Are We Really Bringing Back Rozier?? (Update: Nope! Phew)

[Silky]

I would be pretty happy to bring Rozier back, and I would consider this team lucky if he is willing to come back.

This team has treated Rozier like a doormat since the moment he arrived:

1. First he was buried behind Rondo and Smart - he did not complain once.

2. Then then Rondo was traded out he got buried behind Thomas and Smart - again, he did not say a word.

3. When Boston faced injuries Rozier finally got a chance, and he absolutely made the most of that opportunity.  Boston surprised everybody by beating the Bucks and the Sixers, then taking the Cavs to 7 games - and Rozier was absolutely instrumental to that run.   

4. Then after proving what he can do, what does he get as thanks?  He gets buried on the bench once again behind Kyrie and Smart.  In a contract year, no less - his last opportunity to show his value and get paid. 

5. Despite being buried AGAIN behind Kyrie and Smart, he once again proved himself by filling in extremely well every time the injury bug hit.  In 14 games as a starter Rozier averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting 43% / 40% / 90%.  In those games Rozier had a net rating of +11 and the Celtics were 11-3 (0.785).  The Celtics almost always played their best basketball when Rozier was given the starting PG spot...and yet any time the injured partys returned he was thrown straight back to the end of the bench again.

6.  I can understand Rozier being beyind Kyrie, but he was also constantly buried behind Smart.  Despite the fact that Rozier often outplayed Smart.  Despite Smart's constantly poor end of game decision making, Stevens frequently left Smart in the game and Rozier rotting at the end of the bench.

Rozier went through the entire NBA season without making a single complaint.  He sat there quietly at the end of the bench and did whatever he was asked, year after year after year. 

Finally after after four years of being shoved to the end of the bench and utterly ignored by your coach, after coming off a disastrous season that nobody on the team enjoyed, and after willingly sacrificing your entire contract year for the sake of the team -  and not getting a single bit of thanks or appreciation for any of it - finally he reached the limit of his patience and came out to express how he really felt.

And I don't blame the guy one iota, because if I were in his position I would feel exactly the same way. 

Ok maybe he could have thought a bit more carefully before talking - maybe going and saying all of this on public TV may not have been the cleanest way of expressing himself  But people make mistakes - and Rozier was clearly incredibly frustrated, not just for this season but probably for the way he's been treated the entire time he was in Boston.  I really don't think anybody really has the right to blame him for that - the entire league has pretty much acknowledged Rozier's potential as a starting PG in this league for one or two seasons now, and yet the Celtics have been holding him back from achieving his potential from day one.

In all honest, i don't even think most of the things he said were that bad.  He didn't really throw specific shade at any one person.  In fact the people on the shows pushed and prodded him HARD to try to push him to diss specific individuals (like Kyrie and Kayward) and he refused to do it.  He specifically said sure there may have been some challenges with those guys, but that the problem was not any one person.  He went out of his way to say it wasn't all Kyrie's fault, and that he also had to make adjustments to taking on a new role as a leader.  He mentioned guys had egos, and that created issues, etc. 

Many people took offense when he was asked if he would come back to Boston if the team was brought back as it was and he said probably not - that he'd love to come back to Boston but he really wants a starting role.  I think that's fair.  I think he's earned that.  Why WOULD he want to come back only to be buried at the end of the bench for another 4 years? 

Anyway I will end my little rant now - but I really do think people are being (and always have been) a little hard on Rozier.  I can acknowledge that he made a mistake by coming out and being as vocal as he was, but at least he was honest and speaking from the heart - he seems like the type of guy who doesn't know any other way.  If Marcus Smart came out and said all the things Rozier said, you would probably all be praising him for being real and for saying it how it is.  Somehow Rozier has been hated on by Celtics fans from day one.

Rozier is buried because he isnt as good

[Muzzy66]

I am in the minority but I would like to have him back - especially if he gets along with Brown, Smart, and Tatum...

I hated seeing him spilling the garbage on those shows but I am not mad at a man who is mad about how he was used when the Team underachieved...  And yes he was a chucker but I believe it was because his minutes were cut and he was trying to Prove himself for the next team (in the Reduced minutes he was receiving "not" because he sucked but because two other people were being integrated... Fair or unfair I understand what he was trying to do.. (Secure a bag)

The kid is young but talented... The Team had a disappointing year and he was basically benched...

Had we won something I don't think this would have been a problem, but we didn't...  Now the Spin is Tatum is overrated, Brown is a Trouble maker, Rozier is Trash... Hayward is garbage...

I am okay with players being mad and turning over tables after they were embarrassed on the court... That's what I see Terry Doing...

The Kid Cares... Bring him back.  I believe he actually wants to be Celtic...I feel he was hurt watching the organizations bend over backward for a man that everyone in the locker room knew didn't want to be there...

Has anyone stopped to think about how the young kids felt about that

Anyway, I am okay with Terry... Would love to have him back just because I think he really cares.

