Celtics 2019-2020 depth chart and roster

JCizzle

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Hot damn a Dragan Bender reference. I'm not sure that's getting topped haha.
 

Big John

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I Don’t consider the Dragan Man a big, really. Looney was the other guy I was thinking of.
Well, Bender is 7-1 and can protect the rim. He had several games with double digit blocked shots. Just tell him to get down low. No more three pointers. He can pass and handle pretty well for a guy his size but he's a complete bust as a perimeter player.

What's the risk? He won't get much more than the veterans minimum and maybe someone can teach him to defend pick and rolls. If he can't, waive him. I'd take him over Marquise Chriss or Tacko Fall.

I have no interest in Vonleh-- who doesn't pass the ball-- or Noel, who is just an older version of Time Lord. Looney would be fine if you can get him.
 

Cellar-Door

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I actually do think that the Celtics should see if either of the PHX flameouts will take the minimum (Bender and Chriss) they were both highly rated prospects for a reason and both are still super young (21). Bender would be my preference because he was actually vaguely decent defensively, even if his offense is a disaster. Not as the RE big, but last man on the roster with a non-guaranteed second year.... sure.
 

DannyDarwinism

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Well, Bender is 7-1 and can protect the rim. He had several games with double digit blocked shots.
Wait what? I feel like I don’t even need to look that up to be sure it’s not true.

I certainly would take him over Chriss or Tacko, but he plays small for his size. Those Philly games would be really interesting.
 

bosockboy

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Any WCS rumors out tonight? He’s my choice at C but not sure if we can swing the money.

If we aren’t going to be big let’s be fast.
 

Big John

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Wait what? I feel like I don’t even need to look that up to be sure it’s not true.

I certainly would take him over Chriss or Tacko, but he plays small for his size. Those Philly games would be really interesting.
Yeah, I misspoke. But he did have a few double doubles. He has basketball skills, but he's obviously not going to defend Embiid unless he puts on 30 pounds of muscle. That's what Vincent Poirier is for.
 

Cellar-Door

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He can only get 6.5 million from GS
yeah I thought he got the full mid-level.

Anyway he's almost surely going elsewhere now anyway.

2 quality bigs likely looking for new homes in Boogie and Looney based on 1 trade.


Edit- I'd say my top bigs on the market (not including Poirier) for the Celtics are in no order: Holmes, Looney, Vonleh, Noel.
 

DJnVa

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OurF'ingCity

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Well, I think that's because nothing is final until July 6, and we don't know if the Nets are going to want to do a S&T---they did, then they didn't, then last night someone tweeted that they were talking again. So, until that is hashed out, we don't know where we will be.
They better hurry up and figure it out because their targets for either MLE slot will presumably be rapidly signing elsewhere.
 

bowiac

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They better hurry up and figure it out because their targets for either MLE slot will presumably be rapidly signing elsewhere.
I presume the ball is in the Celtics' court. My guess is Brooklyn has named a price for doing a sign-and-trade, which will let Boston remain an over-the-cap team and keep the full MLE (e.g., something like 2 second round picks). If the Celtics find a FA they want for the full MLE, they will pay that price. If they find there's no difference in quality between the MLE and room-exception guys, they'll just take the room-exception.
 

lovegtm

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I presume the ball is in the Celtics' court. My guess is Brooklyn has named a price for doing a sign-and-trade, which will let Boston remain an over-the-cap team and keep the full MLE (e.g., something like 2 second round picks). If the Celtics find a FA they want for the full MLE, they will pay that price. If they find there's no difference in quality between the MLE and room-exception guys, they'll just take the room-exception.
You think Brooklyn would help a rival for 2 2nd rounders? I’d love that, but seems low given the circumstances.
 

bowiac

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It's one thing for Brooklyn to help the Celtics keep Al Horford instead of having to sign Khem Birch as starting center. That's a big favor, and I'd require a lot of compensation. It's another to help the Celtics sign Nerlens Noel instead of Khem Birch. That's a whole lot of nothing. The benefit to Boston is likely to be pretty marginal from the extra $4M in cap space, and it's free assets for Brooklyn.

Yes, I'd do it in their spot.
 

PedroKsBambino

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I think the Butler sign and trade has to resolve before Nets will be motivated to help, however: unti it is, Horford back to Celtics remains a possibility.
 

OurF'ingCity

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You think Brooklyn would help a rival for 2 2nd rounders? I’d love that, but seems low given the circumstances.
Yeah I would think if this happens it will be a first-rounder - either MIL's or BOS's pick next year, or possibly something like what the Warriors gave Memphis (a lightly-protected first-round pick further out in time, which at least slightly increases the chances the pick could increase in value over the next couple years).
 

Captaincoop

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I think the Butler sign and trade has to resolve before Nets will be motivated to help, however: unti it is, Horford back to Celtics remains a possibility.
It sounds like Horford back to the Celtics is not a possibility because the Celtics don't want to pay him as much as Philly does (or for as long).
 

DJnVa

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It sounds like Horford back to the Celtics is not a possibility because the Celtics don't want to pay him as much as Philly does (or for as long).


