Rozier opens up about issues factoring in Celtics season ending sooner than expected

by **bobheckler** Thu May 09, 2019 9:48 am

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/rozier-opens-about-issues-factoring-celtics-season-ending-sooner-expected?cid=Yahoo&partner=ya4nbcs

Rozier opens up about issues factoring in Celtics season ending sooner than expected

By A. Sherrod Blakely
May 09, 2019 2:26 AM

MILWAUKEE -- When an NBA team’s season officially ends, players have a tendency to get a few things off their chest shortly after the final game is played.

Terry Rozier falls into that category after a 116-91 season-ending loss to the Milwaukee Bucks that sent the Celtics home in the second round - their earliest playoff exit since 2016.

Like most of his teammates, Rozier acknowledged the team fell well short of their goals, which were based in part on the team’s relatively deep talent base, one that may have been too deep, in hindsight.

“It wasn’t easy on coach dealing with a lot of guys that want to be great, trying to get there,” Rozier said.

That’s a not-so-veiled way of addressing what was a season-long issue for the Celtics: there are a significant number of players whose games are still developing, who at the same time are being asked to make sacrifices for the team.

The issue wasn’t whether guys wanted to do it.

It makes a lot of sense on so many levels to embrace that team-first mindset.

Still, the success of this team last season in the playoffs, without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, made it a lot tougher for those players who showed up and played well in the team’s 2018 postseason run to return to a reduced role this season with Irving and Gordon back.

Further complicating matters for the bulk of the team was how both Irving and Hayward struggled mightily in the Milwaukee series while the bench was in a bit of transition with welcoming Marcus Smart back after he missed more than a month with a torn oblique injury. His return, coupled with the Celtics’ insistence on ratcheting up the minutes played by Irving, left Rozier in an even more reduced role than he had in the regular season.

And you can bet that Rozier’s limited playing time this season and the playoffs will have an impact on whether he’s back in Boston next season.

A restricted free agent this summer, Rozier drew interest from a number of teams at the trade deadline and will continue to be under consideration for a number of teams.

I asked him what is he looking for in whatever team he plays for next season.

“I’m looking forward to a family, a team that treats me like a family and that’s gonna invest in me all the way,” Rozier said.

I then asked him about the Celtics, who have the right to match any offer he receives.

“No comment,” Rozier replied, which was a not-so-subtle hint that Rozier is ready to move on and start anew with another team.

Listening to Rozier after the game, it’s clear that there were a lot more issues among the players that did not make their way outside for public consumption.

But the season is over now and a number of players are unlikely to be back in Boston next season.

Even with the issues that factored in the team’s underwhelming performance, Rozier acknowledged that he, too, will have a few takeaways from the experience.

“I learned a lot,” he said. “It was tough, dealing with all the talent we had, different guys wanna be in the limelight, already in the limelight, [expletive] like that. It’s been a lot. I feel like we can all step back. The time is right now, we go on vacation and just relax and reflect on the season and learn from it. It’s nothing you can do about the season now. It’s over with.”

And the same is likely to be the case for Rozier's time with the Celtics.

bob

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by **dbrown4** Thu May 09, 2019 10:20 am

Sounds like a done deal. Later Scary!

db

by **cowens/oldschool** Thu May 09, 2019 10:46 am

His problem wasn’t minutes, it was how he played in those minutes. Minutes should be earned, you play good, you get them. The way he played, he should have gotten even less minutes, I thought Wanamaker was a more steady player....

by **KyleCleric** Thu May 09, 2019 10:50 am

cowens/oldschool wrote:His problem wasn’t minutes, it was how he played in those minutes. Minutes should be earned, you play good, you get them. The way he played, he should have gotten even less minutes, I thought Wanamaker was a more steady player....

