Craft your 2022-23 Celtics Roster – (20-Man Off-Season)

[Fierce1]

I would really like the Celts to give Hauser and Nesmith an opportunity to play next season.

Hauser can really shoot.

Nesmith's ceiling is high because of his body type.
Not saying that Nesmith will become Giannis, but his body type is similar to that of Giannis.

[BK_2020]

Hopefully Hauser and Nesmith emerge as guys who can give us 10-15 minutes per game in the regular season to keep the regulars fresh.
Maybe the Spurs cut Romeo and he can come back to us on a minimum 1+1 deal.

[hugepatsfan]

This team is too good to wait around on Nesmith or Hauser while they have a $17M TPE. If those guys are on the roster, obviously coach 'em up and hopefully they get an opportunity and break through. But it'd be incredibly disappointing if either of them are plan A when we have means to get a proven solution.

[BK_2020]

This team is too good to wait around on Nesmith or Hauser while they have a $17M TPE. If those guys are on the roster, obviously coach 'em up and hopefully they get an opportunity and break through. But it'd be incredibly disappointing if either of them are plan A when we have means to get a proven solution.

There are 15 regular roster spots and teams really only play 7 maybe 8 deep in the playoffs. We can afford to have 2-3 developmental projects.

[Fierce1]

This team is too good to wait around on Nesmith or Hauser while they have a $17M TPE. If those guys are on the roster, obviously coach 'em up and hopefully they get an opportunity and break through. But it'd be incredibly disappointing if either of them are plan A when we have means to get a proven solution.

No doubt Plan A should be using that 17m TPE for an upgrade.

But it's an 82-game schedule.

Ime should expand his rotation to 10 men every game.

[BK_2020]

It's really hard to find a good player with a $17 mil. TPE because if a player is making that little and is good, that player is creating excess value and teams don't want to give that up. I just did a cursory review and it's a sea of nopes (Marcus Education Reform Morris, Luke Kennard, etc.) and they probably don't give that to us's (DFS, Nance, Crowder, etc.).

[snowman]

I feel the top 10 are set, but not necessarily in the order most posters here think.

PG: Smart, White, PP, (minimum salary, but must be over 6'3)
I feel that a PG could be used as the 15th man or more likely a 2-way spot, for the times Smart or White is out.

SG: Brown, Nesmith, (Stauskas or FA)
I think we are set at SG for the 1st and 2nd team. Nesmith is about to hit his 3rd season, and just like G. Will did, and he will improve. Stauskas did not show me much once he was signed, but I would still bring him into camp. Three 6'6 shooting guards are nice to have.

SF: Tatum, (TBD), Hauser
I feel our 2nd biggest need is another big, vet wing to back up Tatum. Hauser is fine for now as the 3rd SF, because of his shooting. I'm thinking Joe Ingles or T.J. Warren. Both coming off injuries and may come cheaply. Rudy Gay from Utah (6.2 mil next season then a 6.5 mil player option for the following season) may be had as a cost savings move for them and we could use our TPE from Hernangomez trade, and still have the 17 mil from Fournier if something shakes loose.

PF: Horford, G. Will, (TBD)
I feel our biggest need is another big to back up Horford, that is bigger than 6'6. G. Will is a mini-Al and does a great job at that. But we need to start grooming another big now, not later, while Al is here to do the grooming. Thomas Bryant from the Wizards comes to mind. He had an off season recovering from an ACL injury. He also may come cheaply for our tax payer's MLE.

C: R. Williams, Theis, (TBD) Kornet just doesn't cut it, when there are other options that can be had. I think a good big for Rob to work with could be had in the draft by selecting Isaiah Mobley.

So, what would be a great pre-season roster for me would be:

PG: Smart, White, PP, (2 way contract PG, maybe Broderick Thomas)
SG: Brown, Nesmith, Stauskas (2-way contract SG/SF Matt Ryan)
SF: Tatum, (Rudy Gay, trade for 2nd round pick, signed with TPE), Hauser
PF: Horford, G. Will, (Thomas Bryant, signed with tax payer MLE)
C: R. Williams, Theis, (Isaiah Mobley, 2022 2nd round draft pick)

[hugepatsfan]

I don't think the comparison of Grant breaking out in year 3 and trying to project that onto Nesmith is practical. Grant showed NBA caliber skills in year 1 and 2. After his awful 0-25 start from 3 as a rookie he shot 34% the rest of his rookie year then shot it well in the playoffs. Then in year 2 he went up to 37%. Obviously he massively improved this year, but there was an established track record of being capable there. His body type fluctuated and that gave him some different holes in his game, but you saw good defensive impact for stretches out of him. He had proven himself as a capable NBA player whose game needed fine tuning to emerge as a big time contributor.

