Celtics rookie who merits more playing time

 

 

The Boston Celtics developed a talented, well-established starting five after a busy offseason. And, aside from injuries or the occasional rest day, the C’s have little need to mix that group up.

The Celtics are now 14-4 and have the best record in the league, so they are unlikely to make significant changes to their playing time. However, there are still young players on the Celtics who deserve to see more playing time.

For example, 2023 second-round draft pick Jordan Walsh may have what it takes to play in the NBA, but he has yet to appear in a regular season game. So, let’s talk about why the 19-year-old rookie deserves greater playing time in 2023-24.

Walsh symbolizes the current NBA as a dynamic player. He can play guard or forward at 6-foot-6 and is a two-way player who is aggressive on both sides of the court. It’s also worth noting that his athleticism allows him to leap out of the gym:

While Walsh has yet to play in an official regular season game, he has spent time with the Maine Celtics in the G-League. In 29.1 minutes per game, the rookie averaged 14 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.6 steals in seven games. Although he is still experiencing the growing pains of being a pro (averaging 2.1 turnovers per game), he definitely has potential and the ability to develop his outside shot:

 

 

Boston is aware of it as well, since Walsh was called up to the NBA on Saturday ahead of a home game against the Atlanta Hawks. The Texas native, however, never got his chance, as the Celtics won 113-103 and were unable to maintain a large enough lead for Walsh to sub in.

The Arkansas product might find comfort in the fact that the front office appears to believe in him. Walsh agreed to a four-year, $7.6 million deal that guaranteed him more than $1 million before the 2023-24 season even began. Meanwhile, Boston’s 2022 second-round pick, point guard J.D. Davison, is still under contract.

Walsh, unfortunately, is behind several extremely talented players on the depth chart. If the Celtics want to use him more as a wing, he’ll be paired with studs like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. If he’s called up as a guard, he’ll be competing with players like Jrue Holiday and Derrick White—and those are just the starters.

 

 

Walsh now does not have a clear path to major minutes with the C’s. But it would still be good if he could receive some playing time. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla isn’t hesitant to throw inexperienced players into the fire, as center Neemias Queta started in the second quarter of a 33-26 loss to the Hawks. If Walsh can have a shot like that, when he’s placed into the lineup early, he might be able to prove his worth.

Plus, given that Mazzulla’s in-game strategy generally revolves around the long ball, Walsh could morph into a 3-and-D guy when needed. While his 31 percent conversion rate from deep is underwhelming in the G-League, he’s still hitting about two triples a game.Regardless of whether or not Walsh gets minutes, it’s a good thing that the Celtics don’t desperately need him to play. Boston sits atop the Eastern Conference and doesn’t have to experiment with young players. However, Walsh has the potential to become a two-way talent who could help the Celtics down the line rather than at present.