We’re running a weekly mailbag during the Celtics season. If you have questions about the Celtics or NBA, email brobb@masslive.com or tweet @briantrobb
Was Juancho a healthy scratch? Has Grant Williams passed him on the depth chart? — Alex W
Juancho was a DNP-Coach’s Decision on the active roster, just like most of Boston’s other reserve bigs. Grant Williams certainly surpassed him on the depth chart this preseason and to be honest, I’m not sure he was ever behind him. Hernangomez got the start in his first preseason game as Udoka experimented with lineups but his role faded as the preseason wore on. Meanwhile, Williams’ versatility defensively makes him looking like a valuable chip as a reserve big, particularly if he can continue to knock down open 3s. It’s just one game but Williams looks like he has a stronghold on backup center/power forward minutes until further notice.
Who should backup PF/center whenever there’s issue with Rob/Al? Should Juancho/Bruno get any run? Is Pritchard’s mask affecting some of his play? How can they get Nesmith going a bit easier? How long do you think it’ll take to master the new switching scheme? — Eddy F.B.
Udoka’s defensive scheme (switching when possible) makes it likely that Grant Williams will remain the frontrunner in this reserve spot. Enes Kanter and Juancho Hernangomez could get looks for specific matchups if their size is needed but Grant’s versatility on the perimeter should make him far more reliable for that spot. Bruno Fernando had a strong Summer League but he didn’t really show much during the preseason making him worthy of a bigger role. All of these guys will get a chance at some point when injuries hit but they remain deep on the depth chart for now. It’s going to take a while for the defensive scheme to become second nature in all likelihood, especially with the lack of continuity during the preseason due to COVID and injuries.
Pritchard’s mask I’m sure is a bit of an adjustment but we will have to talk to him about it. Nesmith just had a tough opener, it looks like he may find himself behind Romeo Langford in minutes race once Josh Richardson comes back.
Would you trade Josh Richardson for a Marvin Bagley-type player? Romeo and Nesmith should make fairly significant jumps this season based on preseason. assuming Ime wants Horford to start alongside rob when he comes back, our big man rotation is pretty slim. Bagley would give us a capable scoring big man who still is improving. — Brady
That’s an intriguing proposal from an upside standpoint. Bagley is only 22 years old and the offensive potential for the 22-year-old is there. However, Bagley’s defensive struggles give me pause from pulling a trigger on moving a veteran wing for him in Richardson. A wing who can switch like Richardson defensively is a far more valuable commodity right now than a big like Bagley who hasn’t been able to break into the rotation this year for a bad Kings team.
Your head is in the right place though in regards to some excess depth on the wing for Boston if Langford and Nesmith continue to develop. That may leave not enough minutes to go around for those two and Richardson off the bench. Given that all those players are under team control through at least next season, one of them could become a valuable trade chip for Brad Stevens depending on how this season develops. However, I’d balk on using one of them on Bagley given his development and contract situation. For a cheaper price? I’d be intrigued but Stevens may be better off saving his assets for a bigger fish.
What do you think should be the overall expectation of this team? Truthfully I’m unsure. I’m feeling fringe play in game but not sure. Also do you think some of these extensions given out are for trade purposes, such as Smart for example. Thanks! — Bostonsports
I think finishing in the 4-6 range of the Eastern Conference is a reasonable expectation after seeing how this group looked this preseason, particularly with the development of the younger guys. They should be firmly in the second tier in the East with teams like Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia and New York, fighting it out for a mid-range playoff seed but out of the play-in scenario.
As far as extensions go, I definitely think part of the calculus for the front office this offseason was getting those deals done to create more potential opportunities down the road. The no-trade restrictions will be lifted on Marcus Smart and Josh Richardson this January and those guys will have more trade value now (barring injury) being on multi-year deals. The same goes for Robert Williams. That’s not to say any of those guys will be gone during this season but the team will have the ability to get into trade discussions far easier at the trade deadline and beyond with the deals they signed.
Any worries about Schroder? Looked like he showed up teammates twice in the 2OT by throwing his arms up and yelling at believe Smart, after Fournier’s three he was late on and again after Rose scored when Smart left the double team. Team’s I’ve coached, that behavior wouldn’t fly — Jake C
It wasn’t a great start for Schroder for an offensive standpoint. Defensively, there were all kinds of issues for the team late in those games on switches and communication and he was one of the guilty parties. Not a huge surprise given the fatigue and lack of reps involved for all of those guys together on the floor this preseason. Just how well he blends into the team’s system will certainly be worth watching given his contract status. In conversations with him, he views himself as one of the veteran leaders to come in and held hold people accountable. Whether he does that himself on the floor will likely go a long way in him achieving that goal but certainly a spotty start in that area.
How many minutes is Kanter likely to see? Surprised he wasn’t out there at all —Davis W
Most nights, Kanter is going to get a DNP-CD this season (barring injuries to other bigs). There was a lot of attention on him not getting any run in the wake of his comments about China but the fact of the matter is for this team, this year, he’s simply a depth piece. Ime Udoka wants to play a switching scheme defensively and that’s easily the weakest part of Kanter’s game. That’s why we didn’t see him in the opener at all as Udoka elected to go small instead off the bench. For certain matchups, Kanter may get a chance due to his size if Boston needs help on the boards. Otherwise? Expect minimal minutes.
Hi Brian, there’s already been some discussion about Al and his contract, and whether he might be packaged this year or next to free up space. Yet it seems his presence was really missed against the NYK. I know it’s one game, but do you think people are overlooking his impact on the makeup of this Cs team? Thanks.— Andy B
This will be a fascinating subplot to the year, particularly with Al Horford being a candidate to be a team captain. The odds are against Horford playing on his current deal for this team next year (barring a terrific season) but that’s not to say the team wouldn’t be interested in bringing him back at a reduced price if he shows he has something left in the tank. His defensive value is certainly going to help as we saw in the opener with the countless defensive breakdowns during crunch time. For this year, Boston’s brass thinks he will be an integral part of their success but his contract is also a key chip in terms of potential matching salary in any big future deal. How Brad Stevens balances that against his value on the court for this group will be a tough task as the season continues.
Please send any questions about the Celtics or NBA for a future mailbag to brobb@masslive.com or tweet @briantrobb
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Boston Celtics Mailbag: Marvin Bagley trade proposal, Dennis Schroder’s fit, will Enes Kanter play? - MassLive.com
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