Camp Battles: New Wings Will Push Green, Wallace

http://www.csnne.com/blog/celtics-talk/camp-battles-new-wings-will-push-green-wallace



Camp battles: New wings will push Green, Wallace
September 16, 2014, 1:45 pm








BOSTON — The good news is that the Boston Celtics have a lot of wing players.

The bad news?

They have A LOT of wing players.

But the beauty of training camp which begins in a couple weeks is it has a way of sorting that stuff out.

Still, there is a pecking order of sorts at the outset.

So in terms of Boston's wing players, we'll take a look at the leaders of the pack, those in the hunt as well as those at the back of the pack.

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LEADERS OF THE PACK
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Player: Jeff Green

Age: 28

2013-2014 stats: Averaged 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds. Shot 41.2 percent from the field, 34.1 percent on 3s.

The most tantalizing talent on the roster, Green will once again be cast in the role as the team's go-to scorer.

Having a healthier Rajon Rondo will only benefit Green who as we know now, is not suited to carry a team for an extended period of time by himself.

Few players can take you from the highs of dominance to the depths of disappointment as quickly as Green did last season.

What frustrates many fans about Green's game is that often it's him - not opponents, not teammates and not the system he's in - that keeps him from playing with the kind of consistency and stellar play that someone with his wide-ranging skillset, should be displaying.

But the pressure and attention that Green had little choice to deal with last season, won't be nearly as burdensome with Rondo's return along with several young players (Kelly Olynyk, Jared Sullinger) who should take some of the scoring burden off his shoulders this season.

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Player: Gerald Wallace

Age: 32

2013-2014 stats: 5.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Shot 50.4 percent from the field and 29.7 percent on 3s.

There's no question Wallace has lost a step or two on the floor, but he still has enough left in the tank to contribute.

However, it's uncertain as to what he can provide coming off season-ending surgery on his left knee and left ankle back in March.

Wallace, who has two years and $20.2 million remaining on his contract, is a high energy, all-out hustle kind of player hence the nickname, "Crash."

But his impact this season will be more like a thud as he's expected to play behind Jeff Green and Evan Turner.

And while Wallace has had nothing but good things to say about his time in Boston, he's a veteran player and at this stage of his career he would love nothing more than to play for a title contender or at the very least a team that's poised for the postseason now.

So it should not come as a surprise that the Celtics will continue to seek a potential trade partner for his services. And if that door remains shut, a potential buyout may enter the picture. For Boston, it could provide an additional roster spot for a younger (read: cheaper) player or added flexibility to make a trade. Wallace would likely leave some money on the table, but that might be the cost he has to pay for the freedom and flexibility to sign with another team that's closer to contender status and could use his services.

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Player: Evan Turner

Age: 25

2013-2014 stats (in Philadelphia and Indiana):  14 points, 5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Shot 42.5 from the field and 32.1 percent on 3s.

Even though the Celtics have yet to make his signing official, Turner's camp and Celtics players have repeatedly talked about how much they're looking forward to having Turner part of the team this season.

One of the reasons he was drafted so high (No. 2 overall, 2010 NBA draft) was because of his versatility. At 6-7, he can play all three perimeter positions (point guard; shooting guard and small forward) which provides him an opportunity to impact the game in many ways.

Still, Turner has to become a better defender if he's going to play under Brad Stevens. It's not a question as to whether he has the ability. The issue has been him channeling his talents towards that end, and maybe just as important, having a coach who believes in him.

Turner seemed to have found that symbiotic bond he was looking for this past season in Philadelphia with Brett Brown.

Appearing in 54 games with Philadelphia, Turner averaged 17.4 points, 6 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

But the Sixers decided to trade him to Indiana which meant a new (and way more limited) role which resulted in Turner's impact dropping off significantly.

And that doesn't even factor in the reported fight he got in with Lance Stephenson that some have alluded to as being one of the many factors contributing to the Pacers' postseason swoon in the Eastern Conference finals after looking the part of an NBA Finals participant for most of the season.

But in Boston, Turner will get a fresh start.

Now it's up to him to make the most of it, whether that's starting or coming off the bench as part of Brad Stevens' regular playing rotation.