Rozier sulked all yeah and put very little effort in on either end of the floor all last year. I remember him trying in two games. He tried in that Toronto game we won and the GSW game but acted like a baby the rest of the year. Then he threw everyone under the bus at the end of the year. I'll take the way Jaylen Brown handled things every time!

What are you talking about? 

I watched the team closely all year.  I never saw Rozier complain until his big unleash at the end of the season.  Prior to that, as far as i could see, he was sitting on the bench doing what he was told with his mouth shut all season long - just as he has done every other year he's been in Boston.

The guy played hard every night. 

I don't understand how people can constantly criticise Rozier, and yet i many cases it's the same people who are always eager to praise Marcus Smart. 

Smart has been treated like a golden child from the moment he arrived in Boston.  Smart has NEVER had to earn his minutes - he's never played less than 27 MPG his entire career.  He's been gifted those minutes from day one, and he rarely every receives criticism despite the fact that he is frequently acting like a brat, getting fines for flopping, getting techs for complaining, getting suspended for getting in to fights, spending time on the injured list because he couldn't hold back from punching things, and losing games by making bonehead decisions at the end of games. 

When Smart puts together a string of bad games, he gets a pass.  When Smart loses a game with a boneheaded turnover, he gets a pass.  When Smart loses a game by forcing a idiotic contested three he gets a pass. When Smart misses 2 games because he got suspended for fighting, he gets a pass.  Nobody holds him accountable.

By comparison Terry Rozier has had to fight work his butt off for FOUR YEARS to try and earn any and every minute he's ever played.  He's only averaged over 25 MPG once, and just barely at that.  He can play great for a stretch of 4 or 5 games, and yet he still gets thrown right back to the end of the bench as soon as he's not needed anymore.  He's almost always healthy, he never gets called for technical fouls for arguing, he never gets into fights, he never gets into trouble off the court, he is a smart passer and a steady ball handler (only 9.2% TO Rate and 1.4 TO Per 36 for his career) and one of the better rebounding point guards in the NBA (6.4 Rebounds per 36 for his career) which is a well established effort stat, so he clearly plays hard - and the coaches constantly preach about him being one of the hardest working guys on the team off the court.

Yet despite all this he's constantly shaded and dumped at the end of the bench, while Marcus Smart is constantly gifted all the minutes he can handle no matter how much he screws up.

If you were Rozier, how would you feel about that?   

[liam]

I am in the minority but I would like to have him back - especially if he gets along with Brown, Smart, and Tatum...

I hated seeing him spilling the garbage on those shows but I am not mad at a man who is mad about how he was used when the Team underachieved...  And yes he was a chucker but I believe it was because his minutes were cut and he was trying to Prove himself for the next team (in the Reduced minutes he was receiving "not" because he sucked but because two other people were being integrated... Fair or unfair I understand what he was trying to do.. (Secure a bag)

The kid is young but talented... The Team had a disappointing year and he was basically benched...

Had we won something I don't think this would have been a problem, but we didn't...  Now the Spin is Tatum is overrated, Brown is a Trouble maker, Rozier is Trash... Hayward is garbage...

I am okay with players being mad and turning over tables after they were embarrassed on the court... That's what I see Terry Doing...

The Kid Cares... Bring him back.  I believe he actually wants to be Celtic...I feel he was hurt watching the organizations bend over backward for a man that everyone in the locker room knew didn't want to be there...

Has anyone stopped to think about how the young kids felt about that

Anyway, I am okay with Terry... Would love to have him back just because I think he really cares.

Rozier sulked all yeah and put very little effort in on either end of the floor all last year. I remember him trying in two games. He tried in that Toronto game we won and the GSW game but acted like a baby the rest of the year. Then he threw everyone under the bus at the end of the year. I'll take the way Jaylen Brown handled things every time!

I don't disagree with you... I just think his situation during a contract year really screwed with him... He Didn't "earn" the lack of minutes.. He was forced to sit and watch.

But You are not wrong... I just think IF you give Rozier a Real job he will act like a real player...

If Rozier comes back I hope he can be The Rozier from the playoffs last year. I don't believe that Rozier earned any mintes with his play this year. I think he thought he deserved minutes for what he did last year. Smart worked his way into the starting line up with effort, Rozier sulked like a baby. Jaylen Brown deserved to start as much as anyone on the squad but when he played he played hard and by the end of the year was on of the Celtics best players. Jaylen could've dug his heels in and not put any effort in but he didn't! Grow up Terry!

[Muzzy66]

I would be pretty happy to bring Rozier back, and I would consider this team lucky if he is willing to come back.

This team has treated Rozier like a doormat since the moment he arrived:

1. First he was buried behind Rondo and Smart - he did not complain once.

2. Then then Rondo was traded out he got buried behind Thomas and Smart - again, he did not say a word.

3. When Boston faced injuries Rozier finally got a chance, and he absolutely made the most of that opportunity.  Boston surprised everybody by beating the Bucks and the Sixers, then taking the Cavs to 7 games - and Rozier was absolutely instrumental to that run.   

