Ramp to Camp: Who Will Be the Celtics’ 10th Man This Season? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics are bringing back their top nine players from last season’s NBA title bracket, which accounted for more than 90 percent of the team’s total minutes.
Additionally, the Celtics lost just two players from last season in Oshae Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk, a duo that combined for just over 1,000 minutes in the regular season. On paper, there isn’t much room for someone to work their way into heavy rotation minutes.
Still, it appears that, combined with Kristaps Porzingis being sidelined for the start of the season and the general desire to be careful with a veteran player’s legs, there is still an opportunity for at least one other player to establish a permanent spot in the rotation.
Who then could come forward?
For the seventh episode of our Slope to camp In the series, we asked our NBC Sports Boston panel to predict which player is most likely to emerge as Boston’s 10th man during the team’s title run.
(Watch the first six episodes of Ramp to Camp here.)
Let’s start with an overview of the candidates (excluding the two-way players):
-
Xavier Tillman: The versatile player played just 274 minutes in total after being signed on the transfer deadline last season, but head coach Joe Mazzulla was not shy about stepping in at key moments in the play-offs.
-
Neemia’s Queta: The 7-foot-1, powerful center provided more playing time for the big man at times last season and earned an upgrade to the main squad after starting the season on a two-way deal.
-
Jaden Springer: The trade deadline signing is entering his fourth season but is still only 21. Springer has high defensive upside but needs to show growth on the offensive end.
-
Lonnie Walker IV: A surprise late summer addition who heads to camp looking to cement a spot on the parent roster. Unlike some at the end of Boston’s roster, Walker IV has proven he can be a solid NBA role player, though he still has room to grow, particularly with his defensive potential.
-
Baylor Scheierman: The 23-year-old rookie showed impressive range in college, but must prove he can consistently hit that same shot at the professional level.
-
Jordan Walsh: Walsh played just 83 minutes in nine NBA appearances as a 19-year-old rookie. He has all the tools to develop into a 3-and-D threat, but the shot defied him in the Summer :eague this year and he’ll have to prove he’s made strides since Year 1.
Springer should get every opportunity to show what he can do early in the season. He’s on pace to become the eighth-highest-paid player on the roster and is eligible for an extension. The Celtics will have to decide fairly quickly whether they’re committed to his development or whether they’d rather lean on a more experienced prospect like Walker IV. Springer looked sharp in a brief Summer League cameo.
Tillman figures to be the player most likely to see a minutes spike. After stepping in midway through last season, he’s getting a full training camp with the Celtics and should be more comfortable in his role. Mazzulla can confidently send him out on the court to defend players of all shapes and sizes.
Tillman’s defense will buy him time, but finding a way to develop 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 more than seven points per game during his time in Memphis.
Walker IV’s wingspan gives him a chance to essentially be this year’s Brissett, and an additional bench scoring option could be a good thing for Boston. It’s just a matter of how Walker IV fits in here and whether he can push Tillman for those rotation minutes.
Here are our panel’s picks:
John TomaseColumnist:Baylor Scheierman
Scheierman wasn’t just a four-year college player — he played 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 the 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 puts the final infinity stone in the glove by landing a draft pick? It’s the one area where he’s not elite, but that’s set to change when Scheierman becomes the Celtics’ 10th man this season.
Scheierman’s shooting and passing skills should be a good fit for Mazzulla Ball, and if he can also hold his own in defense, watch out.
Mark Hazlett, Multi-Platform Producer: Baylor Scheierman
I think Scheierman will have better teammates (read: players not playing in Summer League) and that it would be a benefit in the long run if he got some playing time.
Darren HartwellEditor-in-chief:Xavier Tillman
Scheierman and Walker both have good arguments for playing time, but I’m going with the one who played significant minutes in an NBA Finals. Tillman’s (relative) experience should earn him a role from the start with Porzingis sidelined, while Al Horford also gets some extra rest.
Nick GossWeb producer: Lonnie Walker IV
This guy can score, whether it’s driving to the basket or shooting over 35 percent from 3-point range. He’s also pretty athletic and plays hard. His defense isn’t great, but he’ll likely be on the court with several other good defenders, so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
Every team needs a bench player who can come in and get hot, and scoring isn’t an issue for the 2018 first-round pick.
Justin LegerWeb producer:Xavier Tillman
Tillman feels like the right choice here. He quit multiple times after being acquired at the trade deadline last season, both during the regular season and the playoffs. He should play a bigger role this season, especially with Porzingis sidelined and Horford coming into action at 38.
Kevin Miller, VP, Content: Lonnie Walker IV
May the fourth be with you.
