Tatum confirmed off these new expertise he has added to his sport.

Additionally, when Tatum will get going he’s practically unattainable to cease. All of us bear 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 must. As an alternative, he did no matter it took to win and he was nonetheless superior whereas doing it.