Nesmith has flat out sucked in every way. Maybe it's pressing from such limited playing time, but his shot looks dreadful. We all go ga-ga over his hustle plays but the way he fouls every possession makes him a flat out terrible defender before even factoring in that his off ball awareness is putrid. He's just been a truly awful player so far. He does nothing well. There's absolutely nothing that points to him being a good rotation player other than just blind faith and hope. There are no glimpses whatsoever so far of anything that he can build off of.

[Curmudgeon]

I don't think Nesmith has sucked at all. He's still young and he's an energetic defender.

Where are Begarin and Madar in this poll? If they fall under "rookie/other" they potentially occupy two additional roster spots. I'm guessing that they will both be strong candidates for a two-way if the money works for them.

[Memokerobi]

I would really like the Celts to give Hauser and Nesmith an opportunity to play next season.

Hauser can really shoot.

Nesmith's ceiling is high because of his body type.
Not saying that Nesmith will become Giannis, but his body type is similar to that of Giannis.

Would be great if we develop our own shooter like Strus/Robinson with Hauser

[Jammer]

I feel the top 10 are set, but not necessarily in the order most posters here think.

PG: Smart, White, PP, (minimum salary, but must be over 6'3)
I feel that a PG could be used as the 15th man or more likely a 2-way spot, for the times Smart or White is out.

SG: Brown, Nesmith, (Stauskas or FA)
I think we are set at SG for the 1st and 2nd team. Nesmith is about to hit his 3rd season, and just like G. Will did, and he will improve. Stauskas did not show me much once he was signed, but I would still bring him into camp. Three 6'6 shooting guards are nice to have.

SF: Tatum, (TBD), Hauser
I feel our 2nd biggest need is another big, vet wing to back up Tatum. Hauser is fine for now as the 3rd SF, because of his shooting. I'm thinking Joe Ingles or T.J. Warren. Both coming off injuries and may come cheaply. Rudy Gay from Utah (6.2 mil next season then a 6.5 mil player option for the following season) may be had as a cost savings move for them and we could use our TPE from Hernangomez trade, and still have the 17 mil from Fournier if something shakes loose.

PF: Horford, G. Will, (TBD)
I feel our biggest need is another big to back up Horford, that is bigger than 6'6. G. Will is a mini-Al and does a great job at that. But we need to start grooming another big now, not later, while Al is here to do the grooming. Thomas Bryant from the Wizards comes to mind. He had an off season recovering from an ACL injury. He also may come cheaply for our tax payer's MLE.

C: R. Williams, Theis, (TBD) Kornet just doesn't cut it, when there are other options that can be had. I think a good big for Rob to work with could be had in the draft by selecting Isaiah Mobley.

So, what would be a great pre-season roster for me would be:

PG: Smart, White, PP, (2 way contract PG, maybe Broderick Thomas)
SG: Brown, Nesmith, Stauskas (2-way contract SG/SF Matt Ryan)
SF: Tatum, (Rudy Gay, trade for 2nd round pick, signed with TPE), Hauser
PF: Horford, G. Will, (Thomas Bryant, signed with tax payer MLE)
C: R. Williams, Theis, (Isaiah Mobley, 2022 2nd round draft pick)

Well thought analysis that marginally puts them into the luxury tax again. Noticed your comment about the 2-Way contract PG being 6' 3" or greater. Easy to understand why. Eliminates Yam Madar from consideration. But there is logic to it, IF SOMEONE meets the criteria for size, handle, SHOT, MIND, and basketball sense. Yam Madar could still end up here unless they keep the spot open while they scour the G-League for a suitable candidate if they don't nail someone that meets YOUR CRITERIA heading into camp.

I have issues with Nesmith, because although he is quick, pretty athletic, and theoretically has a good shot based on practices, I really have doubts about his basketball sense and mind. That can develop, he is young and may learn to read offenses and defenses better. He's not someone that I'm confident in taking a last second shot, and I feel a STARTER or BACKUP Shooting Guard has to check that box or you look elsewhere. I have more confidence in Hauser and Stauskas' ability to make a last second shot with a game on the line than Nesmith. But I can understand why you might disagree.

Luv the Rudy Gay idea. I proposed him for years when he was a Free Agent and he always got more than the MLE that the Celtics had, or got a bigger role than the Celtics could offer in his free agency. Especially for a second round pick into the Taxpayer MLE. I proposed Rudy so many times without him ever coming here I pretty much gave up on him ever becoming enamored with the thought. But your point is well taken, and would be a great move for the Celts.