Regarding the Butler trade:
https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA/status/1145705498949406720
I do. You don't get that far down the road without fixing it. Too much gets messy if they don't for both Philadelphia and Miami. But someone (probably Miami) is going to have to pay a team to help them clean up this mess.
 

Eddie Jurak

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It's one thing for Brooklyn to help the Celtics keep Al Horford instead of having to sign Khem Birch as starting center. That's a big favor, and I'd require a lot of compensation. It's another to help the Celtics sign Nerlens Noel instead of Khem Birch. That's a whole lot of nothing. The benefit to Boston is likely to be pretty marginal from the extra $4M in cap space, and it's free assets for Brooklyn.

Yes, I'd do it in their spot.
The real advantage to the Celtics might be the chance to grab 2 warm bodies (via MLE and biennial) instead of just one (via room).
 

PedroKsBambino

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It sounds like Horford back to the Celtics is not a possibility because the Celtics don't want to pay him as much as Philly does (or for as long).
Could be, but even if that was true a week ago (which we know it was at some level, but not how close they were) things are a lot different now. And sure, it is tremendously unliely to happen, all I'm noting is that if I were the Nets I'd want to understand where that deal was before I gave the Celtics the chance to operate as an over-the-cap team.
 

bowiac

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The real advantage to the Celtics might be the chance to grab 2 warm bodies (via MLE and biennial) instead of just one (via room).
Sure. I think the price may not be that high regardless. Brooklyn is competing with Boston, Philly, Milwaukee, Toronto, maybe the Pacers, so it's not as if it's zero sum between Boston and Brooklyn. You don't want to help a rival, but the benefit to Boston is pretty incremental, and it's free assets for Brooklyn. This is like the old "don't trade a guy into your own conference" stuff, which likewise doesn't make sense.

You want to extract a price from Boston, but if the Celtics find a combination of players they want, I'd be surprised if a deal couldn't be worked out.
 

OurF'ingCity

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Are the Sixers faced with the same situation the Celtics are? In other words, is there a scenario where the Sixers and Celtics agree to sign and trade of Horford so that both stay over the cap and retain their full MLE?
 

PedroKsBambino

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Another benefit of getting access to full MLE is it would allow a 3-4 year deal with Edwards...which feels useful to me.
 

Captaincoop

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Could be, but even if that was true a week ago (which we know it was at some level, but not how close they were) things are a lot different now. And sure, it is tremendously unliely to happen, all I'm noting is that if I were the Nets I'd want to understand where that deal was before I gave the Celtics the chance to operate as an over-the-cap team.
Do the Nets care if Horford ends up on the Celtics or the Sixers? They're both division rivals and right there with BKN if they sign Al.
 

luckiestman

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Don’t get hung up on positions, is this accurate as far as players?


PG Kemba Smart Edwards Waters
SG Brown Langford Dozier Strus
SF Tatum Hayward (6m) Hunter
PF Theis(?)Semi Yabu GrantWill
C Kanter, VP, T
 

128

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Don’t get hung up on positions, is this accurate as far as players?


PG Kemba Smart Edwards Waters
SG Brown Langford Dozier Strus
SF Tatum Hayward (6m) Hunter
PF Theis(?)Semi Yabu GrantWill
C Kanter, VP, T
C's have cut ties with Dozier and Hunter, I believe, at least for the moment.
 

lovegtm

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Don’t get hung up on positions, is this accurate as far as players?


PG Kemba Smart Edwards Waters
SG Brown Langford Dozier Strus
SF Tatum Hayward (6m) Hunter
PF Theis(?)Semi Yabu GrantWill
C Kanter, VP, T
Looks about right (with no Dozier and Hunter), although in terms of who actually plays minutes, it will be a lot of Smart/Brown/Hayward/Tatum at the 2-4.
 

BaseballJones

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So then if no Dozier and Hunter...

Guards - Kemba, Smart, Edwards, Waters, Strus
Wings - Tatum, Hayward, Brown, Langford, Semi, Yabu, GWilliams
Bigs - Kanter, Pourier, Time Lord

Waiting on Theis maybe.

That's a pretty solid roster that ought to be able to do a lot of things well.
 

HowBoutDemSox

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Is GWilliams considered more of a big wing or an undersized big? Perhaps a semantic debate, but I understand Stevens does make a distinction between guards and wings in his system.
 

lovegtm

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Is GWilliams considered more of a big wing or an undersized big? Perhaps a semantic debate, but I understand Stevens does make a distinction between guards and wings in his system.
Undersized big, probably not quick enough to play the quicker wing spots. His longshot upside is probably small-ball center.
 

