The ten greatest questions getting into Celtics coaching camp

BOSTON — The Celtics’ key gamers, Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla, spoke on Tuesday at media day, tipping off Boston’s coaching camp one week earlier than a lot of the league.

They started answering a few of the key questions that’ll decide whether or not or not the workforce repeats as champions:

1. How will they maintain with out Kristaps Porzingis?

Porzingis spoke about his ankle responding properly as he ramped as much as gentle contact over the previous week, a great signal after telling ESPN he predicts he’ll return someday in December from surgical procedure in June. Brad Stevens didn’t need to put a timeline on his restoration however famous that Porzingis’ development has stunned their employees.

There’s an opportunity, Porzingis mentioned within the ESPN article, that continued progress may get him again on the ground earlier. Backup facilities Xavier Tillman Sr. (knee) and Luke Kornet (wrist) additionally underwent surgical procedure and returned to the ground earlier this month. Horford talked about his ramp-up course of being ongoing, maybe opening up a possibility for Neemias Queta early within the schedule.

“When you consider Celtics basketball, we shouldn’t miss a beat,” Joe Mazzulla mentioned. “I feel that’s a power of our workforce ever since I’ve been right here. No matter who’s in, who’s out, we really feel like we’ve a possibility to win. All of us needs to be getting higher and have an understanding that whoever’s in, we’re competing to win and we’ve an opportunity to win.”

2. Will there be a championship hangover or bump for Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum?

Brown and Tatum each expressed pleasure about returning to coaching camp early, each on account of Boston’s prolonged playoff run and the Abu Dhabi journey subsequent week — the place the Celtics will play two video games towards the Denver Nuggets.

Brown recalled bettering all over the place alongside summer season journey, whereas Tatum and coach Drew Hanlen started addressing his bounce shot final week. Mazzulla and Stevens each emphasised mentality, as they did in summer season interviews, particularly sustaining the sacrifice from final yr, staying collectively as a workforce regardless of outdoors noise and having the ability to adapt to a brand new setting.

Mazzulla confused not anticipating this yr to go a sure manner and understanding that, internally or externally, conditions may emerge that power the Celtics to develop into a brand new workforce. Brown and Tatum each addressed their Olympic snubs, Brown principally brushing his off whereas Tatum admitted that his was powerful. Tatum’s method and shot are two of the most important early season developments to look at given what Mazzulla and Stevens have emphasised.

“Did I would like any further motivation going into this season? No, I’m not gonna give anyone particularly credit score that they’re motivating me,” Tatum mentioned. “It was a novel circumstance, one thing that I haven’t skilled to date in my enjoying profession, however I’m a believer that the whole lot occurs for a purpose. I used to be coming off a championship, the best of the highs, cowl of 2K, new contract and that occurred. No matter the reason being, I haven’t figured it out but, however I’m a believer that the whole lot does occur for a purpose.”

3. Who emerges as the most important risk to Boston?

The Celtics, throughout the board, declined to deal with the strikes made by rivals, whereas Mazzulla mentioned you may’t assume groups made strikes with the intent of difficult Boston. Stevens got here closest to alluding to the advance of the convention, stressing that the street to repeating will probably be powerful from the primary recreation. He turned the main focus inward, although, whereas evaluating the adulation they’ve obtained to what his Butler workforce skilled after they almost defeated Duke within the nationwide championship. The Knicks, 76ers, Bucks and Thunder all made important additions, together with Mikal Bridges, Paul George and Alex Caruso.

4. Can Jaden Springer, Baylor Scheierman, Neemias Queta and the youth contribute?

Letting Oshae Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk go, together with Porzingis’ damage, opened minutes for the Celtics’ youthful solid of gamers. Springer, Scheierman and Queta, together with second spherical two-way choose Anton Watson, had robust Summer time League performances and will match into the rotation when a veteran in entrance of them will get harm or takes an evening off. Springer is getting into the ultimate yr of his rookie contract after arriving in a commerce from Philadelphia on the Feb. 6 commerce deadline. He has shined defensively however shot poorly late final yr earlier than exhibiting some strides within the opening recreation in Vegas.

Scheierman shot beneath expectations in the course of the Summer time League slate, however made up for it with passing and taking pictures. Queta broke out within the second of two video games whereas experimenting with defensive coverages that go well with him greatest. Watson hit pictures and defended properly in an ancillary function. Scheierman impressed Horford and Hauser in early Auerbach Heart exercises.

“All the brand new additions we’ve had have been nice,” Hauser mentioned. “(Scheierman) is an efficient shooter, however he’s much more than a shooter. He’s bought a extremely good really feel for the sport. He’s fairly artful … he’s a extremely good participant and he’s bought a great really feel for issues and I feel he has a great future on this league.”