For center I'd rather have a proven FULL-SIZED VETERAN than Theis or your 2nd Round Draft Pick Idea. I'd be more comfortable with Robin Lopez, who'd require the MLE, and the Celtics may have to make an Ini Mini Miny Mo Choice who they chase first between Rudy Gay and a Full Sized Center. Bringing in a veteran center would mean that Theis is outgoing, someplace.

Don't know enough about Thomas Bryant to respond. But I'm pretty firm in the belief that reserves should be minimum salary players. You put your money into 5 Starters, and 5 Backups. Don't think Thomas Bryant would be coming here for minimum, and don't see how they can guarantee him the minutes to justify a higher salary. It's a problematic choice. Someone better than Grant Williams at Power Forward, sure. But he's gonna cost, and if you're talking Free Agents, they want to be guaranteed that they're the 1rst guy off the bench with a consummate salary.

[hugepatsfan]

I don't see Rudy as viable for us. He's not a SF anymore. He's a PF. We have Horford and G Williams. I think Gay would be a 3rd unit guy here. We're already about $10M into the tax. I think they'll use the Fournier TPE or at least the tax payers MLE on another perimeter guy for the playoff rotation. Rudy Gay has $6.2M this year and a player option for $6.5M after. But for next year, that'd be incremental luxury tax as well. And if they also use the Fournier TPE or the MLE on a playoff rotation guy, then you're spending in a high tax bracket for Rudy Gay to be a 3rd unit guy. I just don't see him as a viable second unit or playoff rotation guy for us and it'd be too much to spend.

[SatchSanders]

Coupling RWIII with a versatile big like Al sets the Celtics apart. I'd like to see them lean into this with the TPE. The chatter out of Orlando is that one of Mo Bamba or Jonathan Isaac will move on, but as I've said before I'd really try to get Wendell Carter, Jr. He might be the best facsimile of Al in the NBA, and would make a great tandem with Al during the Al's final years as they complement RWIII.

I think Nesmith will contribute a solid 10-15 minutes per game next season. The shot will come along with regular PT, and he's decently switchable and fits into the defensive scheme.

Pritchard's most likely to go with a pick in a WCJ deal, though it may be that Nesmith needs to be added (or Grant substituted). With GSW being a better matchup for Pritchard, some good minutes in the Finals would help Orlando sell him to their fans. Spotrac shows the Magic with $27m in practical cap space next season. While PP and a pick is light value for WCJ, Orlando would be able to offer nearly $40m to someone in a depressed free agent market. For that reason maybe Orlando would do such a deal; regardless the TPE's ability to offer cap relief lowers the asset price for an upgrade.

[hugepatsfan]

WCJ may be the best facsimile of Horford but honestly that's probably why replacing his role long term might not be viable. WCJ isn't close to as versatile on the perimeter. He can't handle like Horford does to help generate fast break chances even with 2 big lineups on the floor. His shot isn't as reliable.

Truthfully speaking. Horford is still one of the more unique combinations of talent in the game. To think we're going to be able to just find someone else to plug into that role is probably optimistic. Grant can do a lot of the same things, but to be able to play that way for a full 48 minutes might not be practical. We'll probably need to make some changes to how we play post-Horford.

[Curmudgeon]

Truthfully speaking. Horford is still one of the more unique combinations of talent in the game. To think we're going to be able to just find someone else to plug into that role is probably optimistic.

Unless you are willing to pay the price for Sabonis, whatever that price is.

[BK_2020]

I would really like the Celts to give Hauser and Nesmith an opportunity to play next season.

Hauser can really shoot.

Nesmith's ceiling is high because of his body type.
Not saying that Nesmith will become Giannis, but his body type is similar to that of Giannis.

Would be great if we develop our own shooter like Strus/Robinson with Hauser

Robinson just got DNP-CD's for the playoffs.

[sam_I_am]

Move OG Ogunoby to the top of my wish list now that he may be available. I think his salary would fit into our TPE (unless it is slightly over.). He is the perfect 2 way player to back up both Tatum and Brown with a decent 3 pt shot and plenty of playoff experience.

I seriously doubt Raptors would trade him to us and I would guess they will get some decent offers for him.

[BK_2020]

OG will be very unhappy if he was brought in to come off the bench. Word is he is unhappy to be crowded out by Barnes.

[Memokerobi]

I would really like the Celts to give Hauser and Nesmith an opportunity to play next season.

Hauser can really shoot.

Nesmith's ceiling is high because of his body type.
Not saying that Nesmith will become Giannis, but his body type is similar to that of Giannis.

Would be great if we develop our own shooter like Strus/Robinson with Hauser

Robinson just got DNP-CD's for the playoffs.

I know but I'll even take someone who can give us a good 15 mins in the regular season

[Homerclease]

LOL, Mader isn’t going to be ready for at least 2 more seasons. Kid needs to get in the weight room