Celtics 2025-26 Regular Season Discussion

[Donoghus]

 

Taylor Snow
@taylorcsnow
?
33m
Net rating leaders among NBA centers:

1. Neemias Queta ? 19.3
2. Nikola Jokic ? 19.2
3. Alperen Sengun ? 19.0

[Vermont Green]

Williams shot is horrible and needs built up from scratch.    I don't think Williams is much of a better athlete than Garza, neither is a good leaper.  Williams is a skilled passer and connector.

I agree with the first point, his shot is ugly.  But I disagree with the send part.  I think he is a much better athlete than Garza.  He can handle the ball, can pass.  Maybe you mean just pure foot speed or leaping ability.  Even that, I see more than Garza.

[Vermont Green]

Taylor Snow
@taylorcsnow
?
33m
Net rating leaders among NBA centers:

1. Neemias Queta ? 19.3
2. Nikola Jokic ? 19.2
3. Alperen Sengun ? 19.0

He has improved.  I don't think he will ever be anything but a lob dunk guy, but that is fine.  DAL made it to the finals with nothing more than a couple of lob dunk centers.  It would be nice to have a shooter, like Horford or Porzingis, at center, but I think if you have enough shooting and creation in the other 4 players, it is OK.

Not sure if Queta can be the starter or primary center on a title team, but he sure seems to be trying hard to prove me wrong.

[keevsnick]

Jaylen's scoring season is a bit under the radar.

He's currently 10th in PPG at 27.7.

But that number is somewhat deceiving because he's only playing 31 minutes per game.

He's 5th in terms of points/36 minutes at 32.0. Only guys ahead of him are Luka, Giannis, SGA and Mitchell AKA 4 of the best offensive players in the entire league.

[Vermont Green]

On Jaylen Brown.  I made a list of all the teams with their best player.  How many of these "best players" are better than Brown?  Not as many as you think I suspect.

There are 4 absolute no doubt players, SGA, Doncic, Jokic, Giannis (I am excluding Tatum).  After that, if you consider age, durability, as well as production and defense, how many are clearly, no doubt ahead of Brown?  Players like Mitchell, Edwards, and Brunson probably, but by how much?  Haliburton would be in there if not injured.  Then you get the old guys, Durant, Curry, Leonard, Davis, Butler, Embiid (old due to injury) would you rather have any of them?  Wembanyama is in a class of his own, but there are durability risks with him.  The younger bigs, like Banchero, Adabayo, Markkanen, are they clearly better?

CHI   Giddey
DET   Cunningham
NYK   Brunson
CLE   Mitchell
MIL   Giannis
PHI   Embiid/Maxey
ATL   Young
TOR   Ingram
MIA   Adebayo
BOS   Brown
ORL   Banchero
CHA   Ball
BKN   Porter
IND   Haliburton
WAS   Sarr

OKC   SGA
LAL   Doncic
HOU   Durant
DEN   Jokic
SAN   Wembanyama
POR   Avdija
GSW   Curry/Butler
MIN   Edwards
PHX   Booker
SAC   LeVine
UTA   Markkanen
LAC   Leonard
MEM   Morant
NOP   Williamson
DAL   Davis

[86MaxwellSmart]

JB is having a great season even though he can't dunk anymore....it's really crazy.

[keevsnick]

JB is having a great season even though he can't dunk anymore....it's really crazy.

Its worth pointing out that the lower dunk numbers A) Might have something to do with the hamstring injury, he's said he was avoiding explosive movements and B) probably also to do with less spacing. The last 2-3 years he played with at least 3, often 4 shooters around him at all times. This year the center position is a non-shooter, and guys like Hugo, Walsh, Minott ect are unproven shooters at the 3/4. There's just way less space to get to the rim.

[keevsnick]

On Jaylen Brown.  I made a list of all the teams with their best player.  How many of these "best players" are better than Brown?  Not as many as you think I suspect.

There are 4 absolute no doubt players, SGA, Doncic, Jokic, Giannis (I am excluding Tatum).  After that, if you consider age, durability, as well as production and defense, how many are clearly, no doubt ahead of Brown?  Players like Mitchell, Edwards, and Brunson probably, but by how much?  Haliburton would be in there if not injured.  Then you get the old guys, Durant, Curry, Leonard, Davis, Butler, Embiid (old due to injury) would you rather have any of them?  Wembanyama is in a class of his own, but there are durability risks with him.  The younger bigs, like Banchero, Adabayo, Markkanen, are they clearly better?

CHI   Giddey
DET   Cunningham
NYK   Brunson
CLE   Mitchell
MIL   Giannis
PHI   Embiid/Maxey
ATL   Young
TOR   Ingram
MIA   Adebayo
BOS   Brown
ORL   Banchero
CHA   Ball
BKN   Porter
IND   Haliburton
WAS   Sarr

OKC   SGA
LAL   Doncic
HOU   Durant
DEN   Jokic
SAN   Wembanyama
POR   Avdija
GSW   Curry/Butler
MIN   Edwards
PHX   Booker
SAC   LeVine
UTA   Markkanen
LAC   Leonard
MEM   Morant
NOP   Williamson
DAL   Davis

I think the best way to put it is this: Jaylen probably isn't an ELITE 1st option, the passing isn't good enough. But he could  be a first option on a solid team. Like a 48-50 win playoff team, he could be the best offensive player on that team for sure.
 
