Is our roster constructed properly?

[Vermont Green]

If Celtics have to rely on deep bench in the playoffs then that means this team has bigger problems.  Not a concern of mine.

The debate goes quickly from "is the roster constructed properly" to "is Walker better than JD Davison" or "is Walker better than nothing".

I think the roster is pretty well constructed, perhaps even the best constructed roster in the league.  Any team that has their #2 nursing an injury is going to be worried, but I feel like the Celtics are in a better position deal with that type of issue than any team.  I don't think Walker on the team or not would have changed much if anything to date and certainly does not change things for the playoffs.  It isn't like Tatum's or Brown's minutes would be different if we had signed Walker.  Or even Hauser's.  Maybe Scheierman's.

I was surprised they did not keep Walker, but I think it comes down to his defense.  They preferred to have someone like Craig.  They also decided to keep Tillman.  So far, Craig and Tillman have not done much, they appear to be bad choices.  But it has a pretty small impact, if any on the overall roster construction.

[Neurotic Guy]

If Celtics have to rely on deep bench in the playoffs then that means this team has bigger problems.  Not a concern of mine.

The debate goes quickly from "is the roster constructed properly" to "is Walker better than JD Davison" or "is Walker better than nothing".

I think the roster is pretty well constructed, perhaps even the best constructed roster in the league.  Any team that has their #2 nursing an injury is going to be worried, but I feel like the Celtics are in a better position deal with that type of issue than any team.  I don't think Walker on the team or not would have changed much if anything to date and certainly does not change things for the playoffs.  It isn't like Tatum's or Brown's minutes would be different if we had signed Walker.  Or even Hauser's.  Maybe Scheierman's.

I was surprised they did not keep Walker, but I think it comes down to his defense.  They preferred to have someone like Craig.  They also decided to keep Tillman.  So far, Craig and Tillman have not done much, they appear to be bad choices.  But it has a pretty small impact, if any on the overall roster construction.

Yes, it's a positive statement on roster construction if the conversation quickly jumps to whether it would have been better to keep Lonnie Walker than Torrey Craig.  That seems to indicate that the roster from 1 through 9 is pretty solid.

[Roy H.]

Yes, it's a positive statement on roster construction if the conversation quickly jumps to whether it would have been better to keep Lonnie Walker than Torrey Craig.  That seems to indicate that the roster from 1 through 9 is pretty solid.

There's no real question about #1 through #9.

But, on rosters that accommodate 15 players along with three two-way players, is having nine playable players enough?

What's the proper number of players for an NBA team to have that can't realistically contribute?

We made it through a season with no major injuries.  If we had been more unlucky and needed to rely upon the bench to take a starter's minutes at wing or guard, would we have been equipped to do so?

I think going forward, as this team tries to navigate financial hurdles, it's going to find that having cheap, playable talent (i.e., the Lonnie Walkers of the league) is going to be important.  It would be nice to know that we had an NBA-level talent of Walker's caliber signed to a minimum deal for next year.  Instead, we've got J.D. Davison.

[Goldstar88]

If Celtics have to rely on deep bench in the playoffs then that means this team has bigger problems.  Not a concern of mine.

If JB misses time with his knee, Hauser is likely moving into the starting line up at SF and Schieriman is the backup. If Horford misses time, now Peterson or Tillman are backup at PF. That is not good.

We're cooked if that happens. And Kristaps is a big question mark. Worst time to get hit with the injury bug.

Makes it all the more important to close out the easy series in 4 or 5 games and not playing with their food. Getting 2023 playoff vibes again.

KP was injured last year for most of the playoffs and the C?s still won. This year JB is dinged up instead. Had a better bench last year, though. Could really cost us this post season.

[Neurotic Guy]

Yes, it's a positive statement on roster construction if the conversation quickly jumps to whether it would have been better to keep Lonnie Walker than Torrey Craig.  That seems to indicate that the roster from 1 through 9 is pretty solid.

There's no real question about #1 through #9.

But, on rosters that accommodate 15 players along with three two-way players, is having nine playable players enough?

What's the proper number of players for an NBA team to have that can't realistically contribute?

We made it through a season with no major injuries.  If we had been more unlucky and needed to rely upon the bench to take a starter's minutes at wing or guard, would we have been equipped to do so?

I think going forward, as this team tries to navigate financial hurdles, it's going to find that having cheap, playable talent (i.e., the Lonnie Walkers of the league) is going to be important.  It would be nice to know that we had an NBA-level talent of Walker's caliber signed to a minimum deal for next year.  Instead, we've got J.D. Davison.

