Roster Reset

RosalieTCeltics wrote:I really think that Sam has learned a lot from the veterans in the last year or so as far as defense is concerned.  I have not seen much defense from SVi but he has not had much of a chance to show what he can do. Sam has learned a lot from Derrick, and is an excellent rebounder.  I guess you can see that I am rooting for him to succeed.  It would be great to have two guys on the bench who can shoot the heck out of the ball, as Cowens and I like to call them, “our gunslingers”.  Time will tell.

I will say that Banton has not showed me much since he had that one good game. Last night he looked lost out there.  Brissette is a hard worker, I would like to see a little more of him, But how can you when you have that first 6?????

Rosalie,

I concur 100%.

Sam has learned a lot, and his defense has gotten better (not great, maybe, but better) and Svi hasn't shown me much on defense.  Svi has shown me he's a pretty effective facilitator, he might have that over Sam, but not defense.  And, yes, Sam is a surprisingly good rebounder for his size, which I would NOT have expected coming from him.  I've just viewed him as another Duncan Robinson, a one-dimensional shooter.  I'm happy to see he's more than just that.

Banton looks lost.  He had a good SL game, he had a very good preseason game.  I'm waiting to see a good real game from him.

Brissette is going to have trouble finding minutes against good competition because our first 6 are going to gobble up probably 190, maybe even 200, of the 240 regulation minutes in a non-OT game.  Figure that's 31:40mpg each, average.  The Js might average 35, Jrue probably close to the same, and then Al and KP will their 28-30 each.  Payton and Sam will get 15-20 each (Payton closer to 20, Sam closer to 15) and that leaves 15-ish for Luke.  There's 9 players right there.  He's going to play against lesser teams, because that's when Joe will rest some of the 6.

The player I'm watching, now, to see if he can crack the rotation is Lamar.  He has a very specific, and desirable, NBA skillset.  He plays physical defense and can defend 2-4, at least.  He might beat out Svi for minutes just because of Svi's redundancy with Sam and the need for a dedicated defender.  He has the look of a Jerry Sloane-type player, the type that isn't going to light you up on the scoreboard but will keep you in the ice tub longer after playing against him because you'll be all black-and-blue.  Last year I'd say he has no chance but this year, with Charles Lee and Sam Cassell in Joe's ear about defense, he does.


Bob


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Celtics waive big man Wenyen Gabriel

https://www.celticsblog.com/2023/10/20/23925322/boston-celtics-waive-big-man-wenyen-gabriel-neemias-queta

Gabriel saw limited action in five preseason games for Boston.

By NoaDalzell Oct 20, 2023, 11:20am EDT 28 Comments / 28 New

After five games of preseason action, the Celtics have waived Wenyen Gabriel, a forward/center who signed a non-guaranteed, Exhibit 9 deal with the team earlier this month, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

The 26-year-old has played five years in the NBA, which has included stints with the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, and Los Angeles Clippers. Gabriel played for the Lakers last season, where he averaged 5.5 points in 15.1 minutes per game, and shot 59.6% from the floor.

In the preseason, Gabriel saw limited minutes, and as two-way center Neemias Queta capitalized on his on-court opportunities, it became increasingly clear he was passing Gabriel in the big man pecking order.

On average, Queta was a +13.7 during his time on the court, while Gabriel was a -1.3. In 8.2 minutes per game, Gabriel averaged 2.3 points and 2.7 rebounds. In contrast, in 11.5 minutes per game, Queta averaged 9.7 points and 4.7 rebounds, and showed flashes of athleticism and defensive prowess that has caught the attention of both Joe Mazzulla and the broader Celtics world. Queta had a particularly strong showing last night in Charlotte.

Gabriel, who was born in Sudan and grew up in New Hampshire, had expressed enthusiasm about being back in Massachusetts, where he spent his senior year of high school. “I’m happy to be back home,” he previously told reporters.

Gabriel helped South Sudan secure its first-ever Olympic berth in the FIBA World Cup last summer, averaging 9.3 points and 8.8 rebounds for the tournament.



After last night’s postseason finale against the Hornets, Joe Mazzulla spoke on the difficulty of having to waive a player that has been with the team since camp. Gabriel, Lamar Stevens, and D.J Stewart were all on camp contracts. It is likely that Stewart will be cut and join the team’s G League affiliate in Maine. The team will likely keep an open roster spot for flexibility heading into the season.

“It’s always difficult when you spend two to three weeks with anybody, and you get to know them, and watch them work hard, and they do everything they can, and then they’re not with you anymore,” Mazzulla said. “That process is difficult. But at the end of the day, those decisions have to be made, and we just have to move on.”

We had 19 players under contract this preseason.  Now it's down to 18.