4. Then after proving what he can do, what does he get as thanks?  He gets buried on the bench once again behind Kyrie and Smart.  In a contract year, no less - his last opportunity to show his value and get paid. 

5. Despite being buried AGAIN behind Kyrie and Smart, he once again proved himself by filling in extremely well every time the injury bug hit.  In 14 games as a starter Rozier averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting 43% / 40% / 90%.  In those games Rozier had a net rating of +11 and the Celtics were 11-3 (0.785).  The Celtics almost always played their best basketball when Rozier was given the starting PG spot...and yet any time the injured partys returned he was thrown straight back to the end of the bench again.

6.  I can understand Rozier being beyind Kyrie, but he was also constantly buried behind Smart.  Despite the fact that Rozier often outplayed Smart.  Despite Smart's constantly poor end of game decision making, Stevens frequently left Smart in the game and Rozier rotting at the end of the bench.

Rozier went through the entire NBA season without making a single complaint.  He sat there quietly at the end of the bench and did whatever he was asked, year after year after year. 

Finally after after four years of being shoved to the end of the bench and utterly ignored by your coach, after coming off a disastrous season that nobody on the team enjoyed, and after willingly sacrificing your entire contract year for the sake of the team -  and not getting a single bit of thanks or appreciation for any of it - finally he reached the limit of his patience and came out to express how he really felt.

And I don't blame the guy one iota, because if I were in his position I would feel exactly the same way. 

Ok maybe he could have thought a bit more carefully before talking - maybe going and saying all of this on public TV may not have been the cleanest way of expressing himself  But people make mistakes - and Rozier was clearly incredibly frustrated, not just for this season but probably for the way he's been treated the entire time he was in Boston.  I really don't think anybody really has the right to blame him for that - the entire league has pretty much acknowledged Rozier's potential as a starting PG in this league for one or two seasons now, and yet the Celtics have been holding him back from achieving his potential from day one.

In all honest, i don't even think most of the things he said were that bad.  He didn't really throw specific shade at any one person.  In fact the people on the shows pushed and prodded him HARD to try to push him to diss specific individuals (like Kyrie and Kayward) and he refused to do it.  He specifically said sure there may have been some challenges with those guys, but that the problem was not any one person.  He went out of his way to say it wasn't all Kyrie's fault, and that he also had to make adjustments to taking on a new role as a leader.  He mentioned guys had egos, and that created issues, etc. 

Many people took offense when he was asked if he would come back to Boston if the team was brought back as it was and he said probably not - that he'd love to come back to Boston but he really wants a starting role.  I think that's fair.  I think he's earned that.  Why WOULD he want to come back only to be buried at the end of the bench for another 4 years? 

Anyway I will end my little rant now - but I really do think people are being (and always have been) a little hard on Rozier.  I can acknowledge that he made a mistake by coming out and being as vocal as he was, but at least he was honest and speaking from the heart - he seems like the type of guy who doesn't know any other way.  If Marcus Smart came out and said all the things Rozier said, you would probably all be praising him for being real and for saying it how it is.  Somehow Rozier has been hated on by Celtics fans from day one.

Rozier is buried because he isnt as good

As opposed to Marcus Smart?

A guy who:
1. Can't shoot (as demonstrated by his career FG% and 3PT%)
2. Cant pass or dribble (as evidenced by his poor turnover rates, low assist/to ratio, and high rate of bad pass TO)
3. Has poor offensive IQ (as evidenced by his frequent poor decision making at the end of games)
4. Has serious mental issues around self control (as evidenced by techs, suspensions and tendency to get into fights)

He literally just plays hard defense - that is the only thing he consistently does at an above average level, and yet he gets gifted minutes like an all you can eat buffet.

Rozier is better then Smart at EVERY aspect of the game except defense, and yet gets buried on the end of the bench. 

[liam]

What's Rozier going to do when he resigns and gets passed by Edwards halfway through the season?

[gouki88]

I would be pretty happy to bring Rozier back, and I would consider this team lucky if he is willing to come back.

This team has treated Rozier like a doormat since the moment he arrived:

1. First he was buried behind Rondo and Smart - he did not complain once.

2. Then then Rondo was traded out he got buried behind Thomas and Smart - again, he did not say a word.

3. When Boston faced injuries Rozier finally got a chance, and he absolutely made the most of that opportunity.  Boston surprised everybody by beating the Bucks and the Sixers, then taking the Cavs to 7 games - and Rozier was absolutely instrumental to that run.   

4. Then after proving what he can do, what does he get as thanks?  He gets buried on the bench once again behind Kyrie and Smart.  In a contract year, no less - his last opportunity to show his value and get paid. 

