Summer Quandaries 23: Stand Pat Until Camp Answers Are In

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SQ23 Stand Pat Until Camp Answers Are In

By Lee Lauderdale





I've stopped worrying about the 16th man problem. At this point, I'm more interested in the variety of fascinating stories likely to play out in camp. Some are individual, some are group dynamics, and some are coach issues. Until at least a few of these develop, it seems foolish to rush into shrinking the roster. While I know Ainge will have his ear to the rails for that home-run trade, I think we will now see another of his strengths, patience.

We've waited for three years to see how an in-shape Sullinger could alter his game. From the pictures, and comments, emerging, it looks like this might be the season. I, for one, am eager to see if a lighter and more fit Jared gains mobility, perhaps a bit more lift, maybe a little more crafty rather than bash. It should certainly help his stamina, and Lord knows I've seen far too much of his huffing and puffing down the court—late getting into the play.

The total wild-card unknown is Perry Jones III. Given the incredible numbers painted by his vital statistics, one would have to be crazy not to be tantalized to see what his new start in Bean Town will produce. No player on any recent Celtics' roster has such a high potential combined with such a frighteningly low vagabond status currently. How can it be equally easy to envision PJ3 as a dangerous starter, or as an obvious (and prepaid) waiver wire cut to lower the team to 15 contracts? His impact could jump the team to upper half of the playoff seedings, or be absolutely zero. I can pretty much guarantee that neither Ainge nor Stevens will permit that impact to fall below zero.

Other players bring up intriguing questions also. Kelly Olynyk is going through his first summer free (so far I think) of injury—so maybe an off-season of improvement rather than rehab. We have all eagerly awaited his development and have been frustrated time after time by his setbacks due to injury. If he is healthy for this camp, it will be the first time in his career. If missing camp and off-season work isn't enough, he has yet to make it through an NBA campaign without severely limiting injuries during the season. A badly sprained ankle (sadly so far a regular Olynyk occurrence) not only keeps a player out for weeks, or months, but costs him practice time and makes his improvement almost impossible, at least for a while. I think most of us have been disappointed in Olynyk's progress, but perhaps good health will make this the camp/year he sees a jump in his play.

Speaking of bad ankle sprains (and more recently dislocated fingers on his shooting hand), last season's promising rookie, Marcus Smart, should finally be able to get back to basketball activities this week. While I think almost everyone is impressed with his defense and aggressive play, he seemed quite reluctant to drive last winter after his ankle sprain, and his shooting remains a work in progress (except when delayed, and set back, and delayed!) It has to be interesting to see how much he has been able to catch up, now that he is finally able to get back to his off-season investment to improvement.

A post on another blog was reciting numbers to show how other summer league players, who weren't drafted, put up similar or better stats to R. J. Hunter. Poppycock! It wasn't his stat sheet that impressed me, although it isn't too shabby, but rather his feel for the game and off-the-ball contributions. I am eager to see if his overall game will enable him to make a most un-rookie-like impact. I do definitely feel that his tangible intangibles (the step or two to improve his team's defensive or offensive matrix, alert and heady passes, first-two-steps-of-a-drive to flex the defense and free up a teammate, help and cover for the helper, and generally unselfish play) is a perfect fit for this Steven's Celtics team.

I keep feeling better and better about this aggregation of Celtics. I love to see a team of high BBIQ players. I love to see a coach that emphasizes read and react, ball and player movement, recognizing and exploiting defensive flaws, and pushing the game speed to deny the opponents the opportunity to get comfortably into their defensive set. Turn off the ESPN highlights, set aside the ego-driven mano-a-mano isolation plays, forgo the imposition of the individual will—instead embrace the imposition of the collective will, beat strong with shrewd, run those star five's into exhaustion, and thrill to the Celtics' way.

I get chill bumps thinking about this group melding into a whole that far exceeds the sum of the parts. Yesterday I wrote of Amir Johnson and the stark contrast of his play to the individual All-Stars on the Team USA. I see this Three (Five, Twelve, Fifteen?) Musketeers attitude, and individual characteristics, becoming an essential factor in Ainge's hunt for the next new Celtic. Now that I really consider it, this is the reason that I have been drawn to the Celtics, again and again—in the 50's, and 60's, and 70's, and 80's, and for the last decade.

Only 44 days until camp.



bob
MY NOTE: Aside from the obvious "Danny is looking for the home run" and "there's no reason to cut players until they have a chance to separate themselves in camp" Lee poses the classic Celtic question "Is it better to have iso stars or a machine?". Pop and the Spurs have shown that you don't need a Kobe or an MJ to win multiple titles. You need talent, but that talent has to mesh.