BaseballJones

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Undersized big, probably not quick enough to play the quicker wing spots. His longshot upside is probably small-ball center.
Obviously not a direct comparison, but I see him as a Draymond-type. Not tall (just 6'7"...I mean he's damned tall, just not for an NBA big), but strong as hell and should be able to handle bigger players with his strength. Can shoot pretty well too.
 

lovegtm

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Obviously not a direct comparison, but I see him as a Draymond-type. Not tall (just 6'7"...I mean he's damned tall, just not for an NBA big), but strong as hell and should be able to handle bigger players with his strength. Can shoot pretty well too.
Yeah, everyone gets compared to Draymond, but it it happens at all for GWill, it will be because of what he and Dray both have between the ears.
 

lovegtm

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Theis is staying too.

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1146121245303422976
Restricted free agent F/C Daniel Theis has agreed to a two-year, $10M deal to stay with the Boston Celtics, CAA agents Michael Tellem and Aaron Mintz tell ESPN.
This has salary filler written all over it, massive overpay for Theis otherwise.

Ainge has done a good job putting together tradeable salaries that aren't valuable players now: Yabu, Kanter, Theis together make a bit more than Smart. That will open up a ton of options if a move presents itself.

Edit: for example, Jaylen for Bradley Beal is really close to working now without Smart in the deal.
 

bowiac

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Agree. I like Theis, and think he's probably the best option at the 5 on the team right now, but I can't imagine this was a competitive bidding process to get to $5M/year.
 

Eddie Jurak

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So quite a bit of depth in bigs now: Kanter, Poirier, Time Lord, Theis, GWilliams, Yabusele.

It’s not Horford and Baynes, but there is some depth and some unproven talent.

I wonder if Yabusele is about to be shuffled off somewhere.
 

PedroKsBambino

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So.....with my guess at primary usage

Guards - Kemba, Smart, Edwards, Waters, Strus (G league?)
Wings - Tatum, Hayward, Brown, Langford, Semi, Yabu (Hellenic Flu?)
Bigs - Kanter, Theis, Pourier, Time Lord, GWilliams (at least one of last three likely for G League)
 

lovegtm

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So quite a bit of depth in bigs now: Kanter, Poirier, Time Lord, Theis, GWilliams, Yabusele.

It’s not Horford and Baynes, but there is some depth and some unproven talent.

I wonder if Yabusele is about to be shuffled off somewhere.
If he goes, it will be as part of a package with some of these other guys. Until then, he’ll just be stapled to the bench.
 

ugmo33

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I know its early but this roster still seems kind of awkward. It's going to be hard to have the 5 best players out there either to start or close. Can they play a super-small 5 of Kemba, smart, Brown, Tatum, and Hayward? If not, someone is going to be wasted on the bench at closing time.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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I know its early but this roster still seems kind of awkward. It's going to be hard to have the 5 best players out there either to start or close. Can they play a super-small 5 of Kemba, smart, Brown, Tatum, and Hayward? If not, someone is going to be wasted on the bench at closing time.
I am of the opinion that if you look at next season as a developmental one for the Js to assume more of a team leadership role, Time Lord to get more reps, Pooreyah to see what he can do in the NBA, what is left of Hayward's skill and what they have in the rookies, this roster makes more sense. Match-ups and winning games will be emphasized but it won't be the same as last season.

We are back to the 2014-2017 teams where its a bunch of misfit toys and we get to see what sort of mad science Stevens has in terms of mixing and matching.
 

Cellar-Door

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So the roster is basically set, might sign a 16th like last year and have a battle for the last spot, but currently at 15.

Ballhandlers: Kemba, Smart, Edwards, Wanamaker
Wings: Brown, Hayward, Tatum, Langford, Ojeleye
Bigs: Poirier, Theis, Williams, Williams, Yabu, Kanter

6 bigs, 5 wings/swings and 4 ball handlers
 

Ale Xander

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1st string:
Kemba, Brown, Tatum, Kanter, Smart/Hayward

2nd string:
Smart/Hayward, Langford, Semi, Yabu/Gwill, TL/Theis

3rd string:
Wanamaker, Edwards, Yabu/Gwill, Poirier, TL/Theis
 

Cellar-Door

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1st string:
Kemba, Brown, Tatum, Kanter, Smart/Hayward

2nd string:
Smart/Hayward, Langford, Semi, Yabu/Gwill, TL/Theis

3rd string:
Wanamaker, Edwards, Yabu/Gwill, Poirier, TL/Theis
I would be quite surprised if Poirier is behind TimeLord, honestly I think he might be the starter.
 

mcpickl

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1st string:
Kemba, Brown, Tatum, Kanter, Smart/Hayward

2nd string:
Smart/Hayward, Langford, Semi, Yabu/Gwill, TL/Theis

3rd string:
Wanamaker, Edwards, Yabu/Gwill, Poirier, TL/Theis
This second string needs some help.
 

BigSoxFan

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1st string:
Kemba, Brown, Tatum, Kanter, Smart/Hayward

2nd string:
Smart/Hayward, Langford, Semi, Yabu/Gwill, TL/Theis

3rd string:
Wanamaker, Edwards, Yabu/Gwill, Poirier, TL/Theis
I’m comfortable putting Yabu to 3rd string. The guy just sucks. Second unit could use more scoring, especially if Hayward starts. Figure that one of Tatum/Brown/Hayward will be on the court in most non-blowout situations.