Who will be the Celtics starting point guard in 2018-2019?

[CELTICSofBOSTON]

I saw the same poll on NBADraft.net and figured I'd take it to my buds here at Celtics Blog.

Feel free to share opinions on who will be our starting PG that year/next season, whether or not IT will be on the roster in 2019, whether we should consider someone else in this draft, whether both guys will start together, etc.

[BitterJim]

TP for the question. 

I'm gonna have to go with IT.  Fultz will be our starting SG

[max215]

I'll reluctantly go with IT. He's too important to the Celtics and the city of Boston to let him simply walk away next year.

[jpotter33]

Fultz. He'll have a "Lillard-esque" rookie year off the bench (of course pro-rated for his bench minutes), and Danny will decide he's ready to start, letting IT walk for max money elsewhere and retaining AB.

Our 2018-2019 roster will be Fultz, AB, Brown, Griffin, and Horford with a bench of Smart, Crowder, Zizic, and Bamba/Ayton, along with the usual ring-chasing vets.

[Ilikesports17]

Starting backcourt will be Fultz and Thomas.

Thomas will defend opposing point guards and thus be listed as the pg, but Fultz will run more of the offense.

I could also easily see a similar scenario to the one JPotter outlines above. I'd be shocked to see Thomas traded. I expect him to be resigned but wouldn't be surprised to see us let him walk in FA.

[CELTICSofBOSTON]

Starting backcourt will be Fultz and Thomas.

Thomas will defend opposing point guards and thus be listed as the pg, but Fultz will run more of the offense.

I could also easily see a similar scenario to the one JPotter outlines above. I'd be shocked to see Thomas traded. I expect him to be resigned but wouldn't be surprised to see us let him walk in FA.

My biggest concern with that back court is the fact that it would probably get torched defensively.

Offensively, there would be no issues imo.  In fact, it would probably work out very well.

[jade88]

IT4. All NBA 2nd Team and another All Star appearance are still very feasible. Who at level loses their spot to a punk kid?

I'm all for Fultz being a bust if it means we can stop questioning who's team this is. This is the IT4 era. I'd rather move the kid for a 2 guard like Butler that compliments Thomas with his size and defense.

[Somebody]

IT4. All NBA 2nd Team and another All Star appearance are still very feasible. Who at level loses their spot to a punk kid?

I'm all for Fultz being a bust if it means we can stop questioning who's team this is. This is the IT4 era. I'd rather move the kid for a 2 guard like Butler that compliments Thomas with his size and defense.

I'd rather not...this is where we should make a thread asking "why are people so enamored with ****ty proven talent" (not IT I'm talking about your PG and Butler, who are superstars but aren't mvp talents, while Fultz has a good shot of being that) to counter your post asking about why people love young guys.

[jade88]

IT4. All NBA 2nd Team and another All Star appearance are still very feasible. Who at level loses their spot to a punk kid?

I'm all for Fultz being a bust if it means we can stop questioning who's team this is. This is the IT4 era. I'd rather move the kid for a 2 guard like Butler that compliments Thomas with his size and defense.

I'd rather not...this is where we should make a thread asking "why are people so enamored with ****ty proven talent" (not IT I'm talking about your PG and Butler, who are superstars but aren't mvp talents, while Fultz has a good shot of being that) to counter your post asking about why people love young guys.

Fair enough, glad we're familiar now lol.

Seriously though, "sh**y" proven talent? George is one of the most talented guys in the league, and he's never played in a system or for a coach as good as ours. Hell him and Thomas both have never played with another shot creating wing scorer like the other. Both are good off the ball players too.

I'd rather build around the type of scorer I know Thomas is, period.

[Somebody]

IT4. All NBA 2nd Team and another All Star appearance are still very feasible. Who at level loses their spot to a punk kid?

I'm all for Fultz being a bust if it means we can stop questioning who's team this is. This is the IT4 era. I'd rather move the kid for a 2 guard like Butler that compliments Thomas with his size and defense.

I'd rather not...this is where we should make a thread asking "why are people so enamored with ****ty proven talent" (not IT I'm talking about your PG and Butler, who are superstars but aren't mvp talents, while Fultz has a good shot of being that) to counter your post asking about why people love young guys.

Fair enough, glad we're familiar now lol.

Seriously though, "sh**y" proven talent? George is one of the most talented guys in the league, and he's never played in a system or for a coach as good as ours. Hell him and Thomas both have never played with another shot creating wing scorer like the other. Both are good off the ball players too.

