5 takeaways from Celtics summer league
10 recent draft picks played for the Celtics in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas during summer league.
The Celtics have been one of the busiest teams in the league this offseason, and that trend continued over the past two weeks during summer league action in Las Vegas and Utah. With a roster featuring 10 Boston draft picks over the past three seasons, there was plenty to evaluate for Danny Ainge and his staff as they determine the best way to finish shaping the roster for the upcoming season.
Now that Boston’s eight summer league games are officially in the books, here are a few takeaways that could impact Ainge’s plans for 2016-17.
Terry Rozier played a cut above the remainder of the roster.
Consistency is a hard thing to find among the young talent in summer league, but Rozier was one of the few players who showed plenty of it in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. The second-year guard scored in double digits in all six games he played, filling up the box score on a nightly basis with 20 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
While the 22-year-old excelled in impacting the game on a number of fronts, the most promising developing for Ainge and company was Rozier’s efficiency and shot creation in the paint. The 6-foot-2 guard shot a superb 51 percent from the field and got to the free throw line nearly eight times a game with a impressive mix of spin and hesitation moves in traffic. He stood out as the best player on the floor most nights and that’s a promising sign for a player that will be looking for regular reserve minutes in year two following the departure of Evan Turner.
Jaylen Brown is a work in progress.
A learning curve was expected for the 19-year-old out of Cal on the offensive end and that proved to be case last week. Brown shot just 32 percent from the field overall in summer league and struggled even more with his perimeter shot (22 percent from 3-point range). The good news for Boston fans is how well Brown’s attacking mentality appears ready to translate well to the NBA game immediately. The 6-foot-7 forward got to the free throw line over 10 times per game in Utah and Las Vegas, which enabled him to balance out his inefficient shooting numbers with strong scoring production (16 points per game).
With Brown’s athleticism and defensive versatility also looking as advertised, Brown will need to show improved efficiency on the offensive end in training camp to cement a rotation spot for himself off the bat next season.
Abdel Nader looked like the Celtics’ best second-round pick
The small forward out of Iowa State was an afterthought to most Boston fans after earning the distinction of being the Celtics’ sixth pick of draft night at No. 58 overall. However, the 22-year-old provided the green with a spark on both ends of the floor over two weeks of summer league. Nader’s aggressive on-ball defense earned him praise from summer league coaches Jamie Young and Micah Shrewsberry in an area that Celtics struggled with all week.
Offensively, Nader made frequent forays into the paint and provided the Celtics with timely shooting from the perimeter (44 percent from 3-point range). Boston’s roster crunch likely will keep him out of the mix for a spot at the bottom of the depth chart in the interim, but Nader looks like he has the skills to break into the NBA over the next couple seasons.
Guerschon Yabusele still needs some seasoning overseas
The surprise first round pick out of France got a chance to prove to the Celtics in summer league that he worthy of a roster spot right away. While the flashes of potential Yabusele showcased were encouraging, it’s evident after the past two weeks that he needs to improve his defensive game and conditioning to keep pace on the NBA level. The 6-foot-7 forward has the body to battle bigger players on the glass but needs to work on his awareness in defending the pick-and-roll and drives into the paint. He’ll get those necessary reps overseas in all likelihood and could be a factor in Boston’s rotation as soon as the 2017-18 season.
Jordan Mickey has not played himself into next year’s rotation just yet.
The second-year big man out of LSU was one of the main attractions of summer league after a standout rookie season in the D-League with the Maine Red Claws. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury sidelined the 6-foot-8 forward in Utah and also kept him from getting comfortable in Las Vegas for most of the week. Mickey was generally Boston’s fourth option on offense (9.9 points per game) and really struggled on the defensive glass at times against opposing big men, despite a notable weight gain. For a player that’s trying to work his way into the rotation over veteran big men like Kelly Olynyk and Jonas Jerebko, Mickey will need a much better showing during training camp.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com