Who Is Sixth Man? Vote Your First AND Second Choices!

[moiso]

I think one of Tatum or Hayward should play off the bench.  If I was me, I would bring Hayward off the bench.  Throughout his career, he has had success at both SG and SF.  He would be an absolute weapon off the bench.

Iguodala has 3 titles playing that role.  Hayward would be even better.

I think it’s the wrong time in Hayward’s career for that role, even though he’d be great at it.  We don’t even know if he’s reached his peak as a player yet.

Would you think the same if Hayward came off the bench but still played starter’s minutes?

If he suggests it, that's fine.  But I think he's earned the right to go into the season as a starter unless he suggests coming off the bench or if he plays poorly for over a month and I don't believe either will happen.  Bench guys, if not specialists, generally have weaknesses.  Hayward is a very good all around player at this point.  I like him as a starter for the time being.

[Hoopvortex]

I think one of Tatum or Hayward should play off the bench.  If I was me, I would bring Hayward off the bench.  Throughout his career, he has had success at both SG and SF.  He would be an absolute weapon off the bench.

Iguodala has 3 titles playing that role.  Hayward would be even better.

I think it’s the wrong time in Hayward’s career for that role, even though he’d be great at it.  We don’t even know if he’s reached his peak as a player yet.

Would you think the same if Hayward came off the bench but still played starter’s minutes?

If he suggests it, that's fine.  But I think he's earned the right to go into the season as a starter unless he suggests coming off the bench or if he plays poorly for over a month and I don't believe either will happen.  Bench guys, if not specialists, generally have weaknesses.  Hayward is a very good all around player at this point.  I like him as a starter for the time being.

I don’t have a strong opinion here, though I’d be surprised if he didn’t start.

Is any player on the Celtics the equal of Durant? Or Curry? Harden and Paul? Or Embiid? Or Kawhi? Or even Lowry? Or Giannis? One thing that we’ll see this season is a deep team of very good players that plays team ball try to beat those teams with all their star power. 

I think that Hayward is the key guy.

[greece66]

I expect Smart to get more mins than other bench players this season too.

[Androslav]

I expect Smart to get more mins than other bench players this season too.

Agreed. This will be the 5th season in a row that he is our 6th man.
But he will be more of a winger this year than in the prior ones.
27-28 mpg

[gouki88]

I think one of Tatum or Hayward should play off the bench.  If I was me, I would bring Hayward off the bench.  Throughout his career, he has had success at both SG and SF.  He would be an absolute weapon off the bench.

Iguodala has 3 titles playing that role.  Hayward would be even better.

I think it’s the wrong time in Hayward’s career for that role, even though he’d be great at it.  We don’t even know if he’s reached his peak as a player yet.

Would you think the same if Hayward came off the bench but still played starter’s minutes?

If he suggests it, that's fine.  But I think he's earned the right to go into the season as a starter unless he suggests coming off the bench or if he plays poorly for over a month and I don't believe either will happen.  Bench guys, if not specialists, generally have weaknesses.  Hayward is a very good all around player at this point.  I like him as a starter for the time being.

I don’t have a strong opinion here, though I’d be surprised if he didn’t start.

Is any player on the Celtics the equal of Durant? Or Curry? Harden and Paul? Or Embiid? Or Kawhi? Or even Lowry? Or Giannis? One thing that we’ll see this season is a deep team of very good players that plays team ball try to beat those teams with all their star power. 

I think that Hayward is the key guy.

Kyrie is definitely the equal of Embiid, and superior to Paul and Lowry I would say. I believe Hayward to be better than Paul and Lowry too, at this stage.

[Vermont Green]

I think one of Tatum or Hayward should play off the bench.  If I was me, I would bring Hayward off the bench.  Throughout his career, he has had success at both SG and SF.  He would be an absolute weapon off the bench.

Iguodala has 3 titles playing that role.  Hayward would be even better.

I think it’s the wrong time in Hayward’s career for that role, even though he’d be great at it.  We don’t even know if he’s reached his peak as a player yet.

