The Boston Celtics are bringing back their top nine rotation players from last season's NBA title team, a group that accounted for more than 90 percent of the team’s total minutes.
What’s more, the Celtics lost only two roster players from last season in Oshae Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk, a duo that combined for little more than 1,000 total regular-season minutes. On paper, there’s not a lot of room for someone to pry their way to heavy rotation minutes.
Still, those departures, coupled with Kristaps Porzingis being sidelined to start the season and a general desire to tread cautiously with veteran legs, there is seemingly an opportunity for at least one other roster player to vault into a consistent rotation presence.
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So who might emerge?
For the seven installment of our Ramp to Camp series, we asked our NBC Sports Boston panel to project the player most likely to emerge as Boston’s 10th man during the team’s title quest.
(Check out the first six installments of Ramp to Camp here.)
Let’s start with a rundown of the candidates (not including two-way players):
- Xavier Tillman: The versatile big man logged only 274 total minutes after being acquired at trade deadline last season, but head coach Joe Mazzulla wasn’t afraid to call his number in key spots in the postseason.
- Neemias Queta: The 7-foot big man helped patch big-man minutes at times last season and earned an upgrade to the parent roster after starting the season on a two-way deal.
- Jaden Springer: The trade deadline acquisition is entering his fourth season but still only 21 years old. Springer has high defensive upside but must show growth on the offensive end.
- Lonnie Walker IV: A surprise late-summer addition who will head to camp looking to earn a spot on the parent roster. Unlike some on the back end of Boston’s roster, Walker IV has proven he can be a steady NBA role player, though there’s still room to grow, particularly with his defensive potential.
- Baylor Scheierman: The 23-year-old rookie showed impressive range in college but needs to prove he can consistently knock down that shot at the pro level.
- Jordan Walsh: Walsh logged only 83 minutes over nine NBA appearances as a 19-year-old rookie. He has all the tools to evolve into a 3-and-D threat but the shot defied him at Summer :eague this year and he’ll have to prove he’s made strides from Year 1.
Springer should get every opportunity to show what he can do early in the season. He’s set to be the eighth-highest paid player on the roster and is extension eligible. The Celtics need to decide fairly quickly if they are committed to his development, or whether they prefer to lean on a more veteran candidate like Walker IV. Springer looked sharp in a brief Summer League cameo.
Tillman feels like the player most likely to see a minutes spike. After having to jump in midstream last season, he’ll get a full training camp with the Celtics and should feel more comfortable in his role. Mazzulla can confidently throw him out there to defend players of all shapes and sizes.
Tillman’s defense will earn him time, but finding a way to evolve his offense could be the key to a consistent role. He’s a career 28.6 percent 3-point shooter but has worked on that shot. He never averaged higher than seven points per game in his time in Memphis.
Walker IV’s wingspan gives him a chance to essentially be this year’s Brissett and an extra bench scoring option could be a good thing for Boston. It’s just a matter of how Walker IV fits here and whether he can push Tillman for those rotation minutes.
Here are our panel’s picks:
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John Tomase, Columnist: Baylor Scheierman
Scheierman wasn't just a four-year college player -- he put in five. He's only two years younger than Jayson Tatum. That kind of experience, plus his ability to shoot and rebound, should at least get him Oshae minutes.
Tom Giles, Multi-platform host: Lonnie Walker IV
Lonnie Walker IV, and not just because of recency bias. He's a proven veteran who can defend and get hot on offense.
Max Lederman, Multi-platform producer: Baylor Scheierman
Is this the season Brad Stevens places the final infinity stone in the gauntlet by hitting on a draft pick? It's the only area he hasn't been elite at, but that's about to change when Scheierman becomes the 10th man for the Celtics this season.
Scheierman's shooting and passing should fit right in with Mazzulla Ball, and if he can hold his own on defense, look out.
Mark Hazlett, Multi-platform producer: Baylor Scheierman
I think Scheierman will pop around better teammates (read: non-Summer League), and it would be a long-term benefit to get him some run.
Darren Hartwell, Managing Editor: Xavier Tillman
Scheierman and Walker both have good cases for playing time, but I'll go with the guy who saw meaningful minutes in an NBA Finals. Tillman's (relative) experience should earn him a role from the jump with Porzingis sidelined while also helping Al Horford get some extra rest.
Nick Goss, Web Producer: Lonnie Walker IV
This guy can score, whether it's driving to the basket or shooting better than 35 percent from 3-point range. He's also pretty athletic and plays hard. His defense isn't amazing, but he'll likely be on the floor with several other quality defenders, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue.
Every team needs a guy on the bench who can come in and get hot. Scoring is not a problem from the 2018 first-round pick.
Justin Leger, Web Producer: Xavier Tillman
Tillman feels like the right choice here. He stepped up on multiple occasions after being acquired at last season's trade deadline, both during the regular season and the playoffs. He should have an increased role this season, especially with Porzingis sidelined and Horford in his age 38 campaign.
Kevin Miller, VP, Content: Lonnie Walker IV
May the Fourth Be With You.