Celtics Off-Season News

[Atzar]

I actually like this pickup.  We have enough offense that we should be able to make good use out of a low-usage defense/hustle guy.  Probably not an every-game kind of player but useful when called upon.

[Yuckabuck33]

Maybe by bringing in so many suspect shooters Brad is trying to force Joe to diversify the offense, haha.

You might have a point. Don't forget he added a post player with KP.

[goCeltics]

I'm alright with it, I would rather Javonte or Terrence Davis, Stevens shoots well from 2, but sucked on 3's, if he can get his 3pt% up, he might be something. Hopefully, 2nd row Joe doesn't encourage him to jack up 3's like crazy.

[radiohead]

https://x.com/shamscharania/status/1705300167254044773?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

Free agent G/F Lamar Stevens has agreed to a deal with the Boston Celtics, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Stevens established himself as a defensive presence for the Cavs, starting in 25 of 62 games last season. Agent Scott Nichols completed deal with Celtics officials.

I’ll take it. Shown he’s capable of being on the floor and being a back end rotation player.

There goes Austin Rivers’ hopes I guess.

[Kuberski33]

I’d be glad to have Blake back. Wonder what’s going on there.

I think he’s going to sit out until after the deadline and then sign with a team, like PJ Brown did in 08.  Sounds like his body is shot and he needs longer to recover between seasons.  If the Celtics have an open roster spot and are playing well, I think there would be mutual interest, but it’s certainly not a lock he returns.

I imagine they have flexibility to get rid of some of these back end roster guys who don't pan out. They're all 'cigar-butt' talent - cheap with an NBA skill or two, but there's also a reason why they're cheap. I thought last year that Blake was a candidate to return if Grant Williams left. He can do a reasonable imitation of Grant at this point, so maybe he does return for the playoffs?

[celts55]

Thank goodness. I was just thinking they needed yet another wing. 🙄

[Vermont Green]

Seems like football, both NFL and NCAAF are the hot topics (nothing wrong with Football talk) but I want to see if we can also get basketball back into the forefront.  Assuming that Lamar Stevens is going to be officially signed (I have not seen the final details of this), we now have a full roster of 15 plus 3 two-way players:

1.   Tatum
2.   Brown
3.   Porzingis
4.   White
5.   Brogdon
6.   Horford
7.   Williams

8.   Brissett
9.   Pritchard
10.  Hauser
11.  Stevens
12.  Svi
13.  Kornet

14.  Walsh
15.  Banton

two-way:  Davison, Scrubb, Queta

I would expect that Stevens, a player with 3 fairly solid seasons in the NBA, 165 games, 38 starts, that he will get a contract similar to Brissett, i.e., guaranteed.  Kornet and Banton are both only lightly guaranteed until opening night so either could be waived, without all that much cost/cap/tax penalty, if a better player becomes available.

Another way to look at the likely roster:

White            Pritchard        Banton
Brown           Brogdon         Mykhailiuk
Tatum           Hauser           Walsh
Porzingis       Brissett          Stevens
Williams        Horford          Kornet

I am OK with that.  A little small for the back up PFs, Brissett and Stevens (and/or maybe Walsh), none is a natural PF.  I see this as a flaw but not a fatal flaw.  Most of our deep bench are players with decent NBA experience, proven known quantities.  Even Banton, who is really just a prospect or maybe even nothing more than a placeholder, has 95 NBA games over 2 seasons and Walsh of course is just a rookie.  Excluding those two, I feel that 8-13, we have players that range from decent to serviceable but all have proven that they can step in a play and at least hold down the fort.  I know some will scoff at Kornet being in that grouping (and that is fair), but he has 217 NBA games, 69 last season.  And even our two-ways, Davison and Queta have NBA time, albeit limited, and have shown they are good enough to hold down the end of the bench when needed.