5. Despite being buried AGAIN behind Kyrie and Smart, he once again proved himself by filling in extremely well every time the injury bug hit.  In 14 games as a starter Rozier averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting 43% / 40% / 90%.  In those games Rozier had a net rating of +11 and the Celtics were 11-3 (0.785).  The Celtics almost always played their best basketball when Rozier was given the starting PG spot...and yet any time the injured partys returned he was thrown straight back to the end of the bench again.

6.  I can understand Rozier being beyind Kyrie, but he was also constantly buried behind Smart.  Despite the fact that Rozier often outplayed Smart.  Despite Smart's constantly poor end of game decision making, Stevens frequently left Smart in the game and Rozier rotting at the end of the bench.

Rozier went through the entire NBA season without making a single complaint.  He sat there quietly at the end of the bench and did whatever he was asked, year after year after year. 

Finally after after four years of being shoved to the end of the bench and utterly ignored by your coach, after coming off a disastrous season that nobody on the team enjoyed, and after willingly sacrificing your entire contract year for the sake of the team -  and not getting a single bit of thanks or appreciation for any of it - finally he reached the limit of his patience and came out to express how he really felt.

And I don't blame the guy one iota, because if I were in his position I would feel exactly the same way. 

Ok maybe he could have thought a bit more carefully before talking - maybe going and saying all of this on public TV may not have been the cleanest way of expressing himself  But people make mistakes - and Rozier was clearly incredibly frustrated, not just for this season but probably for the way he's been treated the entire time he was in Boston.  I really don't think anybody really has the right to blame him for that - the entire league has pretty much acknowledged Rozier's potential as a starting PG in this league for one or two seasons now, and yet the Celtics have been holding him back from achieving his potential from day one.

In all honest, i don't even think most of the things he said were that bad.  He didn't really throw specific shade at any one person.  In fact the people on the shows pushed and prodded him HARD to try to push him to diss specific individuals (like Kyrie and Kayward) and he refused to do it.  He specifically said sure there may have been some challenges with those guys, but that the problem was not any one person.  He went out of his way to say it wasn't all Kyrie's fault, and that he also had to make adjustments to taking on a new role as a leader.  He mentioned guys had egos, and that created issues, etc. 

Many people took offense when he was asked if he would come back to Boston if the team was brought back as it was and he said probably not - that he'd love to come back to Boston but he really wants a starting role.  I think that's fair.  I think he's earned that.  Why WOULD he want to come back only to be buried at the end of the bench for another 4 years? 

Anyway I will end my little rant now - but I really do think people are being (and always have been) a little hard on Rozier.  I can acknowledge that he made a mistake by coming out and being as vocal as he was, but at least he was honest and speaking from the heart - he seems like the type of guy who doesn't know any other way.  If Marcus Smart came out and said all the things Rozier said, you would probably all be praising him for being real and for saying it how it is.  Somehow Rozier has been hated on by Celtics fans from day one.

Rozier is buried because he isnt as good

As opposed to Marcus Smart?

A guy who:
1. Can't shoot (as demonstrated by his career FG% and 3PT%)
2. Cant pass or dribble (as evidenced by his poor turnover rates, low assist/to ratio, and high rate of bad pass TO)
3. Has poor offensive IQ (as evidenced by his frequent poor decision making at the end of games)
4. Has serious mental issues around self control (as evidenced by techs, suspensions and tendency to get into fights)

He literally just plays hard defense - that is the only thing he consistently does at an above average level, and yet he gets gifted minutes like an all you can eat buffet.

Rozier is better then Smart at EVERY aspect of the game except defense, and yet gets buried on the end of the bench.

I admire your ardent defending of Rozier, even if it is completely untrue. Especially the emboldened, that gave me a good laugh. Marcus is an All-Defence 1st team defender, not "above average". He is literally a top 4 guard defender in the league, and can comfortably switch onto wings and some bigs. Terry Rozier is a mediocre defender of guards and can't switch onto anyone.

Then you come out with this nonsense about Rozier being buried on the end of the bench. Rozier and Smart have been within 5MPG of each other for the last two seasons, so that is simply not true. Terry was especially undeserving of those minutes this year, as his passing, shooting, scoring and defence were all considerably worse than Smart's.

Not to mention that they're the same age.

Once again, the minutes gap is 5 MINUTES PER GAME. I don't know where or why you invented this narrative about Terry Rozier getting benched, but it's a fantasy land I wish we lived in, because he was absolute garbage for the 2018-2019 season

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I am in the minority but I would like to have him back - especially if he gets along with Brown, Smart, and Tatum...

I hated seeing him spilling the garbage on those shows but I am not mad at a man who is mad about how he was used when the Team underachieved...  And yes he was a chucker but I believe it was because his minutes were cut and he was trying to Prove himself for the next team (in the Reduced minutes he was receiving "not" because he sucked but because two other people were being integrated... Fair or unfair I understand what he was trying to do.. (Secure a bag)

The kid is young but talented... The Team had a disappointing year and he was basically benched...