After #9 we have Scheierman, Craig and Queta - three players that are capable of chewing up some rotation minutes.  Do other teams have much better from 10-12?  Past that Peterson, Davison, Norris - seem like typical end of bench players.  Thankfully we didn?t need any of them for real minutes this season, but that?s the same prayer every other team in the league has.

[Neurotic Guy]

If Celtics have to rely on deep bench in the playoffs then that means this team has bigger problems.  Not a concern of mine.

If JB misses time with his knee, Hauser is likely moving into the starting line up at SF and Schieriman is the backup. If Horford misses time, now Peterson or Tillman are backup at PF. That is not good.

We're cooked if that happens. And Kristaps is a big question mark. Worst time to get hit with the injury bug.

Makes it all the more important to close out the easy series in 4 or 5 games and not playing with their food. Getting 2023 playoff vibes again.

KP was injured last year for most of the playoffs and the C?s still won. This year JB is dinged up instead. Had a better bench last year, though. Could really cost us this post season.

Deep bench players last year: Svi, Banton, Brissett, Stevens, Springer, Walsh.   

Deep bench this year: Craig, Scheierman, Queta, Walsh. 

Basically the same. 

The rotation bench is better this year.  Al is Al. PP is better. Sam is better. Luke is better.

[Goldstar88]

If Celtics have to rely on deep bench in the playoffs then that means this team has bigger problems.  Not a concern of mine.

If JB misses time with his knee, Hauser is likely moving into the starting line up at SF and Schieriman is the backup. If Horford misses time, now Peterson or Tillman are backup at PF. That is not good.

We're cooked if that happens. And Kristaps is a big question mark. Worst time to get hit with the injury bug.

Makes it all the more important to close out the easy series in 4 or 5 games and not playing with their food. Getting 2023 playoff vibes again.

KP was injured last year for most of the playoffs and the C?s still won. This year JB is dinged up instead. Had a better bench last year, though. Could really cost us this post season.

Deep bench players last year: Svi, Banton, Brissett, Stevens, Springer, Walsh.   

Deep bench this year: Craig, Scheierman, Queta, Walsh. 

Basically the same. 

The rotation bench is better this year.  Al is Al. PP is better. Sam is better. Luke is better.

Not the same at all. Sheierman, Walsh, and Queta are unplayable in the playoffs. Q has actually regressed. Hauser?s numbers are actually down from last year. PP is playing well, but that has nothing to do with the depth situation.

[Neurotic Guy]

If Celtics have to rely on deep bench in the playoffs then that means this team has bigger problems.  Not a concern of mine.

If JB misses time with his knee, Hauser is likely moving into the starting line up at SF and Schieriman is the backup. If Horford misses time, now Peterson or Tillman are backup at PF. That is not good.

We're cooked if that happens. And Kristaps is a big question mark. Worst time to get hit with the injury bug.

Makes it all the more important to close out the easy series in 4 or 5 games and not playing with their food. Getting 2023 playoff vibes again.

I?m excited for the playoffs. Team has been hitting its stride in many ways over the last month.  Jrue looks like last year?s playoff Jrue, Al is shooting like last year?s Al.  PP is better than ever. DW is great. JT is at another level this year.

Till I see JB unable to play, or playing noticeably below his norm, I?m not going to worry about him.   He wasn?t himself against the Knicks but he was good the previous two games.  He?ll have has some rest and if he needs more, the Cs won?t really need him to win round 1.

[Vermont Green]

KP was injured last year for most of the playoffs and the C?s still won. This year JB is dinged up instead. Had a better bench last year, though. Could really cost us this post season.

As others have pointed out, pretty sure that is debatable.  Horford, Pritchard, and Hauser all played regular minutes last season but Horford was generally a starter with Porzingis out and Kornet playing extra minutes (part of top 8).  If Horford can go back to the bench, our primary (top 8) rotation will actually be better since it will be Horford and not Kornet as the first big off the bench.

Now if Brown is out or limited, Horford may be back to starting, and we will be pretty much right were we were last season with our top 8 rotation.  We will have Porzingis and no or less Brown, but works out about the same.

After those top 8, last season the next 3 in terms of minutes were Tillman, Brissett, and Mykhailiuk.  Of those 3, only Tillman played any meaningful minutes, and he didn't play very many.  This season we will have Kornet, Craig, and I guess Scheierman as the next 3 (assuming that Brown plays).  If no Brown and Kornet ends up in the top 8, probably Queta would get the #11 spot.

So if we don't have Brown, our 6-7-8 will be Kornet, Pritchard, Hauser (exactly the same as last season).  Beyond that, maybe Craig sees some meaningful minutes, but even that is doubtful.  And Craig is no worse than last year's Tillman or Brissett.