Tonje to Portland on 2-Way

[Jiri Welsch]

The hits keep coming today for the Celtics!

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/2080783160950890821

Shams Charania @ShamsCharania

The Portland Trail Blazers are signing guard John Tonje on a two-way NBA contract, George Roussakis and Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tell ESPN. Tonje appeared in six games for the Celtics last season as a rookie.

[perks-a-beast]

Im sure he will be the next Desmond Bane/Max Strus.

[Goldstar88]

Brad is on a roll. 

[Birdman]

Ugh I like Tonje

[Csfan1984]

Guy seemed like a pure hooper. If he can get fully committed to the "margins" game he will be a legit player.

[Roy H.]

I think this will end up being pretty irrelevant. 

[Vermont Green]

I like Tonje but add him to the list of random wings.  He is behind Hauser, Scheierman, Hugo, Walsh, Harper, and maybe Dillon Mitchell (who is 3 years younger).  Hope it works out for him. 

[Celtics2021]

I like Tonje but add him to the list of random wings.  He is behind Hauser, Scheierman, Hugo, Walsh, Harper, and maybe Dillon Mitchell (who is 3 years younger).  Hope it works out for him.

I would not be totally surprised if the extending of Walsh helped him decide to sign elsewhere, given it was a day apart.  His path to a roster spot here next year was pretty blocked.

[jambr380]

I think it was going to be a tough decision between Tonje and Milos for that final two-way spot, so this kind-of makes that decision for us. Tonje looked solid so I'm glad he's getting a guaranteed contract now rather than just hoping and ending up in Maine. Best of luck to him moving forward

[slamtheking]

best of luck to him but he wasn't going to amount to anything here.  I highly doubt he'd be another feel good player development like Harper

[Vermont Green]

I like Tonje but add him to the list of random wings.  He is behind Hauser, Scheierman, Hugo, Walsh, Harper, and maybe Dillon Mitchell (who is 3 years younger).  Hope it works out for him.

I would not be totally surprised if the extending of Walsh helped him decide to sign elsewhere, given it was a day apart.  His path to a roster spot here next year was pretty blocked.

In my view, we already have 1 too many of the what I would call the small wings or guard-wings.  I have White, Pritchard, and Conley as combo/PG.  Then Tatum and George are big wings or forward-wings.  Queta, Clank Robinson, Garza and Cenac are all PF/C/Bigs.

That leave Hauser, Walsh, Hugo, Scheierman, and Harper as small wings or guard wings.  Walsh can play big wing in a pinch, but all these guys are 6'-5" or 6'-6" ( I guess Hauser is 6'-7", but he is not a big wing).  These are all SG/SF types at best.  John Tonje is 6'-5".

Here is the roster sorted by the more modern rolls:

Combo/PG    G-F Wing      PF/C Big
White             Tatum            Queta
Pritchard         George          Robinson
Conley            Gonzalez        Garza
                      Hauser          Cenac
                      Walsh           (Williams)
                      Harper   
                      Scheierman   

Too light in the Combo/PG roll and too heavy in the wing category.  Bigs work if you consider that Williams is the 5th big.

[No Nickname]

I like Tonje but add him to the list of random wings.  He is behind Hauser, Scheierman, Hugo, Walsh, Harper, and maybe Dillon Mitchell (who is 3 years younger).  Hope it works out for him.

I would not be totally surprised if the extending of Walsh helped him decide to sign elsewhere, given it was a day apart.  His path to a roster spot here next year was pretty blocked.

In my view, we already have 1 too many of the what I would call the small wings or guard-wings.  I have White, Pritchard, and Conley as combo/PG.  Then Tatum and George are big wings or forward-wings.  Queta, Clank Robinson, Garza and Cenac are all PF/C/Bigs.

That leave Hauser, Walsh, Hugo, Scheierman, and Harper as small wings or guard wings.  Walsh can play big wing in a pinch, but all these guys are 6'-5" or 6'-6" ( I guess Hauser is 6'-7", but he is not a big wing).  These are all SG/SF types at best.  John Tonje is 6'-5".

Here is the roster sorted by the more modern rolls:

Combo/PG    G-F Wing      PF/C Big
White             Tatum            Queta
Pritchard         George          Robinson
Conley            Gonzalez        Garza
                      Hauser          Cenac
                      Walsh           (Williams)
                      Harper   
                      Scheierman   

Too light in the Combo/PG roll and too heavy in the wing category.  Bigs work if you consider that Williams is the 5th big.

The Celts really need one of those guys to step forward THIS SEASON.  There aren't enough minutes to go around to all of them, and if one steps up into a quality starter, like Julian Champagnie, it would be huge.

Champaigne was undrafted in 2022 and has turned into a competent starter for the Spurs (11ppg, 4rpg, 1.4apg, 38% 3pt)

If we could get similar production from one of these guys this year it would be a boon.  Not only for the current team's success, but they then become a more valuable trade asset.

But each has flaws:

-Gonzalez (3pt shooting needs improvement)
-Hauser (can't drive, basically a one-dimensional offensive talent)
-Walsh (3pt shooting needs improvement)
-Scheierman (defensive liability)
-Harper (no huge weaknesses, but very unproven and untested)

If I had to place a bet, and choose the two most-likely to break out...

Gonzalez (elite defense, doesn't make mistakes, needs to hit 35% from 3)
Scheierman (needs to improve lateral quickness and strength on defense)

I'd was going to go with Walsh over Baylor, but Walsh just seems to not have confidence in himself quite often.  He's almost like the 2026 version of Kedrick Brown (why didn't we trade Kedrick instead of Joe Johnson!?!).  He has all the physical tools, but doesn't have the "it" that truly successful players have.