Had we won something I don't think this would have been a problem, but we didn't...  Now the Spin is Tatum is overrated, Brown is a Trouble maker, Rozier is Trash... Hayward is garbage...

I am okay with players being mad and turning over tables after they were embarrassed on the court... That's what I see Terry Doing...

The Kid Cares... Bring him back.  I believe he actually wants to be Celtic...I feel he was hurt watching the organizations bend over backward for a man that everyone in the locker room knew didn't want to be there...

Has anyone stopped to think about how the young kids felt about that

Anyway, I am okay with Terry... Would love to have him back just because I think he really cares.

Rozier sulked all yeah and put very little effort in on either end of the floor all last year. I remember him trying in two games. He tried in that Toronto game we won and the GSW game but acted like a baby the rest of the year. Then he threw everyone under the bus at the end of the year. I'll take the way Jaylen Brown handled things every time!

I don't disagree with you... I just think his situation during a contract year really screwed with him... He Didn't "earn" the lack of minutes.. He was forced to sit and watch.

But You are not wrong... I just think IF you give Rozier a Real job he will act like a real player...

If Rozier comes back I hope he can be The Rozier from the playoffs last year. I don't believe that Rozier earned any mintes with his play this year. I think he thought he deserved minutes for what he did last year. Smart worked his way into the starting line up with effort, Rozier sulked like a baby. Jaylen Brown deserved to start as much as anyone on the squad but when he played he played hard and by the end of the year was on of the Celtics best players. Jaylen could've dug his heels in and not put any effort in but he didn't! Grow up Terry!

I wouldn't mind if he comes back if he hasn't burned bridges, I don't dislike him as much as other people do, his play has got on my nerves a few times but so has everyone else on the team. With that said, we can't pretend that he wasn't as streaky and as mediocre a player last season as he has been HIS ENTIRE CAREER. The end of the prior season doesn't wipe away the 3.5 years of his career. All we can hope for is that run being a glimpse into what he can be, but right now people are acting last year was an anomaly, when the short and solid play (not great) he had in that stretch (normal poor shooting) could have been the anomaly.

[Muzzy66]

I am in the minority but I would like to have him back - especially if he gets along with Brown, Smart, and Tatum...

I hated seeing him spilling the garbage on those shows but I am not mad at a man who is mad about how he was used when the Team underachieved...  And yes he was a chucker but I believe it was because his minutes were cut and he was trying to Prove himself for the next team (in the Reduced minutes he was receiving "not" because he sucked but because two other people were being integrated... Fair or unfair I understand what he was trying to do.. (Secure a bag)

The kid is young but talented... The Team had a disappointing year and he was basically benched...

Had we won something I don't think this would have been a problem, but we didn't...  Now the Spin is Tatum is overrated, Brown is a Trouble maker, Rozier is Trash... Hayward is garbage...

I am okay with players being mad and turning over tables after they were embarrassed on the court... That's what I see Terry Doing...

The Kid Cares... Bring him back.  I believe he actually wants to be Celtic...I feel he was hurt watching the organizations bend over backward for a man that everyone in the locker room knew didn't want to be there...

Has anyone stopped to think about how the young kids felt about that

Anyway, I am okay with Terry... Would love to have him back just because I think he really cares.

Rozier sulked all yeah and put very little effort in on either end of the floor all last year. I remember him trying in two games. He tried in that Toronto game we won and the GSW game but acted like a baby the rest of the year. Then he threw everyone under the bus at the end of the year. I'll take the way Jaylen Brown handled things every time!

I don't disagree with you... I just think his situation during a contract year really screwed with him... He Didn't "earn" the lack of minutes.. He was forced to sit and watch.

But You are not wrong... I just think IF you give Rozier a Real job he will act like a real player...

If Rozier comes back I hope he can be The Rozier from the playoffs last year. I don't believe that Rozier earned any mintes with his play this year. I think he thought he deserved minutes for what he did last year. Smart worked his way into the starting line up with effort, Rozier sulked like a baby. Jaylen Brown deserved to start as much as anyone on the squad but when he played he played hard and by the end of the year was on of the Celtics best players. Jaylen could've dug his heels in and not put any effort in but he didn't! Grow up Terry!

To be fair, that's not really the full story.

Jaylen Brown was starting, he effectively got demoted to the bench because for a long stretch he was playing HORRIBLE basketball.  His defense in particular looked like it took about 10 steps back from his second year.  His offense was all over the place, and he couldn't make open shots to save his life.

When he got moved to the bench he didn't vocally complain about it, but he didn't look happy at all - and his play for a long time didn't seem to improve. 

There was a LONG stretch of this season where I was getting close to giving up on Brown, but then he finally turned it around and starting improving a lot on the offensive end, looking more like the guy he was in the playoffs the year before.  By the end of the season he looked really good.  But to suggest he just played hard and played good all season is not really accurate.