That has all changed with the injury.  It has also changed with how well that Tatum and Brown played last season.  I agree that in almost any other situation, it would be a no-brainer that Hayward would start.  I actually don't expect it necessarily, I just think it would be the best for the team and for him in this situation.

Voted Smart and then Hayward (injury comeback)

So would you guys start Baynes? Would Hayward or Smart come in for Baynes?

I would start Baynes with of course Horford as bigs and I would try to keep two bigs or big-swings on the floor at most times.  My bigs/big-swings include Horford, Baynes, Theis, Morris, Ojeleye, Yausele, and Williams.

I consider Tatum a wing (at best a small-swing) and do not want to see him playing out of position (as a big) for the majority of his time.  I am fine with some change of pace small ball line-ups or specialized match up line ups at the end of games.

[Hoopvortex]

I expect Smart to get more mins than other bench players this season too.

Agreed. This will be the 5th season in a row that he is our 6th man.
But he will be more of a winger this year than in the prior ones.
27-28 mpg

Consistently, year after year, he's been fifth on the team in minutes per game. But that looks set to change this year - will any of Irving, Brown, Hayward, Tatum, or Horford get fewer minutes than Smart? I don't think so.

Smart is an "instigator", to use Red Auerbach's word, and I think that that's why Brad has used him as the sixth man. The classic sixth man is a scorer, like Vinnie Johnson or Kevin McHale. But Boston has had sixth men who came in to change the game in other ways - the original instigator was Jim Loscutoff, who only averaged 10 points once in his career.

[Hoopvortex]

I think one of Tatum or Hayward should play off the bench.  If I was me, I would bring Hayward off the bench.  Throughout his career, he has had success at both SG and SF.  He would be an absolute weapon off the bench.

Iguodala has 3 titles playing that role.  Hayward would be even better.

I think it’s the wrong time in Hayward’s career for that role, even though he’d be great at it.  We don’t even know if he’s reached his peak as a player yet.

Would you think the same if Hayward came off the bench but still played starter’s minutes?

If he suggests it, that's fine.  But I think he's earned the right to go into the season as a starter unless he suggests coming off the bench or if he plays poorly for over a month and I don't believe either will happen.  Bench guys, if not specialists, generally have weaknesses.  Hayward is a very good all around player at this point.  I like him as a starter for the time being.

I don’t have a strong opinion here, though I’d be surprised if he didn’t start.

Is any player on the Celtics the equal of Durant? Or Curry? Harden and Paul? Or Embiid? Or Kawhi? Or even Lowry? Or Giannis? One thing that we’ll see this season is a deep team of very good players that plays team ball try to beat those teams with all their star power. 

I think that Hayward is the key guy.

Kyrie is definitely the equal of Embiid, and superior to Paul and Lowry I would say. I believe Hayward to be better than Paul and Lowry too, at this stage.

Well, we could argue back and forth about these things, and I'm sure that you could give me valid arguments as to who's better. I brought it up, I admit. And while I'm tempted to detail how amazing Chris Paul's season was, at age 33 it's not a done deal that he can do it again next year. In any case what I was really interested in addressing was how today's Celtics will be contenders because of their team play. And Gordon Hayward, who is an All-Star talent, has a special talent for making a whole team work - in his way, like Al Horford. I think that he's the key guy. I predict a top-5 offense.

[rondofan1255]

Voted Smart and then Hayward (injury comeback)

So would you guys start Baynes? Would Hayward or Smart come in for Baynes?

Start Theis! Coming off injury, Hayward temporarily in the Ginobili role. Substitute for Theis. Neither will happen...fun to think about.

[Hoopvortex]

I think one of Tatum or Hayward should play off the bench.  If I was me, I would bring Hayward off the bench.  Throughout his career, he has had success at both SG and SF.  He would be an absolute weapon off the bench.

Iguodala has 3 titles playing that role.  Hayward would be even better.

I think it’s the wrong time in Hayward’s career for that role, even though he’d be great at it.  We don’t even know if he’s reached his peak as a player yet.

That has all changed with the injury.  It has also changed with how well that Tatum and Brown played last season.  I agree that in almost any other situation, it would be a no-brainer that Hayward would start.  I actually don't expect it necessarily, I just think it would be the best for the team and for him in this situation.