Jay Scrubb is in legitimately serious danger of being cut after an ACL.  It's a cold cruel business, but you can't take up that development slot this season with a player who won't be able to develop this season because he's rehabbing. I really like Jay but...

Waiving Wenyan Gabriel takes us down to 17, assuming Scrubb is cut.  DJ Steward will be cut as well.

That takes us down to 16, 14 regular contract guys and 2 two-ways (Davison and Queta).

What do you think Brad will do?  Will he:

1.  Add another two-way and another Boston Celtic, to bring us up the the maximum 15 and 3?
2.  Add another two-way and leave the 15th spot open?
3.  Upgrade Queta to the 15th spot and find two more two-ways?

Opening Night is only 5 days away. Anybody he signs needs to be a very solid veteran because he'll have no camp or preseason to flatten out his learning curve. To be honest, I'm not sure a 20-something will cut it. Sure, they'll have the body and stamina for it but they'd be learning on the fly. Considering whomever they are won't be getting tons of minutes having a 30-something veteran on his back 9, someone who has been there and done that for a decade and more and has already seen it all, would probably fit in better.

Are you bored enough yet, Blake?


Bob


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As predicted, the Celtics have waived DJ Steward.

Now we're down to 17, 14 Boston Celtics and 3 Maine Celtics (because Jay Scrubb hasn't been officially cut yet).

This could be our final roster look.  There is no requirement to be at 15, you can stay at 14, you just cannot be at 13 for long and I think Dalano, Lamar, Oshae and Svi have all shown enough to make the team.

Boston

J1
J2
J3
Z
DWhite
Al
Pritch
Sam
Lamar
Oshae
Dalano
Luke
Svi
Walsh


Maine

Davison
Queta
Scrubb



Bigs - Z, Al, Luke, Oshae (??? A really small big, if so)
Wings - J1, J2, Sam, Lamar, Svi, Walsh
Guards - J3, DWhite, PP, Banton


Bob


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Boston Celtics
@celtics
We have signed
@nateknght
to a two-way contract


Bob
MY NOTE:  Jay Scrubb has been waived, creating the spot for Knight.  Knight is 6'10", 253#, 7'2" wingspan.  26 years old.  Started playing NBA ball when he was 23.  Played one season in Atlanta and two in Minnesota.  Career average 7.8mpg, grand total 837 NBA minutes.  Because Scrubb was released there is no need to upgrade Queta to make room for Knight.

Good luck, Jay, hope to see you next year.

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Looks like, as predicted, Scrubb was waived yesterday. Boy, what a bad break for this kid, he showed some real promise during summer league and I was lookin forward to watching him improve as the year went on This is a cold business, but it is a business. Hopefully he will rehab in the area and stay under Brad's eye. Tough break but his spot is already filled!!

Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
about 20 minutes ago
Jayson Tatum just posted he told the other potential five Celtics starters he would come off the bench one game this year. Was he kidding?


Bob


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No I bet he is dead serious.  Good sign as he is on a mission to go hard every night but I think this was a way of him thanking Al for stepping back and accepting the off the bench role. I believe it will prolong his career. Tatum is really trying hard to play a leader role

Porzingis had what-four block’s against the Knicks? He’s 7-3. And he’s Rob Williams with an outside shot.

Should the Boston Celtics target Danny Green after he was cut for the James Harden trade to L.A.?

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/boston-celtics-target-danny-green-173548805.html

Justin Quinn
Tue, October 31, 2023 at 1:35 PM EDT·2 min read

Fans of the Boston Celtics woke up to learn that Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden had been dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers with PJ Tucker for a handful of players and draft picks. Veteran wing Danny Green found himself a casualty of the deal, having been cut to make room for the incoming players. Should the Celtics consider targeting the veteran 3-and-D specialist to fill their final remaining roster spot?

On one hand, Green has remained a lethal outside shot despite tearing his ACL with the Sixers in the 2021-22 NBA season, hitting 42.1% of his attempts from beyond the arc since returning from that injury.

On the other, at this stage of his career, the Sixers wing is more “and-D” than 3-and-D, with father time and his injury history diminishing his mobility on that end of the court.

Green is also on the smaller side of the wing spectrum, meaning he won’t be any help propping up the team’s thin frontcourt rotation, and Boston already has a handful of wings able to shoot without being especially great defenders.

Given the tax bill adding such a player would bring coupled with the current state of the roster, it might make sense to revisit such a conversation in a few more weeks if Green remains available and Boston gets a better look at its bench.

But the attraction of such efficient 3-point shooting is hard to ignore, even if much of the rest of the details don’t quite fit at the moment.

My comments: Any takers?

He can shoot the 3, no doubt.

I'd pass however, based on his size, the recent ACL tear and cost.

I don't see him helping where we seem to have the greatest need; physical bigs for frontcourt depth.

Hitting 3's alone doesn't do it in my way of thinking.