Even towards the end of the year when his offense did pick back up again, he continued to play some pretty terrible defense - and just about every defensive statistic I've seen out there backs that up. 

In fairness, I will give him the benefit of the doubt knowing that he had to play alongside Kyrie (who isn't know for his defense) and Hayward (who was basically playing on one leg) and will assume that this put a lot of extra defensive pressure on Brown.  I'm hoping that next season he's able to come back strong on that end of the court.

[gpap]

For me personally, in addition to not liking Rozier's game (streaky shooter, turnover prone, etc), I personally believe he burned a bridge with his comments.

How can Ainge bring him back after what he said? Not to mention, Hayward will likely still be on the team.
Kind of awkward considering Rozier claimed Hayward and Kyrie got special treatment.

I would just renounce Rozier and take the cap space.

[blink]

I am ok with us resigning Rozier if it is the best thing to do cap wise in relation to other guys we might sign, and if it isn't too much money for his contract.  If he plays great and we want to keep him, then you have him on a good affordable contract.  If he plays well and is on a good reasonable contract he would def be a trade asset. 

If he demands too much salary, gets big offers from some other team, let him go because then he will be hard to trade either way.

[Rhyso]

I would be pretty happy to bring Rozier back, and I would consider this team lucky if he is willing to come back.

This team has treated Rozier like a doormat since the moment he arrived:

1. First he was buried behind Rondo and Smart - he did not complain once.

2. Then then Rondo was traded out he got buried behind Thomas and Smart - again, he did not say a word.

3. When Boston faced injuries Rozier finally got a chance, and he absolutely made the most of that opportunity.  Boston surprised everybody by beating the Bucks and the Sixers, then taking the Cavs to 7 games - and Rozier was absolutely instrumental to that run.   

4. Then after proving what he can do, what does he get as thanks?  He gets buried on the bench once again behind Kyrie and Smart.  In a contract year, no less - his last opportunity to show his value and get paid. 

5. Despite being buried AGAIN behind Kyrie and Smart, he once again proved himself by filling in extremely well every time the injury bug hit.  In 14 games as a starter Rozier averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting 43% / 40% / 90%.  In those games Rozier had a net rating of +11 and the Celtics were 11-3 (0.785).  The Celtics almost always played their best basketball when Rozier was given the starting PG spot...and yet any time the injured partys returned he was thrown straight back to the end of the bench again.

6.  I can understand Rozier being beyind Kyrie, but he was also constantly buried behind Smart.  Despite the fact that Rozier often outplayed Smart.  Despite Smart's constantly poor end of game decision making, Stevens frequently left Smart in the game and Rozier rotting at the end of the bench.

Rozier went through the entire NBA season without making a single complaint.  He sat there quietly at the end of the bench and did whatever he was asked, year after year after year. 

Finally after after four years of being shoved to the end of the bench and utterly ignored by your coach, after coming off a disastrous season that nobody on the team enjoyed, and after willingly sacrificing your entire contract year for the sake of the team -  and not getting a single bit of thanks or appreciation for any of it - finally he reached the limit of his patience and came out to express how he really felt.

And I don't blame the guy one iota, because if I were in his position I would feel exactly the same way. 

Ok maybe he could have thought a bit more carefully before talking - maybe going and saying all of this on public TV may not have been the cleanest way of expressing himself  But people make mistakes - and Rozier was clearly incredibly frustrated, not just for this season but probably for the way he's been treated the entire time he was in Boston.  I really don't think anybody really has the right to blame him for that - the entire league has pretty much acknowledged Rozier's potential as a starting PG in this league for one or two seasons now, and yet the Celtics have been holding him back from achieving his potential from day one.

In all honest, i don't even think most of the things he said were that bad.  He didn't really throw specific shade at any one person.  In fact the people on the shows pushed and prodded him HARD to try to push him to diss specific individuals (like Kyrie and Kayward) and he refused to do it.  He specifically said sure there may have been some challenges with those guys, but that the problem was not any one person.  He went out of his way to say it wasn't all Kyrie's fault, and that he also had to make adjustments to taking on a new role as a leader.  He mentioned guys had egos, and that created issues, etc. 

Many people took offense when he was asked if he would come back to Boston if the team was brought back as it was and he said probably not - that he'd love to come back to Boston but he really wants a starting role.  I think that's fair.  I think he's earned that.  Why WOULD he want to come back only to be buried at the end of the bench for another 4 years? 

Anyway I will end my little rant now - but I really do think people are being (and always have been) a little hard on Rozier.  I can acknowledge that he made a mistake by coming out and being as vocal as he was, but at least he was honest and speaking from the heart - he seems like the type of guy who doesn't know any other way.  If Marcus Smart came out and said all the things Rozier said, you would probably all be praising him for being real and for saying it how it is.  Somehow Rozier has been hated on by Celtics fans from day one.

Rozier is buried because he isnt as good

As opposed to Marcus Smart?

