Summer Quandaries: State Of The Shooting Guard

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Much has been made of the supposed logjam at shooting guard.  It is indeed true that there will be a number of two’s, at least part-time two’s, under contract.  In addition to Avery Bradley, the expected starter, also under contract are Chris Babb, Marcus Thornton, and Chris Johnson who are best suited to shooting guard.  Keith Bogans, Evan Turner, and rookie James Young would likely be labeled SG/SF and are more of a ‘tweener size.  Then there is the other rookie, Marcus Smart whose best position, I think, will be point guard but can certainly defend and probably play the two on offense as well.  Jeff Green has logged some minutes at shooting guard but we’ve got eight already so let’s stick to them.

Last year Bradley posted his highest minutes per game, 31.  However, for the first time ever, he spent as much if not more energy on the offensive end than the defensive.  I think the Celtics need consistently high defensive intensity from their guards to reduce the pressure on their interior which is still lacking that superior rim defender.  This starts with Bradley, so I think his minutes load should remain around 30.  With a growing array of offensive weapons, Avery should feel some relief of the pressure to instigate so much offense.  This in turn should allow him to return to his maniacal defense ferociousness.

Discount Bogans, I doubt he every plays another minute for the Celtics.  I have been thoroughly unimpressed by the play of Babb so I would exclude him from the discussion also (and he will probably have a monster camp and make a fool, albeit a happy one, out of me).  I really think Young will get tastes of court time in preseason and, perhaps before D-league starts up, in November; but early on I think these will be merely to whet his appetite.  Heck the Red Claws are so nearby that if James earns the PT, he may bounce back and forth quite a bit.  But it would be surprising if he forced his way into the lineup at the start of the season.

The interesting conundrum is Marcus Thornton.  Much as I despise his agent’s preemptive strike complaining about his playing time in the immediate wake of the trade, there will be minutes available . . . for someone.  Who and how many are the questions.  No one is going to just give those minutes, perhaps 18-20, to Thornton; he’s going to have to earn them.  That means he is going to have to play far more, far better, and far more enthusiastic defense than he has every played before.  That last sentence, and the next paragraph, apply directly to not only Thornton but also Turner and Young.

Training camp needs to have a very different theme than any of these three players have likely experienced before, at least personally.  And while it can be introduced by the coaches, it really has to come from within.  Too often they, unless they have the ball in hand, are not in an athletic basketball position, especially on defense: sitting down, bended knees, back straight and balanced. This is, for offense or defense, the ready position that makes players quicker and more explosive getting into motion, whether actively or reactively.  What they really need to focus on during camp is getting into position and quickly sliding into place on offensive sets and defensive rotations.  (At this point we could also add those last two goals to Vitor Faverani’s and newcomer Tyler Zeller’s to-do lists, but we were talking about the guards.)

IMHO, none of these guys deserve to get game time unless they make dedicated commitments to these basic principles.  So as I watch the preseason film clips and games, it is on these precepts that I’m going to be focused.  If they are focused mainly on their shots, getting and taking, I’m not going to be impressed.  

Back to the guards, Marcus Smart is going to be low and balanced and ready.  He will be the default for minutes, in spite of the fact that it is asking a lot for a rookie to be ready at two positions.  In fact if the other contenders fall by the wayside, I can see Marcus concentrating on shooting guard and Phil Pressey getting Rondo’s backup minutes as the season starts.  Turner, if he makes the investment, should, I think, take the small forward backup minutes.  While he could also backup shooting guard (certainly the minutes load wouldn‘t be excessive), and allow Smart to focus on the point, the preference should probably be for Thornton to turn over a new leaf or for Young to step up far sooner than it is reasonable to expect.

So I don’t see this as clearing up the logjam at shooting guard so much as cleaning up the roster.  I may take place without a single change in our supposedly committed (Turner still unsigned), guaranteed contracts.  The cleaning will be determining who will be playing the Celtic Way, and who will be inactive, on the bench, or just sent home a la Bogans.  Backup shooting guard may be neither Thornton or Young.  It might be PG Smart sliding up, or SF Turner sliding down.  But it ought to be someone, or some, that are buying in wholeheartedly.  

In all honesty, if Ainge can clear a roster spot, I have no problem with Chris Johnson starting the season as backup shooting guard.  If Smart needs to concentrate on PG, and Turner on SF, Young isn’t ready, and Thornton never was, give me the hustling three and D.  It isn’t about the player, it is about the team.

Have I resolved the logjam--no.  Have I determined the depth chart--no.  Hopefully, though, I have laid out what steps need to be taken and what qualifiers have to be met.  The rest, as it should be, will be determined on the court (and in the minds).

Only 21 more days until training camp.




bob



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Lee, don't overlook the 6th man slot. It's very possible that Thornton would have a shot at that role, and Turner might have an even better shot by playing two positions. Unfortunately, I don't associate either of these two with the dynamic kind of presence that I link with the 6th man spot.

Sam