Funny that, of all the players he drooled over a bit, one was as-yet untested RJ Sniper, and not Marcus Smart or even Mickey. I confess, when I watched summer league, I was doing the "eyes pop, chin comes back and down" look of incredulity at some of his shooting. If consistent shooting from range was one of our problems last year, and it was, he's custom-made to fix that. If his 190# frame doesn't break down from the 82 game season and constant contact with players 20+ pounds heavier than him, he could be the next Jamal Crawford, a player that comes in and changes the way a quarter goes singlehandedly.

We've already talked about Perry Jones III, spurred by a column by Lee. My prediction is that he eats James Young's lunch. In fact, if Danny can find us another ball handler for the starting unit he might eat Turner's lunch too. The knock on him are his knees and his motor. Well, getting traded (and having your team pay to get rid of you) might improve his motor a bit. Nothing like a slap in the face to wake you up. His knees? We'll see.

We're still some players away, but I'm liking what Danny hath wrought so far. You shouldn't judge what Danny does trade-by-trade, you almost have to wait until the off-season and see what our starting point is and I'm starting to like this team more too. I also have developed complete confidence in Brad. In Brad I Trust. He is the ultimate lemonade-maker. Whomever Danny gives him will play the best basketball of his life under Brad. Jerebko saw it.



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I fully agree that this pre-season for the Celtics is going to be very interesting. Perhaps the most interesting since the summer that Ainge added both Garnett and Allen.

There are lots of good players but no real NBA stars who are going to compete for playing time, there are many possible trades that could be made and the coaching staff is only going to be better this year which will likely help develop more skills in the players that they come into contact with.

Relating to Perry Jones...Bob, the fact that this guy has pretty much been a failure so far in his NBA career also needs to be added to what may determine what his "motor" will be. If he flops in Boston it may be his last chance to get a big contract in the NBA. He certainly should already be very much aware of this. His knees, at least last year, were not a problem other than the deep bone bruise he had after playing well in replacing Durant. A bone bruise is not a 'problem' like cartilage or ligaments are.

wide clyde wrote:I fully agree that this pre-season for the Celtics is going to be very interesting.  Perhaps the most interesting since the summer that Ainge added both Garnett and Allen.

There are lots of good players but no real NBA stars who are going to compete for playing time, there are many possible trades that could be made and the coaching staff is only going to be better this year which will likely help develop more skills in the players that they come into contact with.

Relating to Perry Jones...Bob, the fact that this guy has pretty much been a failure so far in his NBA career also needs to be added to what may determine what his "motor" will be.  If he flops in Boston it may be his last chance to get a big contract in the NBA.  He certainly should already be very much aware of this.  His knees, at least last year, were not a problem other than the deep bone bruise he had after playing well in replacing Durant.  A bone bruise is not a 'problem' like cartilage or ligaments are.

clyde,

You're right, a bone bruise is not cartilage or ligaments as far as justifiable levels of concern.

I've said I've learned, and improved, far more from being fired than I ever learned from being promoted. If you are a competitor, and it takes more than freakish height and hops to be an NBAer, then he should see this as being 'fired'. The truth is that it was a pure luxury tax move for OKC, but he shouldn't think of it as that.

We have a few players who are in this same boat. Lee, Amir, Turner, Jerebko, Sully, Young and PJ3 are all in the final year of their contracts (in Amir and Jerebko's cases they have 2 year contracts but the second year is not guaranteed, so it is in essence a 1 year contract with a team option. In Sully's case next year is a qualifying offer and the final number will be whatever other teams are willing to bid over that. Young is a team option). That's half a roster's worth of Darwinian Hunger Games.

I am expecting ferocious competition.


bob


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And, Bob, the extreme competition will only help the team as there is nothing to make a player play better than having the threat of being beaten out for minutes.

I have complete confidence in Stevens and his staff to not only promote such competition but also to blend the talents together to get us to 50 wins this season.

If Lee added Mickey to his comment on the "musketeers", would that change their name to "mouseketeers?"

Actually, Lee once again seems to have a direct bead in what goes on in my mine:

• Forget about the 16th man and let Danny worry about it.

• With so many intriguing players on the roster, let's see what they show in preseason before making major trades—UNLESS the center of our dreams shows up. (And I'm personally not falling for this "positionless basketball" stuff as a panacea any faster than I'm reconciling myself to three-ball-dominated basketball.

• Once again, it would be wonderful to observe Olynyk's version of a breakout season....and to determine whether his near-peak effort would be good enough to install him as a Celtics difference-maker.

• It's the fit for the team, rather than comparisons with the stats of non-Celtics that makes a player worthy of a spot on the roster.

Not on Lee's mind, but definitely on mine:

For two years, there has been a lot of talk about Celtics fireworks in the offseason. I'll be much more interested in the fireworks they can create during the season and hopefully beyond.

Sam