Voted Smart and then Hayward (injury comeback)

So would you guys start Baynes? Would Hayward or Smart come in for Baynes?

I consider Tatum a wing (at best a small-swing) and do not want to see him playing out of position (as a big) for the majority of his time.  I am fine with some change of pace small ball line-ups or specialized match up line ups at the end of games.

Your concern is understandable, and hopefully he's put on some weight.

If he's playing mostly wing, he's got a lot more competition for minutes. In addition to Hayward and Brown, Marcus Smart gets a lot of "wing" minutes (whether or not you call him a wing, he was almost always on the floor with one or both of Kyrie or Rozier last season). So substantial swing minutes for Jayson Tatum are a done deal.

I'd point out that it works both ways - the opponent has to guard him, too, and there are few players who can both keep up with him and have a size advantage.

[Hoopvortex]

Voted Smart and then Hayward (injury comeback)

So would you guys start Baynes? Would Hayward or Smart come in for Baynes?

Start Theis! Coming off injury, Hayward temporarily in the Ginobili role. Substitute for Theis. Neither will happen...fun to think about.

Lol.

Theis was a great pickup, in my opinion. The turnovers and fouls were horrific, but he was getting them under control in the second part of the season - too bad he didn't get to show anything in the playoffs - I think he has heart.

It seems to me that Boston has a deeper team now than the '08 championship team. Would you agree?

Brad recently remarked that the team has "9 or 10" starters. Is Theis 10? Or is it Ojeleye? Or was he not being so exact?

[Vermont Green]

I consider Tatum a wing (at best a small-swing) and do not want to see him playing out of position (as a big) for the majority of his time.  I am fine with some change of pace small ball line-ups or specialized match up line ups at the end of games.

Your concern is understandable, and hopefully he's put on some weight.

If he's playing mostly wing, he's got a lot more competition for minutes. In addition to Hayward and Brown, Marcus Smart gets a lot of "wing" minutes (whether or not you call him a wing, he was almost always on the floor with one or both of Kyrie or Rozier last season). So substantial swing minutes for Jayson Tatum are a done deal.

I'd point out that it works both ways - the opponent has to guard him, too, and there are few players who can both keep up with him and have a size advantage.

I am not sure concern is the right word but I just see it as bad basketball strategy to play Tatum out of position.  Would GSW want to play Durant at PF?  Durant is bigger than Tatum will ever be, even if he fills out (which I am sure he will some).  Why would we want Tatum to be Rudy Gay trying to be a PF (who is also bigger than Tatum)?

Again, I am not saying that the Celtics will see it the same as me, I know my thinking is outside the mainstream, but keeping Tatum at wing will mean playing Morris, Theis, and Baynes more, while Smart and probably mostly Rozier less.  There are plenty of wing minutes for Brown, Hayward, and Tatum at wing, especially with Hayward coming off such a serious injury.

Plus, Rozier and Smart will get minutes when Irving takes games off or quarters off resting his reconstructed knee.  It will all work out.  Along the way, Rozier may get traded or someone will get injured or...

[Hoopvortex]

...  Along the way, Rozier may get traded or someone will get injured or...

I hope he isn’t traded. Anyway, they’d have to either replace him or go into the post-season with Wannamaker as Kyrie’s backup. With a real shot at the Finals this year, that looks unlikely. Besides, he’s a good basketball player!

Fans see Marcus Smart as a point guard, but almost all of his minutes last year were with either Irving or Rozier on the floor.  It seems evident that Brad Stevens, at least, does not see Marcus as Irving’s backup.  That is also something to consider when you are looking at how many wing minutes are available to Tatum.

[Moranis]

I think Baynes starts moving Tatum to the bench, so I voted for Tatum.  I think Boston is at its best when it starts the game with 2 bigs. 

[Hoopvortex]

I think Baynes starts moving Tatum to the bench, so I voted for Tatum.  I think Boston is at its best when it starts the game with 2 bigs.

 So, in that scenario, does Tatum come in for Baynes?