The Celtics this year have a 119.6 offensive rating with him on the floor. Last year it was 126.7 with him ON and Tatum OFF. He can clearly be the driver of good offense.

Also of note:

Alot has been made about the C's net rating being worse this year with Jaylen on. But that's mostly just shooting luck. With Jaylen on c's opponents shoot 38.8% from three, with him off its 32.8%. opponents also shoot 60% from 2 with him on, vs 50% with him off. Those numbers are completely unsustainable, the last three full seasons opponent shooting from both 2 and 3 has never deviated by more than 3 percentage point with Jaylen on/off.

[Goldstar88]

Minott>Walsh>Gonzalez>Scheierman

[Jiri Welsch]

Minott>Walsh>Gonzalez>Scheierman

Who has the most potential to make an impact on a winning team next year? In other words, who can improve the most from where they are now?

[Donoghus]

Minott>Walsh>Gonzalez>Scheierman

Who has the most potential to make an impact on a winning team next year? In other words, who can improve the most from where they are now?

It's Hugo.  He has the highest ceiling of the 4 and seems most able to get there.

[slamtheking]

Minott>Walsh>Gonzalez>Scheierman

Who has the most potential to make an impact on a winning team next year? In other words, who can improve the most from where they are now?

It's Hugo.  He has the highest ceiling of the 4 and seems most able to get there.

probably Hugo although Minott and Walsh just need to become more consistent shooters, just as Hugo does, but they have more height so can provide rebounding that Hugo might not.  Also, Walsh looking like he can guard the 2-4 slots pretty well.  Hugo looks like his range is the 1-3 spots and Minott is looking like a 3-5 defensive range.  (small 5 for Minott - beefy guys will just move him around).

If these 3 continue to improve they'd provide some real quality depth to the roster for next year.  Get another center and could trot out either Minott or Walsh as the 5th starter with White, Brown, Tatum and a starting center and we'd be a real solid team with PP, Hauser, Hugo, Queta and Walsh/Minott off the bench.  Garza as 3rd string center isn't a bad option based on how he's improving.  Add a decent first round pick from this draft too. 

Depending on the starting center, that is likely a contender.  Just need one that's more of an offensive threat than Queta but if he continues to improve this season to have a consistent jumper at least out to 15 feet and better awareness in the team defense, then he'd be fine starting.

[Celtics2021]

Minott>Walsh>Gonzalez>Scheierman

Who has the most potential to make an impact on a winning team next year? In other words, who can improve the most from where they are now?

It's Hugo.  He has the highest ceiling of the 4 and seems most able to get there.

For next year only I would say Walsh.  Completely agree Hugo has the highest ceiling and looks like he is on a terrific trajectory, but if Walsh starts to take off as he has been showing of late, he could maintain his lead on Hugo for another season, or maybe two.  Long-term, definitely Hugo.

[Neurotic Guy]

Minott>Walsh>Gonzalez>Scheierman

Who has the most potential to make an impact on a winning team next year? In other words, who can improve the most from where they are now?

It's Hugo.  He has the highest ceiling of the 4 and seems most able to get there.

probably Hugo although Minott and Walsh just need to become more consistent shooters, just as Hugo does, but they have more height so can provide rebounding that Hugo might not.  Also, Walsh looking like he can guard the 2-4 slots pretty well.  Hugo looks like his range is the 1-3 spots and Minott is looking like a 3-5 defensive range.  (small 5 for Minott - beefy guys will just move him around).

If these 3 continue to improve they'd provide some real quality depth to the roster for next year.  Get another center and could trot out either Minott or Walsh as the 5th starter with White, Brown, Tatum and a starting center and we'd be a real solid team with PP, Hauser, Hugo, Queta and Walsh/Minott off the bench.  Garza as 3rd string center isn't a bad option based on how he's improving.  Add a decent first round pick from this draft too. 

Depending on the starting center, that is likely a contender.  Just need one that's more of an offensive threat than Queta but if he continues to improve this season to have a consistent jumper at least out to 15 feet and better awareness in the team defense, then he'd be fine starting.

I like that we can see it unfold this year.  I agree Hugo has the high ceiling down the road - but unsure which of the three is likely better next season. 

At 19, maybe Hugo can still grow. 

[Roy H.]

Minott>Walsh>Gonzalez>Scheierman

Who has the most potential to make an impact on a winning team next year? In other words, who can improve the most from where they are now?

It's Hugo.  He has the highest ceiling of the 4 and seems most able to get there.

For next year only I would say Walsh.  Completely agree Hugo has the highest ceiling and looks like he is on a terrific trajectory, but if Walsh starts to take off as he has been showing of late, he could maintain his lead on Hugo for another season, or maybe two.  Long-term, definitely Hugo.

It depends on whether Walsh can keep his outside shooting up.  I'm not sure that he'll be able to keep it up, although I'm thrilled he's earning rotation minutes.