I agree with all of that. I do feel like this season, situation with Kyrie, really hurt his ability to be effective. He clearly has been unhappy all season and I don’t know how he can rebuild himself in Boston. I hope he does find success whether he can somehow do it here or elsewhere starting next season. Kyrie on the other hand ...

by **RosalieTCeltics** Thu May 09, 2019 11:54 am

He sounded like a punk as far as I am concerned. I am beginning to think he was one of the problems in the locker room. His head was so big from those few good games he had that he couldn't get over the fact that he stunk this year. Every time I heard him talk he was saying something negative. He was on Comcast every thursday night, they helped blow up his attitude. I will not be sorry to see him go, maybe he will be good somewhere else, but he was a zero this year

by **RosalieTCeltics** Thu May 09, 2019 12:00 pm

He sounded like a punk as far as I am concerned. I am beginning to think he was one of the problems in the locker room. His head was so big from those few good games he had that he couldn't get over the fact that he stunk this year. Every time I heard him talk he was saying something negative. He was on Comcast every thursday night, they helped blow up his attitude. I will not be sorry to see him go, maybe he will be good somewhere else, but he was a zero this year

by **KyleCleric** Thu May 09, 2019 12:46 pm

I understand that perspective. With Rozier, he’s coming from an entitlement point of view that he’s worked hard developing his game within this team and had real success helping to carry this team to the ECF last year. He wants to win and show how good he is but struggled in limited opportunities this year. He seems frustrated and I get it. It’s not fun to have limited opportunities and then fail yourself in those but also for your replacement to fail spectacularly.

by **kdp59** Thu May 09, 2019 1:11 pm

be careful what you wish for...if or when Irving leaves we may just need Rozier here as a third guard with Brown and Smart.

and anyone who thinks Wannamaker is a better NBA player...we'll talk in a year or two when Wanna-be-an-NBA -player is back over in Europe playing.

come on people, I know we're all pissed and kicking Irving is starting to feel redundant already...but geesh!

by **KyleCleric** Thu May 09, 2019 1:20 pm

kdp59 wrote:be careful what you wish for...if or when Irving leaves we may just need Rozier here as a third guard with Brown and Smart.

and anyone who thinks Wannamaker is a better NBA player...we'll talk in a year or two when Wanna-be-an-NBA -player is back over in Europe playing.

come on people, I know we're all pissed and kicking Irving is starting to feel redundant already...but geesh!

Has anyone made that point for Wanamaker?

by **wideclyde** Thu May 09, 2019 2:12 pm

I will agree that Wanamaker was very consistent, but at the same time, his level of play was not on par enough to be a starter on any team in any way. To give Wanamaker lots of credit, he apparently did what he was asked to do and in a professional manner for basically minimum wage. He is surely not a guy the Cs need to dump off their roster for next season as every team needs a third string/back up point guard who can play a little and not cause problems.

Regarding Rozier (and other professional athletes), he apparently was not able to play well with his head not on quite correctly, but I do not think that it was unfair to him to expect more playing time this season after playing so well after his performance in the playoffs last spring. How he handled his
'demotion' was not as good as he could have done and his performance level suffered, but he did not seem to quit on himself or his team that I could see.

by **gyso** Thu May 09, 2019 2:36 pm

Wannamaker is what he is, a third string point guard that can occasionally be a second string PG in the regular season, but not so much in the playoffs. He would be exposed.

I am also seeing Theis in the same light. I don't think he has advanced much in the last two seasons. His shot still is not there and he just cannot cover real centers. He does the same good things that got us so excited at first look, but I fear that he is what he is.

Both of these guys are nice third stringers, maybe even marginal rotational players. During the playoffs, neither of them have a place on the court, unless it is just garbage time.

Just my opinions, that's all.

by **gyso** Thu May 09, 2019 2:51 pm

On Rozier.

I will not miss him at all. The Drew Bledsoe and Scary Terry things all went to his head. His success last season was fools gold. He seems entitled to a starting position in the NBA before actually earning it.

He had high hopes but he was not even marginally effective in limited minutes. He has done nothing to show that he deserves even Smart money.