I know the least about Brissett, Mykhailiuk, and Stevens.  I feel at worst, they can be useful, versatile bench guys, they have all shown that on other NBA teams, but they all could have some ceiling to be better than that.  I wish one of them was  a 6'-10" PF, but what can you do.  I feel Porzingis is pretty established as to what he is, but it will be interesting to see how he fits with this Celtics team.  Other than that, our top 7 plus Pritchard and Hauser are pretty much known quantities.  I don't expect much from Kornet or Banton, and really not Walsh either, but being a rookie, it will be fun to see what kind of ceiling he starts to project.

[Roy H.]

I would expect that Stevens, a player with 3 fairly solid seasons in the NBA, 165 games, 38 starts, that he will get a contract similar to Brissett, i.e., guarantee

Reports are that it's partially guaranteed.  I haven't seen specific figures yet, though.

[Vermont Green]

I would expect that Stevens, a player with 3 fairly solid seasons in the NBA, 165 games, 38 starts, that he will get a contract similar to Brissett, i.e., guarantee

Reports are that it's partially guaranteed.  I haven't seen specific figures yet, though.

Could be, Mykhailiuk's contract is more like Kornet's or Banton's about $1M guaranteed on opening night, the rest guaranteed on 10 Jan, so Stevens' contract could be along the same lines.

Contract Notes (for Svi Mykhailiuk):
2023-24: $200,000 guaranteed, $1,178,307 guaranteed Opening Night, fully guaranteed 1/10/24

If that is the case for Stevens, that would be 4 roster spots that could be relatively painlessly opened up before the start of the season, if better players become available and/or these players don't prove worthy through pre-season.  I am pretty happy with Mykhailiuk and Stevens as versatile bench players but flexibility is good, especially if a decent bench PF becomes available.  Banton would probably be the first to go based purely on demonstrated talent or NBA track record, although positionally, as a PG, he may fill more of a need.  Hauser, Brissett, Stevens, Mykhailiuk, and Walsh are all kind of similar positionally,  One of Stevens or Mykhailiuk would be pretty expendable.

[celticinorlando]

Brad Stevens tells the Globe Malcolm Brogdon is healthy and ready to go for #Celtics training camp. Kristaps Porzingis is also a go.

[Atzar]

Brad Stevens tells the Globe Malcolm Brogdon is healthy and ready to go for #Celtics training camp. Kristaps Porzingis is also a go.

If Brogdon is healthy and at peace with the near-trade, then a lot of media members should lose whatever access they may have with the organization.  It wouldn't hurt for fans to maintain a list of proven s***-stirrers as well.  The irresponsible journalism has gone far enough, and with no repercussions. 

[footey]

Brad Stevens tells the Globe Malcolm Brogdon is healthy and ready to go for #Celtics training camp. Kristaps Porzingis is also a go.

If Brogdon is healthy and at peace with the near-trade, then a lot of media members should lose whatever access they may have with the organization.  It wouldn't hurt for fans to maintain a list of proven s***-stirrers as well.  The irresponsible journalism has gone far enough, and with no repercussions.

Yeah that ain’t gonna happen.

[BitterJim]

Brad Stevens tells the Globe Malcolm Brogdon is healthy and ready to go for #Celtics training camp. Kristaps Porzingis is also a go.

If Brogdon is healthy and at peace with the near-trade, then a lot of media members should lose whatever access they may have with the organization.  It wouldn't hurt for fans to maintain a list of proven s***-stirrers as well.  The irresponsible journalism has gone far enough, and with no repercussions.

Who says they actually have any?

[liam]

Brad Stevens tells the Globe Malcolm Brogdon is healthy and ready to go for #Celtics training camp. Kristaps Porzingis is also a go.

If Brogdon is healthy and at peace with the near-trade, then a lot of media members should lose whatever access they may have with the organization.  It wouldn't hurt for fans to maintain a list of proven s***-stirrers as well.  The irresponsible journalism has gone far enough, and with no repercussions.

Who says they actually have any?

My sources tell me they have no sources.

[celticinorlando]

When is media day?