I've seen a couple of articles lately wondering what Chris Wilcox can add to the Celtics this season. The Celtics have good depth with their bigs with Kevin Garnett, Brandon Bass, Darko Milicic, Jared Sullinger, Chris Wilcox, Jason Collins and Fab Melo. We can agree right off the bat that Fab will probably need some seasoning in the NBA before he can be a factor on the team and so we'll see him spend some time on the bench and some in Maine.
In the preseason before his injury, Darko showed that he could back up KG at center and hold his own. Darko, if he continues to work and accepts his role, is going to continue to be a big part of the rotation. Jason Collins is insurance for injuries or foul trouble. He is a good defender but won't add much in the way of rebounds or offense. He will however have 6 good fouls and usually doesn't make a lot of mistakes.
At the power forward spot, there has been much discussion about whether Jared Sullinger or Brandon Bass should start. Jared did well in his starts during the preseason, but I don't see Doc starting a rookie, at least not until he proves himself in real games. So, Brandon Bass will start, but Jared should get playing time off the bench and his role will grow as he proves he can handle it.
That brings us to Chris Wilcox. He missed most of preseason with back spasms so we haven't gotten to see him play this much. We also only got to see him for a short time last season because he was injured to begin the season and just as he was hitting his stride, they found the heart problem and he was out again. Now he's back on the court and able to work with the team and he will need to establish a role for himself.
Chris can back up both the center and power forward positions. He can rebound and play defense. He has good hands and footwork. And most importantly, he runs the floor very well. Before his surgery last season, he developed a connection with Rondo and the two of them had fun running together. This season, Rondo will have no shortage of guys willing to run with him and that's exciting. But I can see the Rondo to Wilcox connection re-emerging and being a big part of what the Celtics can do this season. In case you've forgotten, here's a refresher course.
