What's next for Tremont Waters with Celtics after G-League rookie of the year season?

Tremont Waters may have been the last player taken among the four picks by the Celtics on draft night in 2019, but he was far from an afterthought for Boston's braintrust after going No. 51 overall.

One team source raved about Waters in the days after the draft to BSJ, indicating that the team had the 5-foot-10 point guard in the top-30 overall in the 2019 draft class. Getting him at No. 51 would be a steal and allow the team to get him plenty of reps with the Maine Red Claws on a two-way contract before his eventual ascension to a roster spot.

That premonition came to life this season and was capped with a noteworthy honor on Thursday as the NBA announced Waters has been named the G-League Rookie of the Year. The LSU product averaged 18.0 points, 7.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.89 steals in 36 games for Maine, ranking sixth in the assists per game.

The honor adds to a long list of G-League accolades for the 22-year-old Waters this season after the being named G-League Player of the Month in November and being named to the Midseason All-NBA G-League team for the Eastern Conference. Waters ended up playing in 36 of Maine’s 42 games this season before the remainder of the schedule was cancelled earlier this month, leading the Red Claws to a 28-14 record.

“We are so happy for Tremont,” said President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge in a release. “He had a fantastic G League season on both ends of the court, and continued to improve all the facets of his game while leading a winning team. This recognition is well-deserved.”

While Waters’ G-League rookie campaign has come to an end, his rookie season with the Celtics as a two-way player has not. Let’s investigate what Waters role could be with Boston in the Orlando bubble as well as beyond this season.

Will Waters be eligible for playoffs in Orlando? 

Shams Charania of the Athletic was first to report earlier this month that the NBA is expected to allow two-way players in the bubble with their respective teams, giving rosters up to 17 players to use. That development will make Waters and Tacko Fall eligible for the eight seeding games the Celtics will play. However, the bigger question that pertains to Waters is whether two-way players will be eligible for the postseason.

Normally, that is not the case for the postseason, which causes some teams to convert two-way contracts to standards deals if a player becomes more of a team’s rotation during the regular season (i.e. Lu Dort in OKC). However, that rule may be adjusted for the unprecedented circumstances of the current season. League officials and the players union continue to negotiate the exact rules surrounding two-way players in Orlando but from a logistical standpoint, it makes sense for both sides to want those players to remain eligible throughout the postseason.

Why would the league bring two extra players down there for all the teams given the challenge and risk of the bubble environment and only have them down there to help teams for three weeks of seeding games? Given the elevated chance of injury and illness for players down there (along with the fact that some teams might be shorthanded if players choose not to participate), it seems reasonable to think two-way players will be eligible to play if active for all contests while in Orlando.

If that ends up being the case, it could be a nice benefit for Waters and the Celtics. While a big man like Tacko Fall isn’t ready for postseason minutes yet in any meaningful situation, Waters’ defensive ability could make him a useful option situationally, particularly against speedy guards. If the Celtics end up losing a key ball-handler like Marcus Smart or Kemba Walker due to injury or illness, Boston’s depth chart gets shallow at the PG spot very quickly on the 15-man roster. Waters’ presence should give Stevens some useful insurance on that front on any night he wants to make him one of team's 13 active players.

Waters has only played 10 games for the Celtics this season but the C’s are 3-1 in games during which he’s played more than 10 minutes thanks to injuries that shortened the bench.

“He just has control of the game,” Brad Stevens explained after a game in November. “You don’t have to get too creative with any actions, you don’t have to run complicated things. You just have to get in space, give him a step and let him run the right play.”

The guess here is that if Waters plays well during a shortened training camp and outplays the likes of Brad Wanamaker and/or Carsen Edwards, he could get spot minutes here or there during the seeding games as Stevens figures out who to trust in the postseason.

Waters’ future role in Boston next season

Waters will be a restricted free agent this summer, assuming the Celtics tender him another two-way offer (all but a lock). His strong rookie campaign ensures that he will be pushing for a chance to make an NBA roster next season but the competition will be tough in Boston from a roster room standpoint. Even with current backup guard Wanamaker set for free agency, the Celtics will still have 12 guaranteed contracts signed (if Gordon Hayward and Enes Kanter opt-in) along with two appealing non-guaranteed contracts for low money (Semi Ojeleye, Javonte Green).

The C’s will need at least one more ball-handler in the mix if Wanamaker departs but if the 30-year-old veteran is brought back, it’s tough to see Waters finding his way onto the 15-man roster. In all honesty, the Celtics would probably prefer to keep Waters on a cheap two-way deal for one more season of development but Waters can force the issue by outplaying others in training camp or finding another team that’s willing to sign him to an NBA contract. In that situation, the Celtics would have the right to match the offer and keep him in Boston.

It’s all worth noting the Celtics are currently projected to have four draft picks for the 2020 NBA Draft at No. 17, No. 26, No. 30, No. 50. Trades and draft-and-stashes could lower that number of incoming rookies to one or two but any first-round pick that Boston uses will take away a potential roster spot for Waters. When push comes to shove, it’s hard to envision more than two of Waters, Wanamaker and Edwards being on the roster next season so how each of those guys play in Orlando and during next year’s training camp will how guide the C’s from what could be a tough choice.

All things considered, it’s safe to say Waters will be a member of the Celtics organization next season. Whether he’s spending more time in Boston or Maine remains to be seen but a Rookie of the Year G-League campaign should push the needle more towards Boston. Waters needs to force the C’s hand to ensure he’s on the 15-man roster next season and this year has been a valuable step for him on that front. If he can continue the momentum over the next few months, he should have an NBA contract waiting for him when free agency opens up in October.