LAS VEGAS — UV rays are not any joke in Vegas. However as the whole NBA prepares for Summer season League, it’s not the warmth that’s turning Boston Celtics rookie Baylor Scheierman away from Sin Metropolis.
“Not a giant fan of Vegas general, whatever the warmth or not,” Scheierman stated after observe on Friday. “Probably not my pace.”
As playing cards fly and the Sphere dominates the skyline, hoopers litter the streets, able to show themselves to coaches, scouts, and entrance workplace executives alike. For 2 weeks, Vegas is the basketball capital of the world.
So, whereas the hustle and bustle of the strip might not be for Scheierman, his focus is on the hardwood.
The Celtics discover themselves in a singular place. Following their profitable conquest of Banner 18, they’ve introduced again 13 of the 15 gamers who had been on final yr’s roster, in addition to two-way gamers JD Davison and Drew Peterson.
With that, roles and tasks will look extraordinarily comparable, leaving little margin for guys like Scheierman and the Celtics’ different Summer season League standouts to get actual run subsequent season.
However Boston nonetheless desires to equip them for that likelihood.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25528922/2151425774.jpg)
Photograph by Brian Babineau/NBAE through Getty Photos
When Sam Hauser was incomes his stripes within the G League, the Maine Celtics performed him in the same position to the one he was coaching to tackle in Boston. Now, Hauser is an integral a part of the Celtics’ rotation.
For guys like Scheierman and Jordan Walsh, Summer season League might be about present throughout the planes of freedom and preparation.
“It must be a wholesome medium of each,” Walsh stated at observe. “In fact, whenever you come right here, I don’t have Jayson Tatum on my crew, and JB [Jaylen Brown], who I’ve to get the ball to. So now it’s form of like, ‘alright, now I can get in my bag a bit bit. Late shot clock.’
“However there’s additionally nonetheless like a spotlight— I nonetheless received to point out Joe [Mazzulla] and Brad [Stevens] and them that I can play a task that they want me to play subsequent yr and hopefully assist to win a championship.”
Maine utilized Walsh in the same method to Hauser throughout his first G League season. They wished to get him used to the way in which he’d be capable to assist them in Boston.
“Completely. It was positively a spotlight in Maine,” Walsh stated. “I really feel like I form of took that backseat to be extra of a 3-and-D man. I really feel like that’s what Boston wished for me. I felt like that’s what Blaine wished. I really feel like that’s what my teammates wanted.
“So, that’s what I needed to do. Clearly, Summer season League [last year], I used to be attempting to show myself. So, I had a wholesome little bit of each.”
The now-former rookie performed 27 video games in Maine final season. He averaged 14.7 factors, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists whereas taking pictures 42.8% from the sphere and 32.1% from past the three-point arc.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25528924/2160699107.jpg)
Photograph by Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe through Getty Photos
Like Walsh, Scheierman is probably going poised to spend most of his rookie season up in Portland. However the 23-year-old is able to do something the group asks of him. And that begins now.
“Yeah, I imply, it’s positively a steadiness for certain, like Jordan stated,” Scheierman stated. “We don’t have Jayson or Jaylen or Jrue [Holiday] or them right here, so it’s a bit completely different. However on the identical time, attempting to deal with areas that you understand will contribute to the precise crew is a giant focus for me for certain.”
Boston has constructed up their roster by meticulously buying and selling for high-level supporting items that match subsequent to their star duo, Jrue Vacation, Derrick White, and Kristaps Porzingis. However concurrently, they’ve been compelled to construct on the fringes.
They drafted and developed Payton Pritchard. They found Hauser in free company and helped him develop into the participant he’s right this moment. They invested their time into making Luke Kornet a strong backup huge man.
Having Walsh and Scheierman within the pipeline is essential, and never solely will Summer season League be an opportunity for guys like them to point out off their finest expertise, however it’ll additionally give them a chance to play the way in which they might in Boston.