I'd rather build around the type of scorer I know Thomas is, period.

I'm just taking a page out of your book by you trashing our young kids. Btw can't we build around IT while building for the future? Last I checked Fultz is 6'5 or so, he can play SG along IT or can be a good 6th man right off the bat when IT is taking a breather. I'm all in for rolling it back by trading Bradley/Smart for a big to pair with horford if we can't sign a max fa, but I'm not willing to trade the brooklyn picks unless we're getting an AD caliber guy back because those young guys can contribute now (albeit rather limited) and carry us in the future. Also I think an IT Smart/Bradley Crowder Big by trade/FA Horford would be a good team that has a small shot at contending (if that big is a high level big, tbh I think we can get Cousins for cheap at the trade deadline when it's obvious he and AD don't pan out)

[jpotter33]

Starting backcourt will be Fultz and Thomas.

Thomas will defend opposing point guards and thus be listed as the pg, but Fultz will run more of the offense.

I could also easily see a similar scenario to the one JPotter outlines above. I'd be shocked to see Thomas traded. I expect him to be resigned but wouldn't be surprised to see us let him walk in FA.

It's really hard for me to see a Fultz and IT backcourt working together. Offensively, it could probably work out decently. However, I think people are exaggerating how effective IT is off the ball. Yes, he can play off the ball, but he's much better being the primary ball-handler, playmaker, and scorer, which is why he thrived so well here. He really only played off the ball with Smart because Smart is simply atrocious off the ball as a spot up shooter. I think it's yet to be determined how well Fultz will play off the ball in the NBA.

Defensively, it will clearly be a disaster. Fultz has excellent tools to become a superb defensive player in the future. However, it's going to take him awhile to get there and get used to the NBA defensive game, especially with an increased offensive role that he'll have. As bad as Brown was defensively starting off the beginning of this season, I expect Fultz to be even worse. Hopefully he improves defensively as much as Brown did this season, though.

[Somebody]

Starting backcourt will be Fultz and Thomas.

Thomas will defend opposing point guards and thus be listed as the pg, but Fultz will run more of the offense.

I could also easily see a similar scenario to the one JPotter outlines above. I'd be shocked to see Thomas traded. I expect him to be resigned but wouldn't be surprised to see us let him walk in FA.

It's really hard for me to see a Fultz and IT backcourt working together. Offensively, it could probably work out decently. However, I think people are exaggerating how effective IT is off the ball. Yes, he can play off the ball, but he's much better being the primary ball-handler, playmaker, and scorer, which is why he thrived so well here. He really only played off the ball with Smart because Smart is simply atrocious off the ball as a spot up shooter. I think it's yet to be determined how well Fultz will play off the ball in the NBA.

Defensively, it will clearly be a disaster. Fultz has excellent tools to become a superb defensive player in the future. However, it's going to take him awhile to get there and get used to the NBA defensive game, especially with an increased offensive role that he'll have. As bad as Brown was defensively starting off the beginning of this season, I expect Fultz to be even worse. Hopefully he improves defensively as much as Brown did this season, though.

Good points. However Fultz is a tier 1 prospect, I think he'll be a good role player right away for a contender like us so I think he can't be compared to Brown for I love him as a player (imo he has tier 1 potential but he's tier 2 rn)

[Rosco917]

I'm hoping for Fultz as the starting PG. Todays NBA doesn't need the pure PG for a team to be successful. A team that has good passers at every position should be the goal. Actually his assist ratio from college on a bad team was very good...one less assist per game than Lonzo. And as mentioned, his tools for being a good defender are there.

i wouldn't mind still seeing AB at the 2 either. But then again you never know I guess.

[Rosco917]

IT4. All NBA 2nd Team and another All Star appearance are still very feasible. Who at level loses their spot to a punk kid?

I'm all for Fultz being a bust if it means we can stop questioning who's team this is. This is the IT4 era. I'd rather move the kid for a 2 guard like Butler that compliments Thomas with his size and defense.

 

[BoulderMike]

I believe the most likely starting five in 2018-2019 is:

PG: Fultz
SG: Brown
SF: Haywood
PF: Horford
C: Zizic

Bench: IT, Crowder, Yabu, 2018 1st round picks

I don't yet know what I think about this team ... but as we sit here today, it is the most likely