Which Celtic will be the most pleasant surprise in 2020-21?

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/who-will-be-celtics-biggest-surprise-2020-21-nba-season



Which Celtic will be the most pleasant surprise in 2020-21?


1H AGO

BY CHRIS FORSBERG



What will we be saying about Romeo Langford at the end of the 2020-21 season?

Decked out in his green No. 45 Celtics jersey that he hasn’t gotten to wear nearly as much as he would have liked through the first 18 months of his pro career, the laid-back Langford pondered the question briefly before offering a rare bit of bravado.

“If everything goes well, you’re going to see a completely different Romeo from last year,” said Langford. "Just a healthy Romeo. I feel like the best Romeo is going to be out there and doing the things that he’s capable of -- what I was doing in college, what I was doing in high school. A completely different Romeo.”

On a Celtics team swimming in recent draftees, Langford can sometimes be a forgotten man, in large part because of all the time he’s missed due to injuries. After missing extended time during his rookie season, Langford will be sidelined at the start of his sophomore campaign after undergoing wrist surgery in September.

But he’s bullish on what’s ahead. And so are the Celtics. As Danny Ainge noted, "We think Romeo has a very bright future.” Which is why he’s maybe our surprise choice to emerge as the biggest surprise of Boston’s 2020-21 season.


Scoff if you must considering his perpetual injury woes -- and even coach Brad Stevens has admitted that the best ability is availability -- but Langford had earned Stevens’ trust by the end of last season and even got a call early in Game 2 of the East Finals against the Miami Heat.

Alas, the injury bug has been relentless. Already trying to tough it out with the torn scapholunate ligament in his right shooting wrist, Langford suffered a groin injury just 81 seconds into his East finals cameo and that effectively ended his season. He returned to Boston and underwent wrist surgery five days later.

Langford is eager to change the narrative around him. While most of the references to him last season came in the form of being selected one spot after Miami rookie standout Tyler Herro, Langford yearns to show he can be an impact player, too.

And with the Celtics thin on wing depth, the team really needs him to stay on the floor and showcase what team brass have seen behind the scenes.

"I think Romeo is going to be an NBA player for a long time. I don’t think there’s any question about that,” said Stevens. "He’s got a great feel. He’s got a great athleticism. He knows the game, he works at the game, he’s a very good worker. So I think about it more in terms of he’s just missing half of his second season, or whatever it is, and I think that that’s hard when you already went through injuries as a rookie.

“He pulled his [groin] a minute into the stint versus Miami so that’s frustrating. But as far as big-picture, long-term, I would venture to guess that he’s going to have a long career based on who he is, his work ethic, and his ability. Now, that said, the best ability is availability. But at the same time, he’s still a young guy and a lot of these have been freak injuries. So hopefully he’ll use all his bad luck now and have a great, healthy career after this.”


Wherefore art thou, Romeo?

No. 14 pick Romeo Langford averaged 2.5 points per game last season, the 45th highest scoring average from the 2019 NBA Draft class.

2.5

In the aftermath of Boston’s bubble exit, Ainge pointed to Langford’s absence as one of the reasons the Celtics fell short of the Finals. Talk radio hosts in the region were aghast at the suggestion. But Boston brass believes there’s a certified rotation-caliber player if Langford can stay healthy.

"Sometimes I feel like I just can’t catch a break. But that comes with playing basketball,” said Langford. "It’s just a matter of how I respond and how do I prepare myself and get myself back to 100 percent, get my body right to where I don’t have to worry about these little knick-knack injuries and stuff like that.”

What is he most eager to showcase this season? He wants to build off the defensive presence he showed he could be last season. And he wants to showcase his offensive potential.

"Just making an impact when I do get out on the court,” said Langford. "Being noticed when you get out on the court, not just running up and down the floor and not making an impact on the game. Really just doing anything that helps the team win. Whatever the team is lacking at that point and space of the game, when I do come in, bring that to the table."

Langford appeared in just 32 games for Boston as a rookie. He didn’t shoot the ball particularly well (35 percent overall, 18.5 percent beyond the 3-point arc) but was solid on the defensive end, earning him some extended midseason run from Stevens. Inside the bubble, he had positioned himself for a playoff role, but then the wrist injury happened.

Langford tried to tough it out and appeared in Boston’s first five playoff games. He faded from the rotation in the Toronto series but Stevens went back to him early in Game 2 against Miami. Then he tweaked the groin.

Langford hasn’t been able to show his full toolbox at the NBA level but he has the potential to help fill some of the voids left by Gordon Hayward’s departure. It was Langford’s offensive potential that made him a lottery pick, especially his ability to attack the basket in the pick and roll. If teams are focused on Tatum and Brown, it’s going to give guys like Langford a chance to be really aggressive against lesser defenders. The Celtics made it an immediate emphasis to work on his shot last season, including strapping a ping-pong paddle to his hand to improve his release.


Bob
MY NOTE:  Multiple choice NOT allowed.  Vote cancelling IS allowed.


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I voted for Payton Pritchard.

With Kemba out, PP will get playing time off the bench and secure his spot for the rest of the season. It's not just his point guard skills that get him off the bench, he can shoot it and we need shooters.

I first thought Peyton myself, but he came in hot.  Kemba after many years finally went deep in the playoffs but learned a hard lesson about his height and how it can be easily turned into a disadvantage deep in the playoffs.  

He has something to prove.  I don't think he planned a career like he did at Charlotte, finally get traded to a contender and then just ride out into the injury sunset.  

As nice as his demeanor is, I think he is PISSED and chomping at the bit to get this knee thing behind him and prove the collapse in the playoffs was an anomaly.  Nice small guys don't like getting picked on because they are short!  He's going to be a new man.  Possessed!  A beast I tell you!!

db

I voted for PP.

He is going to get some playing time. He knows how to play. The better he does the more time Kemba has to build up that knee. We will have a pretty good PG rotation.

I voted for Jeff Teague.

It seems a lot of thinking is that Teague is at the end of the line in his career. Some of that comes from the observation that he's slowed some. I think there's more in his tank than many realize. I believe his playmaking skills and shooting may be a bigger upgrade than generally expected and that his playing time may be pretty significant if Walker continues to battle that knee problem. I think he has the ability to keep Boston in serious contention in the Atlantic and possibly in the Eastern conference overall.

I took a long shot and voted for... Kemba Walker.

Imagine if he actually comes back healthy this time. I do not care at which point in the season. Imagine if he can provide his full explosiveness during the part of the season he is in for and most importantly in the playoffs. I do not believe the 2 Js will be enough, as much of a step forward they are able to take this year, to take us to the Finals.

We will need more and my long shot bet (as in I hope it will happen but not really believe it) is Kemba will come back and provide a welcome surprise be being injury free this year!