Make one prediction for this season that will surprise people

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Rob Williams is the most productive Celtic big this season, but Tristan Thompson will start.

I love this time of season. It's filled with hope and rumors. Rob Williams claimed he's been running 5 miles a day to improve his conditioning. Some of his comments also made it sound like he wants to show he's got good speed and quickness, which would primarily be related to defending the perimeter.

[drooldaddy]

COVID will shut us down for a while at some point.

[todd_days_41]

Danny Ainge finally creates a CelticsStrong account

Or comes out of hiding with a pre-existing one.

Doubt this, Redz, but I'm pretty sure Ryan McD had an account back in the csblog days....

[todd_days_41]

Ainge will not only use the TPE he gathered in the Hayward trade...... he'll use it in two separate trades. And he'll do in part to demonstrate the value he received in Hayward's departure above and beyond what he would have gotten from Indiana.

I wanna add one to this.....

Daniel Theis will be traded at / around the Trade Deadline.

[NKY fan]

Ainge will not only use the TPE he gathered in the Hayward trade...... he'll use it in two separate trades. And he'll do in part to demonstrate the value he received in Hayward's departure above and beyond what he would have gotten from Indiana.

I wanna add one to this.....

Daniel Theis will be traded at / around the Trade Deadline.

Danny will use the TPE to acquire back the players that left when Hayward came:
Bradley, Olynyk and Crowder - they fit right within the TPE 😬

[liam]

Payton Prichard all rookie 1st team.

[todd_days_41]

Payton Prichard all rookie 1st team.

now.... that REALLY WOULD be surprising.

[liam]

Payton Prichard all rookie 1st team.

now.... that REALLY WOULD be surprising.

I’d be surprised!   

[JBcat]

Tremont Waters and Tacko Fall will have a few impactful games this season. 

We’ll take advantage of either/both the Poirier and Kanter trade exceptions in the buyout market.

[Silas]

Payton Prichard all rookie 1st team.

I agree with a TP.

[dannyboy35]

  Theis trade at deadline.

[todd_days_41]

Tremont Waters..   ..will have a few impactful games this season.

I agree with this. i expect him to make it hard for Stevens to keep him on the bench.

[td450]

Payton Prichard all rookie 1st team.

now.... that REALLY WOULD be surprising.

I’d be surprised!   

Been thinking on him some lately. If Teague has some struggles, it isn't crazy to find Pritchard possibly starting for a considerable number of games. Because he is playing with a couple of defense warping wings, he doesn't have to force things the way most points have to. And he has three characteristics that make me think he might do really well.

He has an amazingly good handle.
He can really shoot and make shots on the move.
He's got a reputation as a gutsy player.

This situation doesn't need him to blow by people and force the offense, which is what he might have struggled with early. Normally with Kemba here, he might not have gotten much of an opportunity at all, but he might find himself in a perfect situation to succeed.

[hwangjini_1]

Payton Prichard all rookie 1st team.

now.... that REALLY WOULD be surprising.

i am not disagreeing with your points above, but i do have real questions concerning prichard's ability to guard nba level players.

prichard seems to be a step slower than most nba guards, to me at least. if he cannot stop guards on their first step around the perimeter, then it would be hard to give him a lot of minutes.

as was the case with kemba and thomas for the celtics, other teams hunted them to an extreme. prichard lacks their level of scoring to make up for limited defense.

i am rooting for him, but i worried about his defense.

I’d be surprised!   

Been thinking on him some lately. If Teague has some struggles, it isn't crazy to find Pritchard possibly starting for a considerable number of games. Because he is playing with a couple of defense warping wings, he doesn't have to force things the way most points have to. And he has three characteristics that make me think he might do really well.

He has an amazingly good handle.
He can really shoot and make shots on the move.
He's got a reputation as a gutsy player.

This situation doesn't need him to blow by people and force the offense, which is what he might have struggled with early. Normally with Kemba here, he might not have gotten much of an opportunity at all, but he might find himself in a perfect situation to succeed.

[hwangjini_1]

Payton Prichard all rookie 1st team.

now.... that REALLY WOULD be surprising.

I’d be surprised!   

Been thinking on him some lately. If Teague has some struggles, it isn't crazy to find Pritchard possibly starting for a considerable number of games. Because he is playing with a couple of defense warping wings, he doesn't have to force things the way most points have to. And he has three characteristics that make me think he might do really well.

He has an amazingly good handle.
He can really shoot and make shots on the move.
He's got a reputation as a gutsy player.

This situation doesn't need him to blow by people and force the offense, which is what he might have struggled with early. Normally with Kemba here, he might not have gotten much of an opportunity at all, but he might find himself in a perfect situation to succeed.

i am not disagreeing with your points above, but i do have real questions concerning prichard's ability to guard nba level players.

prichard seems to be a step slower than most nba guards, to me at least. if he cannot stop guards on their first step around the perimeter, then it would be hard to give him a lot of minutes.

as was the case with kemba and thomas for the celtics, other teams hunted them to an extreme. prichard lacks their level of scoring to make up for limited defense.

i am rooting for him, but i worried about his defense.