He is not a PG, he is too short to play SG. He is Avery Bradley 2.0 with a bad attitude. Poison in the locker room.

by **RosalieTCeltics** Thu May 09, 2019 4:42 pm

I agree with you. If he had come in, done what they wanted him to do, and done it well, they would have had to find minutes for him. Instead, he started and ended with an attitude. How do you like the "no comment" when asked if how he would respond if Danny matched any offer? He is not in the driver's seat here, whether he likes it or not. And, with the attitude, he has cost himself alot of money. He expected to make more than Smart, well, if he does, good luck to the team that gives him it. Up and down Terry, that is what I would call him, and it was more down than up.

When the Celtics watched Evan Turner walk for $70 million dollars, it proved to them that there are just times when you hold the line. This may be Terry's line. He will get traded, but at the time that is right for the team

by **willjr** Thu May 09, 2019 6:07 pm

Terry to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports: "Everybody was running around with their heads cut off like chickens, Coach was in a tough position, one of the toughest positions, dealing with all these guys with attitudes, all that shit. Guy's that's all stars, guy's getting paid a lot of money, guy's trying to get paid, it's tough". He added: "I don't give a f**k what nobody say, I sacrificed the most out of anybody. I'm a top point guard in this league. I feel like it's a fresh start, whether I'm here or whether I'm gone".

My comment, WOW!

by **RosalieTCeltics** Thu May 09, 2019 6:19 pm

My hero

by **Ktronic1** Thu May 09, 2019 9:43 pm

KyleCleric wrote:I understand that perspective. With Rozier, he’s coming from an entitlement point of view that he’s worked hard developing his game within this team and had real success helping to carry this team to the ECF last year. He wants to win and show how good he is but struggled in limited opportunities this year. He seems frustrated and I get it. It’s not fun to have limited opportunities and then fail yourself in those but also for your replacement to fail spectacularly.

Agree. There’s a lot of reasons for his falloff and his play when he had opportunities were not so stellar. But I also understand the mindset. He’s developing and felt he proved himself last year, wants to be paid then ends up back to the bench. Can’t ignore that aspect.

by **Ktronic1** Thu May 09, 2019 9:54 pm

RosalieTCeltics wrote:I agree with you. If he had come in, done what they wanted him to do, and done it well, they would have had to find minutes for him. Instead, he started and ended with an attitude. How do you like the "no comment" when asked if how he would respond if Danny matched any offer? He is not in the driver's seat here, whether he likes it or not. And, with the attitude, he has cost himself alot of money. He expected to make more than Smart, well, if he does, good luck to the team that gives him it. Up and down Terry, that is what I would call him, and it was more down than up.

When the Celtics watched Evan Turner walk for $70 million dollars, it proved to them that there are just times when you hold the line. This may be Terry's line. He will get traded, but at the time that is right for the team

Do you think that If some other team gives Terry stupid money like 15-16 mil the C’s will match it and then trade him? I seriously doubt it. If they did and couldn’t trade him then they’re on the hook for that money. If I’m wrong someone please set me straight. I think in that scenario even if its 12-15 mil Danny will let him walk.

by **RosalieTCeltics** Thu May 09, 2019 10:27 pm

Who would throw that kind of money around? Those guys who got crazy money a couple of years ago are sitting on a bench, a lot of them not playing much. I can see someone who needs a backup offering him a contract, but as of now he hurt himself by not playing hard every night.

by **NYCelt** Thu May 09, 2019 11:21 pm

Ktronic1 wrote:
KyleCleric wrote:I understand that perspective. With Rozier, he’s coming from an entitlement point of view that he’s worked hard developing his game within this team and had real success helping to carry this team to the ECF last year. He wants to win and show how good he is but struggled in limited opportunities this year. He seems frustrated and I get it. It’s not fun to have limited opportunities and then fail yourself in those but also for your replacement to fail spectacularly.
Agree. There’s a lot of reasons for his falloff and his play when he had opportunities were not so stellar. But I also understand the mindset. He’s developing and felt he proved himself last year, wants to be paid then ends up back to the bench. Can’t ignore that aspect.

Agree with both.

