Is Smart a point guard or shooting guard (he likely will play both during the upcoming season)? Are Bogans (who is unlikely to see the floor this season, if fact whether he is invited to camp or not is an interesting question on its on), Chris Johnson (who has shown flashes of productivity at least), Young (whose youth may be best served with a season in the D-league), and Turner (whose career minutes have been primarily at SF) tall shooting guards or short small forwards? Is Marcus Thornton a backup SG who might provide instant offense (think Vinnie “the Microwave” Johnson from the 80‘s for Baylor and the Pistons) or is he a gunner without a conscience who offers only an “Ole” wave at the defensive end and whose real value is as an expiring contract? Ditto for Evan Turner, a jewel in the rough or a dead end? Is Chris Babb’s complete lack of productivity for the Celtics just “it is what it is,” or was his promising play in the D-league the real story and just waiting for a confidence boost to emerge?
I don’t have answers to those questions, but I do think you begin with Chris Babb as the first, and easiest, cut. Bradley, Thornton, Smart (PG/SG), Evan Turner (SG/SF assuming his contract is guaranteed) and Young (SG/SF) are roster locks. If you make it three point guards (Smart, plus Rondo and Pressey), five small forwards (Young, Johnson, and Turner added to Green and Wallace), and one empty contract (Bogans) then perhaps we only have two shooting guards and three multi-position wing players filling out the depth chart. And yes, that does leave Chris Johnson out in the cold as another roster cut (without a magical consolidation trade, which Ainge is always looking for, and which I just don’t see available).
Seven or eight wing playeers is still a bit excessive but with one (or two if you listen to Turner’s agent) able to play point and four that can slide between SG and SF, there is a lot of flexibility. Players that can play two or more positions not only provide the coach with alternatives but they make screening much less effective, or at least much more restricted, since they can switch without giving the opponents a mismatch. If they are ’tweeners then it just means they are borderline players, if they can play then they are multi-position assets.
Sixty-three days to camp. [Discuss on CG Forums!]
Danny is big on flexibility on the roster and as you said, we have several players who can play 2 or 3 wing positions, which is a good thing. Last year we started the season with a log jam at shooting guard and ended up short on shooting guards at the end after a trade and some injuries. I don't count Bogans as anything but a trade chip. He's not likely to play for the Celtics again. I'm still waiting for that other shoe to drop.
ReplyDelete