Four takeaways from Celtics Summer League action originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics abandoned their summer team in the desert this year knowing the team was already bringing back its nine best players of a championship season. So even with the highest pick of the Brad Stevens era on the roster, this year’s Vegas soiree felt like more of a chance for depth pieces — and those players just hoping to stay in the Celtics ecosystem — to showcase their potential.
That’s the luxury for a team still basking in the shine of Banner 18, having already moved quickly to bring back the core of that team.
The Summer C’s ended their short Las Vegas residency with a 101-90 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the Jayvee version of an NBA Finals rematch on Friday. The Celtics (2-2) will not be one of four teams competing for the Las Vegas summer title starting Sunday.
The Celtics still accomplished many tasks on their summer to-do list. Most encouragingly, two of the players who stepped up to increase their workload in the regular season were among the biggest positives from the team’s play in Las Vegas.
Springer, Queta on a different level
Jaden Springer didn’t get much of a chance in Boston to showcase his potential after being acquired at the February trade deadline. But he needed just one game in Las Vegas to show he’s a cut above most of the younger players out West.
Springer, about to enter his fourth NBA season, has shown offensive progress alongside the defensive tenacity that has been his calling card. The road to consistent playing time is bumpy when you have Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard ahead of you on the guard depth chart, but Springer should have a better opportunity to play without jumping in midstream this year.
Neemias Queta played two games in Las Vegas and averaged 21 points and 8.5 rebounds before switching to spectator mode. He is perhaps the most likely of Boston’s summer squads to play a significant role this year. Queta could provide important depth with Kristaps Porzingis sidelined at the start of the season.
Queta made the jump from two-way player to roster player in large part because of his steady play early last season when Porzingis was out. Both Luke Kornet and Queta should see quality time this year trying to limit wear on Porzingis – whenever he’s back – and veteran Al Horford throughout the regular season.
Walsh struggles with his shot
Shooting in the summer isn’t a prerequisite for regular-season success — just ask Sam Hauser — but soon-to-be sophomore Jordan Walsh would probably prefer it if you burned the tapes of your Las Vegas shoot.
Walsh didn’t hit a single 3-pointer in Las Vegas, capped by an 0-for-10 performance (with a few airballs) in Friday’s loss. He was 0 for 22 in the distance overall.
Walsh did a lot of good things, especially on the defensive end, but you can’t be a 3-D guy without the first half of that descriptor. He had some good hustle sequences against the Mavs, including perhaps his best bucket of the day in a difficult traffic situation.
With Oshae Brissett being one of the few players not already on last season’s roster, there appears to be an open spot for a winger to step up for minutes this year. Walsh has the defensive talent to get on the field, but his offensive game needs to be updated, especially if he wants to gain the trust of the coaching staff.
Walsh is still the youngest player on the roster and we would be surprised if he doesn’t look better the next time the Celtics take the court. But he just couldn’t buy a triple in Las Vegas.
Scheierman shows it’s more than just shooting
While the scouting report on first-round pick Baylor Scheierman focuses on his 3-point prowess, the rookie has shown he can do so much more during his first few games on the Celtics green.
We like Scheierman’s playmaking ability and the way he can create for himself off the dribble. He has excellent vision and didn’t seem to rush like many rookies do during their first NBA game. He needs to advance defensively, but he plays with courage and agility. Scheierman threw himself into the crowd trying to save a loose ball during Boston’s game against the Lakers earlier this week, then fell to the ground trying to get a 50/50 ball against the Mavericks. That’s the kind of thing that will quickly endear you around here.
Fellow rookie Anton Watson, the 54th pick in last month’s draft, also had an excellent summer. Like Scheierman, all that college experience apparently prepared Watson well to hit the ground running in an event like summer league.
House money!
Perhaps we should have expected this, given their lineage, but House Jaelen is a joy to watch. He plays with speed and confidence. He competes on the defensive end. House finished with 18 points and 9 assists in Friday’s start.
We’ll be intrigued to see if any of Boston’s summer squad remain as training camp guests, and perhaps end up being taken to Maine for a chance to flourish further in the Celtics’ system.