Games in which Rozier did start, or got the majority of minutes this season, often seemed to yield a better result. Not unusual for a point guard to have uneven performances in limited minutes. Not necessarily just point guards, either. Getting into the rhythm and flow of the game is often difficult for players on shorter shifts. Especially primary ball-handlers.

by **cowens/oldschool** Fri May 10, 2019 12:03 am

NYCelt wrote:
Ktronic1 wrote:
KyleCleric wrote:I understand that perspective. With Rozier, he’s coming from an entitlement point of view that he’s worked hard developing his game within this team and had real success helping to carry this team to the ECF last year. He wants to win and show how good he is but struggled in limited opportunities this year. He seems frustrated and I get it. It’s not fun to have limited opportunities and then fail yourself in those but also for your replacement to fail spectacularly.
Agree. There’s a lot of reasons for his falloff and his play when he had opportunities were not so stellar. But I also understand the mindset. He’s developing and felt he proved himself last year, wants to be paid then ends up back to the bench. Can’t ignore that aspect.

Agree with both.

Games in which Rozier did start, or got the majority of minutes this season, often seemed to yield a better result. Not unusual for a point guard to have uneven performances in limited minutes. Not necessarily just point guards, either. Getting into the rhythm and flow of the game is often difficult for players on shorter shifts. Especially primary ball-handlers.

Maybe so, but coming off the bench sure didn’t hurt the way McHale and Havlicek contributed to the game. Of more recent times Jaylen and Smart both showed they could help the team, either coming off the bench or starting, if you have it, it shows. Rozier shows he’s still not near the finished product, and who’s fault is that? At some point you have to stop the blame game, when you got so many opportunities throughout the season and proved that your game is limited. Not the first great athlete that couldn’t put it together....

by **cowens/oldschool** Fri May 10, 2019 12:04 am

I’m sorry basketball gods for putting TR in the same sentence with Hondo and McHale....

by **NYCelt** Fri May 10, 2019 12:27 am

cowens/oldschool wrote:I’m sorry basketball gods for putting TR in the same sentence with Hondo and McHale....

May they forgive you for that one.

Rozier is neither of those two, not even close, but has enough talent to be a needed, and even valuable part of the team, should Irving walk.

by **cowens/oldschool** Fri May 10, 2019 12:35 am

NYCelt wrote:
cowens/oldschool wrote:I’m sorry basketball gods for putting TR in the same sentence with Hondo and McHale....

May they forgive you for that one.

Rozier is neither of those two, not even close, but has enough talent to be a needed, and even valuable part of the team, should Irving walk.

Really I found myself cursing a lot of times when he was playing and wishing he could get off the floor ASAP....He is not a point, doesn’t shoot a good % at all, so athletic, but his stats say he’s a terrible finisher. I’d rather Danny find a Steve Blake type that can make the right play and hit an open shot, Rozier doesn’t do enough of either.

by **bobheckler** Fri May 10, 2019 12:50 am

cowens/oldschool wrote:
NYCelt wrote:
cowens/oldschool wrote:I’m sorry basketball gods for putting TR in the same sentence with Hondo and McHale....

May they forgive you for that one.

Rozier is neither of those two, not even close, but has enough talent to be a needed, and even valuable part of the team, should Irving walk.
Really I found myself cursing a lot of times when he was playing and wishing he could get off the floor ASAP....He is not a point, doesn’t shoot a good % at all, so athletic, but his stats say he’s a terrible finisher. I’d rather Danny find a Steve Blake type that can make the right play and hit an open shot, Rozier doesn’t do enough of either.

Cow,

If you read my End of Year Player Review thread for Kyrie you'll see he shot 40% from 3 and almost 49% overall. Those are damn good numbers.

And as far as Steve Blake goes I'm sure you said that just to give me the needle because you know how much I hated him ad a player. The man shot 40% for his career and only 4 assists per game and you want Kyrie to be more like him?! Kyrie's 3pt fg% was the same as Blake's overall fg%.

bob

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by **cowens/oldschool** Fri May 10, 2019 12:54 am

Bob love you buddy, but you got it all wrong, read it again, we were debating ROZIER not Kyrie...!!!

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