For today's NBA Notebook, we will start with the second part of our countdown to training camp series, designed to get you ready for the start of the preseason next week. Over the next few days, we’ll take a look at each position on the depth chart and what to expect from each player before the season begins.
Part 1: Centers
Today: Forwards
LIKELY STARTER: Gordon Hayward
CONTRACTUAL STATUS: $31.2 million for 2018-19, $32.7 million for 2019-20 player option for 2020-21 ($34.4 million).
ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AGENCY: Summer of 2020, if he declines the player option.
NOTABLE 2017-18 STATS: N/A
ASSESSMENT: The All-Star will be under the microscope from the jump of training camp, but luckily for his progression, the Celtics won’t need to put too much pressure on him to produce right out of the gate. There will be an adjustment period as Hayward gets used to playing full speed NBA basketball after missing the past 12 months, but he has battled through the recovery process carefully and has already eliminated some potential setback obstacles by removing the hardware from his ankle.
With four double-digit scorers flanked around him in most lineups, Hayward will get plenty of open looks and opportunity to re-establish his rhythm. He played at an elite level in Utah for his final three seasons and can fill in a number of different roles (scorer, playmaker, defender) depending on what his team needs on a nightly basis. The biggest question for him as the year begins is just how quickly he can get back to that level.
LIKELY STARTER: Jayson Tatum
CONTRACTUAL STATUS: $6.7 million for 2018-19. Signed on rookie deal through 2020-21
ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AGENCY: Summer of 2021 (restricted free agency)
NOTABLE 2017-18 STATS: 13.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.6 APG
ASSESSMENT: After putting together one of the most efficient rookie seasons in Celtics history, it’s no guarantee that the 20-year-old will be able to replicate his terrific first campaign, particularly from an outside-shooting standpoint (43.4 percent). However, all signs point to progression, based on his age and work on adding strength to his frame during the offseason. The days of a passive Tatum diminished as last year wore on, and if he’s able to finish better around the basket in year two, he’s going to be close to an impossible cover given his ability to pull up off the dribble. Tatum will also benefit from a defensive standpoint since he’ll have another capable wing defender in Hayward alongside him on a nightly basis. His biggest challenge? Bulking up on the defensive glass if the Celtics start with Horford at the five. His rebounding rate shrank over the course of his rookie year, and he has the length to make more of an impact in that area.
TOP RESERVE: Marcus Morris
CONTRACTUAL STATUS: $5.3 million for 2018-19
ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AGENCY: Will be an unrestricted free agent next summer
NOTABLE 2017-18 STATS: 13.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.3 APG
ASSESSMENT: It wasn’t a pretty first half of the season for Morris last year, but when he finally got his knee healthy in March, he became the kind of versatile forward that the Celtics thought was worth giving up Avery Bradley for. The biggest question now for the veteran in a contract year is whether he will be accepting of a reduced role following the returns of Hayward and Kyrie Irving to the fold. Morris will still get his bench minutes, but his opportunities to close out games and carry the offense will be few and far between. His tendency to take long contested twos will need to be monitored amid an offense with a plethora of more high-percentage options. Still, there will be nights where Morris will show his value, whether it’s scoring in bunches for the bench unit or providing some extra defensive muscle in the frontcourt against the likes of Kevin Durant and LeBron James.
THE DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST: Semi Ojeleye
CONTRACTUAL STATUS: $1.378 million for 2018-19. Signed through 2020-21 but final two years of the deal are unguaranteed.
ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AGENCY: Summer of 2021, or earlier if Celtics waive him.
NOTABLE 2017-18 STATS: 2.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.3 APG
ASSESSMENT: The forward out of SMU got more opportunity last year as a rookie than he probably even dreamed of after getting drafted in the second round. Ojeleye was a one-trick pony on offense, and he didn’t do that trick very well (32 percent from 3), but his strength on the defensive end made him an invaluable option for Brad Stevens on a nightly basis. He should only be better on that front in year two, but the chances for Ojeleye will likely be limited as he arguably sits outside of the top 10 on this roster. He’ll get his chances to slow down stars with size like James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the question is whether he will improve enough as a shooter to beat out the likes of Morris for bigger minutes off the bench.
END OF BENCH DEPTH: Guerschon Yabusele
CONTRACTUAL STATUS: $2.6 million for 2018-19, team options for 2019-20 and 2020-21.
ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AGENCY: Next summer, if Celtics decline the team option.
NOTABLE 2017-18 STATS: 2.4 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 0.5 APG
ASSESSMENT: The biggest minutes of Yabusele’s season may very well come during the preseason. The power forward is buried in the depth chart, and the Celtics have a $3-million option on the Frenchman that they have to make a decision on by opening night. After an up-and-down summer league, there will be plenty of pressure on Yabusele to prove he’s worthy of that kind of payday since the C’s ownership will be paying the luxury tax for the foreseeable future. If Yabusele has a standout camp, he might show himself as a player capable of bench minutes a couple years down the line or as a potential trade chip for a rebuilding team to gamble on. However, if he stumbles, Yabusele’s NBA future beyond this season will be in question.
Other NBA News and Notes
- Jimmy Butler reportedly got permission to skip media day on Monday with the Wolves in wake of his trade demand. With Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reporting that Minnesota owner Glen Taylor is open to moving the All-Star (in contrast to Tom Thibodeau’s stance), I can’t imagine it’s going to end well for Thibs in Minnesota. He’s a prideful guy and probably doesn’t like having his power cut out from under him.
- Sixers went with a player-friendly general manager choice in Elton Brand this week, just a couple years out of the league. From a Celtics vantage point, it’s hard not to view this decision as a win given the possibility the Sixers could have plucked a top-tier candidate from around the league to build their promising young core with. Brand could be good in attracting players, but it’s going to be hard for him to beat out the likes of Los Angeles and New York when competing for big names next summer. After that? The Sixers won’t have the cap room to add anyone big for a while.
- Dion Waiters will remain sidelined for the Heat heading into training camp after undergoing ankle surgery in the middle of last year. His four-year deal signed in the summer of 2016 continues to look worse by the year as it’s hamstrung one of the most appealing destinations in the NBA for free agents. Good luck finding any team that wants to take on Waiters, Hassan Whiteside, James Johnson or Tyler Johnson for the money they’re making.
- A couple fun NBA hires this week from the media world as former player Brent Barry (TNT analyst) was brought into the Spurs front office and SI writer Lee Jenkins was hired in the Clippers front office.
- Brandon Knight will be out for Rockets training camp after undergoing surgery on his left knee, joining a long list of guards (Devin Booker, Russell Westbrook) that will miss some early time in the Western Conference.