Celtics player power rankings: Tip-off edition
COMMENTARY
The start of the NBA season has arrived, and the Celtics have one of the deepest rosters in the league. In order to help you sort through this team’s excessive collection of talent, we are debuting the first-ever edition of Celtics player power rankings here on Boston.com. All season long, you can check back in for weekly updates of the rankings to help you keep tabs on how players are faring and where they stand in the Celtics hierarchy. Let’s take a look at how things are positioned into opening night.
15. Jordan Mickey
The second-round pick out of LSU looks like a sound investment for Danny Ainge, as he held his own on the court admirably this preseason. His biggest issue? One of the deepest frontcourts in the league has kept him from seeing much of the floor. He averaged just 9.8 minutes per game in the preseason, the second-lowest total on the team.
14. James Young
The youngest member of the Celtics is still struggling with his shot as he begins his second NBA season. Young hit an encouraging 35 percent of his 3-point attempts in the preseason, but only shot 28 percent from the field overall. Meanwhile, rookie teammate R.J. Hunter saw minutes ahead of Young in several exhibition contests. Brad Stevens could use Young’s outside shooting, but early signs indicate that the 19-year-old may be at the bottom of the team’s guard depth chart.
13. Terry Rozier
This surprise first-round selection shook off some knee issues in the preseason and emerged as a promising piece among Boston’s crop of rookies. He won’t play much early on, but his speed and athleticism are translating quite well to the NBA. The other pleasant development from Rozier this preseason: Hot shooting (57.1 percent on 2.8 attempts per game) from beyond the arc.
12. R.J. Hunter
The overall numbers weren’t pretty for Hunter this preseason, but the Georgia State product looked like the rookie most capable of contributing to Stevens’ rotation right away. He’s got a pretty release on the outside shot, and showed great recognition as a ball handler in the pick-and-roll. His defense is ahead of Young’s, as well.
11. Jared Sullinger
The fourth-year forward came to training camp in better shape than usual, but his improved condition did not win him a rotation spot right away. The 23-year-old was the third big off the bench for much of the preseason, and Sullinger did not do enough to move up on the depth chart. With Kelly Olynyk suspended for the opener, Sullinger will have to take advantage of those added minutes to show he is worthy of regular playing time.
10. Jonas Jerebko
Boston’s logjam in the frontcourt has forced the Swede to play much more at small forward this preseason, instead of the stretch four he played so frequently last year. Jerebko will have to battle Jae Crowder and Evan Turner for minutes at that spot, but his three-point shooting and offensive rebounding will earn him floor time most nights.
9. Evan Turner
The 27-year-old may have lost his starting spot to Jae Crowder, but he’s still a favorite of Stevens. He’ll serve as another shot creator and ball handler off the bench with Isaiah Thomas. Turner’s long-term prospects with the team remain hazy right now in the final year of his contract, but as long as he’s on the roster, he’ll see minutes.
8. Kelly Olynyk
Fresh off a stint with the Canadian national team, Olynyk looked smooth in the exhibition season, particularly in his offensive game. His lack of speed and athleticism remains limiting on the defensive end, but Olynyk’s ability to pass and space the floor still makes him an ideal big to play with Thomas off the bench.
7. Tyler Zeller
Zeller is the favorite to start at center on opening night, and he aims to remain as a steady contributor in the middle of the Celtics lineup. The bigger storyline to watch involving Zeller in the coming days is whether Ainge reaches a contract extension with the big man before the November 2nd deadline. Unless Zeller gives Boston a healthy discount, look for Ainge to keep his future salary cap space open and let him play out the year.
6. Amir Johnson
One of Boston’s major offseason additions will be the defensive anchor on the team’s second unit to start the year. Don’t sleep on his offensive ability though. Johnson shot a team-best 60 percent from the field in the preseason, and also has an ability to knock down the deep ball. Those skills, combined with his rim protection, make him a strong candidate to close out games for Stevens.
5. David Lee
The former Warrior locked down a starting spot thanks to a strong beginning to the preseason in which he showcased his facilitating abilities within the first unit. Lee struggled with more athletic bigs as the preseason progressed, but that’s no surprise for any 32-year-old in this league. Despite his limitations, he remains the most polished offensive option in the team’s frontcourt and could average a double-double this year, if given big minutes.
4. Jae Crowder
Ainge made Crowder a part of this team’s future by handing him a five-year deal this offseason, and the small forward has run with the opportunity thus far. A stellar training camp and exhibition season has secured the starting spot at small forward for the former Maverick. He’ll be Boston’s go-to defender on the wing, but he needs to improve upon his 29 percent 3-point shooting from last year for Boston’s offense to remain efficient.
3. Avery Bradley
The longest-tenured member of the Celtics has vowed to be wiser with his shot selection in 2015-16, and that awareness paid dividends during the preseason. With an emphasis on taking more corner 3-pointers, Bradley shot 52 percent from downtown (11-of-21) in six preseason games. He won’t be able to match that pace in the regular season, but his goal of 40 percent 3-point shooting looks more realistic.
2. Marcus Smart
The second-year point guard has arguably turned more heads than anyone on the Celtics roster in the past month with the progress he’s made on the offensive end. He held off Thomas for the starting job with a superb preseason that quieted the skeptics who questioned his ability to run an NBA offense. Now it’s up to the 21-year-old to prove to the team’s front office that he is a foundational piece for the future.
1.Isaiah Thomas
The 5-foot-9 guard is stuck coming off the bench yet again, but remains the most critical catalyst for Boston’s offense. He’s surrounded by improved offensive weapons this year and has focused on serving as a better distributor this preseason. The biggest question that remains now is whether he or Smart will be directing the team’s offense in crunch time.
Photos: Meet the 2015-16 Boston Celtics
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