The Celtics depth chart is a pretty crowded place as training camp begins, especially for big men. With Al Horford projected to start at center and Jayson Tatum playing plenty of some stretch four, it's going to be hard for the likes of Aron Baynes and Daniel Theis to get solid minutes at center on a nightly basis.
That reality means rookie Robert Williams isn't going to see the NBA floor in a meaningful situation anytime soon, in all likelihood. The Celtics simply won't have a need for the athletic 20-year-old, barring injury. A source confirmed to BostonSportsJournal.com that the team plans on keeping Williams for extended stretches with the Maine Red Claws once the season begins, but that plan is on hold for the time being. Instead, the focus on getting Williams healthy after a battle with knee tendinitis that has stretched throughout his college career.
"We're moving slow with Robert because we can," Danny Ainge said on Wednesday. "We can afford to. We just want to make sure."
Williams played just one game in summer league before knee pain sidelined the 27th overall pick. He played through knee issues throughout his time at Texas A&M and the team wants to get the issue under control while they can, a similar strategy they used with a recent C's draft pick.
“When we drafted Terry Rozier (in 2015), he had some tendinitis issues in his knees,” Ainge explained. “I think our medical staff has done an amazing job. He missed zero practices and zero games last year in the regular season and playoffs. We’re trying to do the same thing with Robert.
"He has some tendinitis issues, so we want to really get those right. He played throughout his college career with much more pain than he has now, so he's making great strides -- has made great strides already. But we'd just like to make sure it's long lasting and that he develops the strength. So that's going to be a priority for us, his health. And then obviously once we get him really healthy, then we'll get him as much experience as we can, either here or in Portland."
Williams has taken part in both training camp practices so far but the team has held him out during the scrimmage portions of each day for protection. He plans on playing on Friday during the preseason opener but the team will keep a close eye on him from a maintenance standpoint for however long it takes.
Once Williams does get going without limitations, he's eager to perform no matter what squad he ends up with.
“I don’t care,” Williams told BSJ on the prospect of playing in Maine. “As long as I’m learning and getting better. Like I said, it’s a process. I don’t expect to come here and play 35 minutes. It’s a grind. Whatever is needed. I’m trusting in my coaches and they’re trusting in me, so whatever the process is, I’m ready for it.”
Other Notes from Day 2 of training camp
- Brad Stevens on the priorities from the double session: “We tried to focus a little bit more this afternoon on the competitive side, doing some different really read and react type of stuff. Obviously, basketball’s a game that you’re not going to run a play every time down. There’s a lot of random plays in the game, and we’re trying to improve just our overall decision-making. And then I thought that offensively we stuck with a few things installed but really reviewed yesterday.”
- Terry Rozier redeemed himself with his play in the scrimmage: After getting burned by Kyrie Irving on multiple occasions on Tuesday in a loss for the second unit, Rozier was the main source of offense down the stretch on Wednesday. He buried a tough left layup in traffic and drilled a long jumper to help clinch a win for the reserves.
- The C's starting five remained the same for the second-straight day with Al Horford manning the center spot.
- After Marcus Morris named the second unit BWA (bench with attitude), the rest of reserves are already growing fond of the label: "We have the toughest team, the toughest bench, the toughest coach," Marcus Smart said. "I definitely have a lot of attitude, I know Morris has some attitude, I know other guys have some attitude. I'm rocking with the name."
- Brad Stevens was not pleased with the defense after two days of camp, answering a simple 'no' whether he thinks it has been good so far. He followed up a few questions later by highlighting a theme that has been prevalent all week long: The need to avoid taking shortcuts. "I think that’s the question for our whole team will be how we don’t skip steps on the defensive end," Stevens said. "And we’ve done some good things, but there’s so much that you have to build up to to be a great defensive team. And it starts with all the effort and everything else, but it also is playing together, working together, covering for one another and all kinds of things. One person that screws up, screws up the whole deal on that end. So we’ve all gotta be good.”