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IN THE HUNT
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Player: Marcus Thornton

Age: 27

2013-2014 stats (Sacramento and Brooklyn): 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Shot 39.4 percent from the field and 34.5 percent on 3s.

You can add Thornton to the list of wild card prospects in training camp this year. The Celtics were among the league's worst scoring teams last season, ranking 26th with a 96.2 points per game average.

During his five seasons in the NBA, the former second-round pick has shown an ability to score in bunches primarily off the bench.

Drafted with the No. 43 pick in the 2009 NBA draft, only eight players in his class have a higher career scoring average.

While there has been lots of speculation that the Celtics will look to trade Thornton, all indications are they want to at least take a look at him in training camp before they make any decisions on whether to ship him out in this, the final year of his contract which pays $8.575 million this season.

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Player: James Young

Age: 19

2013-2014 stats (at Kentucky): Averaged 14.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Shot 40.7 percent from the field and 34.9 percent on 3s.

Even though the line is pretty long at the wing position, the chances for Young to see action aren't quite as bleak as one might think.

"He's been working hard," Celtics assistant coach Walter McCarty, told CSNNE.com. "We're excited about where he's at."

For Young, his best opportunity to get on the floor early is to make an impact defensively.

Even though he has a sweet-looking jumper, this lefty also has some physical qualities - a wing span that's 7-feet and some change - that provides legit hope that he can be an impact player defensively.

And Young to his credit, seems to already have a feel how important his play defensively will be in his quest to play.

"You gotta get stops on defense to score on offense anyway," Young told CSNNE.com. "Really just stay engaged on defense, hard working and really just try to stay focused through the whole possession and ... play the whole shot clock."

Doing his job defensively, he believes, will create opportunities for him to score at the other end.

"When we get on the offensive end, just do what I do," Young said. "When it's my time to score, get the ball and let it go."


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BACK OF THE PACK
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Player: Chris Johnson

Age: 24

2013-2014 stats: Averaged 6.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. Shot 39.7 percent from the field and 33.9 percent on 3s.

Keeping Johnson around would be a no-brainer if not for the fact that the Celtics have too many players under contract and in all likelihood will part with at least one or two who currently have non-guaranteed deals - players like Johnson.

Although he struggled shooting the ball during summer league, Johnson continued to impress the Celtics coaching staff with his energy.

“I like Chris Johnson a lot," said Celtics assistant coach Jay Larranaga who coached the summer league squad. "I think he plays as hard as any player that I’ve ever been around and he’s very unselfish."

And as far as his shooting struggles this summer, Larranaga said, "he's someone that we know can make shots; he's made shots in big-time NBA environments. Whether he makes shots or not, he’s going to give 100 percent effort and that’s what we love about him.”

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Player: Chris Babb

Age: 24

2013-2014 stats: 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. Shot 26.7 percent from the field and 22.2 percent on 3s.

Of the players who saw action last season still on the roster, no one outside of the exiled Keith Bogans* is as big a long shot as Babb.

And that was before a recent ESPN ranking listed him as the No. 499 (out of a possible 500) rated player in the league.

Babb (6-5, 225) has the body to play in the NBA as a wing defender, but that strength isn't strong enough to counter his lack of scoring or ability to create his own shot.

The issue isn't whether he can shoot the ball.

He can, even if his numbers suggest otherwise.

But as we know, doing it and doing it in games are two completely different animals which is why Babb's future in Boston is tenuous at best.

Like so many players in the NBA, Babb's best shot at making it has to involve him being with the right team at the right time, and given the right opportunity.

Look for him to be among the first players returning with non-guaranteed deals, to be cut loose.
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* Keith Bogans is not expected to be in training camp.




bob
MY NOTE:  Wallace's return from surgery is unknown at this time.  Babb isn't a 3, he's a 3-and-D SG.  A typical Blak--y regurgitation of the obvious:  Jeff Green's the starter, Wallace will see minutes, Turner's being signed for a revival, blah, blah, blah...


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Yes, when there are six veterans and one hot rookie who play the same position, there would normally be competition in training camp.

Sam