A guy who:
1. Can't shoot (as demonstrated by his career FG% and 3PT%)
2. Cant pass or dribble (as evidenced by his poor turnover rates, low assist/to ratio, and high rate of bad pass TO)
3. Has poor offensive IQ (as evidenced by his frequent poor decision making at the end of games)
4. Has serious mental issues around self control (as evidenced by techs, suspensions and tendency to get into fights)

He literally just plays hard defense - that is the only thing he consistently does at an above average level, and yet he gets gifted minutes like an all you can eat buffet.

Rozier is better then Smart at EVERY aspect of the game except defense, and yet gets buried on the end of the bench.

Disagree, defense is half the game  so dismissing defense as only aspect is not representative of the players impact. I would also say Smart a is good passer (not elite for a PG though, average for a combo guard), whilst Rozier is a bad passer due to his tunnel vision. FWIW i have nothing against TR, he could be a good piece going forward, but Smart has been consistently the better player despite his lack of offense, and has an easier time finding minutes because he doesnt need the ball, but Rozier does to make an impact.

Also Rondo and Rozier never played on the same team, he got drafted the year after Rondo got traded.

[liam]

I am in the minority but I would like to have him back - especially if he gets along with Brown, Smart, and Tatum...

I hated seeing him spilling the garbage on those shows but I am not mad at a man who is mad about how he was used when the Team underachieved...  And yes he was a chucker but I believe it was because his minutes were cut and he was trying to Prove himself for the next team (in the Reduced minutes he was receiving "not" because he sucked but because two other people were being integrated... Fair or unfair I understand what he was trying to do.. (Secure a bag)

The kid is young but talented... The Team had a disappointing year and he was basically benched...

Had we won something I don't think this would have been a problem, but we didn't...  Now the Spin is Tatum is overrated, Brown is a Trouble maker, Rozier is Trash... Hayward is garbage...

I am okay with players being mad and turning over tables after they were embarrassed on the court... That's what I see Terry Doing...

The Kid Cares... Bring him back.  I believe he actually wants to be Celtic...I feel he was hurt watching the organizations bend over backward for a man that everyone in the locker room knew didn't want to be there...

Has anyone stopped to think about how the young kids felt about that

Anyway, I am okay with Terry... Would love to have him back just because I think he really cares.

Rozier sulked all yeah and put very little effort in on either end of the floor all last year. I remember him trying in two games. He tried in that Toronto game we won and the GSW game but acted like a baby the rest of the year. Then he threw everyone under the bus at the end of the year. I'll take the way Jaylen Brown handled things every time!

I don't disagree with you... I just think his situation during a contract year really screwed with him... He Didn't "earn" the lack of minutes.. He was forced to sit and watch.

But You are not wrong... I just think IF you give Rozier a Real job he will act like a real player...

If Rozier comes back I hope he can be The Rozier from the playoffs last year. I don't believe that Rozier earned any mintes with his play this year. I think he thought he deserved minutes for what he did last year. Smart worked his way into the starting line up with effort, Rozier sulked like a baby. Jaylen Brown deserved to start as much as anyone on the squad but when he played he played hard and by the end of the year was on of the Celtics best players. Jaylen could've dug his heels in and not put any effort in but he didn't! Grow up Terry!

To be fair, that's not really the full story.

Jaylen Brown was starting, he effectively got demoted to the bench because for a long stretch he was playing HORRIBLE basketball.  His defense in particular looked like it took about 10 steps back from his second year.  His offense was all over the place, and he couldn't make open shots to save his life.

When he got moved to the bench he didn't vocally complain about it, but he didn't look happy at all - and his play for a long time didn't seem to improve. 

There was a LONG stretch of this season where I was getting close to giving up on Brown, but then he finally turned it around and starting improving a lot on the offensive end, looking more like the guy he was in the playoffs the year before.  By the end of the season he looked really good.  But to suggest he just played hard and played good all season is not really accurate.

Even towards the end of the year when his offense did pick back up again, he continued to play some pretty terrible defense - and just about every defensive statistic I've seen out there backs that up. 

In fairness, I will give him the benefit of the doubt knowing that he had to play alongside Kyrie (who isn't know for his defense) and Hayward (who was basically playing on one leg) and will assume that this put a lot of extra defensive pressure on Brown.  I'm hoping that next season he's able to come back strong on that end of the court.

When Brown was "playing bad" he was 4 times better than the best Rozier played all year. Rozier gave nothing to this team all year but headaches. Rozier stunk it up. Rozier was horrid!!!! Wanamaker out played Rozier when he played. Rozier played like a human bed sore!!! I hope Rozier can pull his head out of his butt this year where ever he plays!

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I am in the minority but I would like to have him back - especially if he gets along with Brown, Smart, and Tatum...

I hated seeing him spilling the garbage on those shows but I am not mad at a man who is mad about how he was used when the Team underachieved...  And yes he was a chucker but I believe it was because his minutes were cut and he was trying to Prove himself for the next team (in the Reduced minutes he was receiving "not" because he sucked but because two other people were being integrated... Fair or unfair I understand what he was trying to do.. (Secure a bag)

The kid is young but talented... The Team had a disappointing year and he was basically benched...

Had we won something I don't think this would have been a problem, but we didn't...  Now the Spin is Tatum is overrated, Brown is a Trouble maker, Rozier is Trash... Hayward is garbage...

I am okay with players being mad and turning over tables after they were embarrassed on the court... That's what I see Terry Doing...

The Kid Cares... Bring him back.  I believe he actually wants to be Celtic...I feel he was hurt watching the organizations bend over backward for a man that everyone in the locker room knew didn't want to be there...

Has anyone stopped to think about how the young kids felt about that

Anyway, I am okay with Terry... Would love to have him back just because I think he really cares.

Rozier sulked all yeah and put very little effort in on either end of the floor all last year. I remember him trying in two games. He tried in that Toronto game we won and the GSW game but acted like a baby the rest of the year. Then he threw everyone under the bus at the end of the year. I'll take the way Jaylen Brown handled things every time!

I don't disagree with you... I just think his situation during a contract year really screwed with him... He Didn't "earn" the lack of minutes.. He was forced to sit and watch.

But You are not wrong... I just think IF you give Rozier a Real job he will act like a real player...

If Rozier comes back I hope he can be The Rozier from the playoffs last year. I don't believe that Rozier earned any mintes with his play this year. I think he thought he deserved minutes for what he did last year. Smart worked his way into the starting line up with effort, Rozier sulked like a baby. Jaylen Brown deserved to start as much as anyone on the squad but when he played he played hard and by the end of the year was on of the Celtics best players. Jaylen could've dug his heels in and not put any effort in but he didn't! Grow up Terry!

To be fair, that's not really the full story.

Jaylen Brown was starting, he effectively got demoted to the bench because for a long stretch he was playing HORRIBLE basketball.  His defense in particular looked like it took about 10 steps back from his second year.  His offense was all over the place, and he couldn't make open shots to save his life.

When he got moved to the bench he didn't vocally complain about it, but he didn't look happy at all - and his play for a long time didn't seem to improve. 

There was a LONG stretch of this season where I was getting close to giving up on Brown, but then he finally turned it around and starting improving a lot on the offensive end, looking more like the guy he was in the playoffs the year before.  By the end of the season he looked really good.  But to suggest he just played hard and played good all season is not really accurate.

Even towards the end of the year when his offense did pick back up again, he continued to play some pretty terrible defense - and just about every defensive statistic I've seen out there backs that up. 

In fairness, I will give him the benefit of the doubt knowing that he had to play alongside Kyrie (who isn't know for his defense) and Hayward (who was basically playing on one leg) and will assume that this put a lot of extra defensive pressure on Brown.  I'm hoping that next season he's able to come back strong on that end of the court.

He didn't play poorly as long as people remember or say he did. He played poorly maybe 20 games during that bad stretch. Most people don't take into account that he had a couple injuries he was dealing with on top of being asked to take a back seat in role, when unlike rozier, he had played very well that entire season but stepped it up a notch when given more responsibility heading into the playoffs. He had started to play really well at one point then took another nasty fall that knocked him off course. JB didn't take a leap but I think our expectations made it seem like he was worse than he was.

I know Mo and Smart (i think it was) yelled at him last season but that is hilarious because when both were his age (still) they had a LOT of boneheaded moments, they had no perch to stand on. I wanted them to do it and I wish they all did the same for EVERYONE, a little more accountability could have helped everyone, but it doesn't mean he was the only one who deserved it.

[MichiganAdam]

Smart is elite at half the game.  Decent this past year at shooting and passing.  decent at least with creating the offense.  Rozier was basically no more than decebt at anything, and if reports are true, was a big cause of the dissension.  I dump him unless that last phrase is in fact untrue.  Management surely knows that answer.

[obnoxiousmime]

Any time a player thinks he's better than he is, the situation never ends well for the original drafting team. It's just really hard for a player who needs a humbling reality check to figure all that out unless they go somewhere else.

You see this throughout NBA history. Look at Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor in Philadelphia. They thought they were better than they were, putting up meaningless stats with big minutes on historically bad tanking teams. There was no way they would have been able to transition to a bench, or even a reserve role on a cheap deal in Philly. Now that they've been out there on minimum deals playing low minutes, I'm sure their mindset has changed from "future franchise player on max deal" to "journeyman clawing to stay in the league."

Ainge waited too long to deal Rozier, now the likely two possible outcomes are both bad: Either Rozier leaves and we lose an asset for nothing, or we sign him short term to a deal he's not happy with and he continues to play selfish ball.

To draw a parallel, Smart was an even higher draft pick than Rozier and also alternated between starter and bench. Ultimately, he was satisfied with the so-so contract he received because he was aware of his limitations.