5. Will they miss Oshae Brissett?

Brissett stays an unrestricted free agent as roster spots dwindle across the league. Whereas he’s confused {that a} return to Boston isn’t out of the query, and will develop into attainable following cuts, it’s onerous to think about the Celtics utilizing their fifteenth roster spot on him at this level. It’s a disappointing consequence for either side after Brissett helped the entrance court docket maintain by the common season, crammed in properly in the course of the Indiana collection and will’ve factored into smaller lineups this season with Porzingis out. The Celtics will proceed trying to find a taking pictures 4 with measurement after Brissett struggled to seek out his three in 2024, although he quietly had one of many stronger offensive rebounding seasons (10.9%) in current franchise historical past.

6. Will age impression Al Horford, Jrue Vacation this season?

Horford performed 2,315 minutes final yr, even because the workforce efficiently scaled again his regular-season workload, and now enters his seventeenth season at 38 years outdated. He’s develop into a luxurious for Boston throughout a number of seasons by having the ability to play beginning caliber heart minutes whereas Porzingis and, beforehand, Robert Williams III struggled to remain wholesome.

Jrue Vacation and Brown realized in the course of the postseason run how massive of a burden they positioned on the veteran. Horford mentioned on Tuesday that he hasn’t thought-about retirement. There’s much less strain on Vacation, who additionally rested usually final season, however some query of when he’ll sluggish in any manner following one other extraordinary taking pictures and All-Defensive marketing campaign. Vacation turned 34 in June.

“Preparation begins in the summertime time, within the offseason,” Horford mentioned. “Clearly a shorter summer season, completely different, however placing within the work … as soon as Kristaps went out final yr, all of us knew we needed to step up a bit of extra and we’ll must play in numerous methods, and there will probably be alternatives for various guys to come back in and contribute.”

7. Can Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard repeat their standout 2023-24?

Hauser and Pritchard turned regular-season bench staples by taking pictures 42.4% and 38.5% from three, respectively. Into the playoffs, each proved robust sufficient defenders to maintain their roles into the Finals, the place Hauser, particularly, thrived having the ability to stand in entrance of Luka Dončić on protection whereas hitting 11 threes on the opposite finish. Their productiveness, together with Kornet’s, allowed what appeared like a comparatively skinny workforce getting into final yr to thrive. Boston usually gained video games with a number of starters out, Brown joking at media that the Celtics can let Pritchard and Hauser run the present towards the Pistons this yr and nonetheless win.

8. Will Lonnie Walker IV make the workforce?

Walker IV signed an Exhibit 10 contract and can compete for the fifteenth roster spot with the chance that he may find yourself in Maine as an alternative. Walker confused that must show himself whereas speaking to NBC Sports activities Boston on Tuesday, whereas Derrick White, who performed with Walker IV for 4 seasons in San Antonio, famous that he’s introduced good power to the fitness center and may do some particular issues on the court docket. Nonetheless, signing Walker earlier than the season begins would carry a roughly $10 million tax hit, and Boston typically leaves that roster spot open.

“Any time you herald individuals to camp, clearly all of the offers are a bit of completely different,” Stevens mentioned. “Consider and see how the whole lot performs itself out, the way it suits collectively and the way it all goes. He’s a man who was very excited to be right here. I feel his relationship with Derrick he’s labored out loads with Jrue in earlier summers. There was an eagerness to be round these guys and to strive a brand new scenario. Clearly he’s bought quite a lot of expertise, he’s executed quite a lot of good issues within the NBA. We’ll see the way it suits and performs itself out.”

9. How will Joe Mazzulla method this season?

Mazzulla’s first press convention of the yr mirrored the depth and drive he pushed his workforce to realize all through final season. That’s a great signal for the workforce sustaining its focus and consistency in the course of the common season. There’ll be nights the place minutes ought to cut back for the veterans and experimentation may show useful later. Final yr’s Celtics balanced all that properly. Doing so this yr will show to be a larger problem.

“So many occasions, individuals are targeted on attempting to win,” Mazzulla mentioned. “I feel it’s simply as vital as preserving your self from shedding … it’s not at all times about profitable, it’s about ensuring you’ve got an perceive of what shedding appears to be like like and falling into specific habits that might result in shedding sooner or later. It’s having a balanced method towards success and failure … all through the season, the setting will inform us what we have to regulate to and what we have to preserve.”

10. Luke Kornet or Xavier Tillman Sr.?

Kornet is anticipated to be Boston’s common backup heart with Porzingis out to start the yr. Tillman Sr. will key the nights the place Horford rests, leaving each him and Porzingis on the bench whereas the latter recovers. Whereas Kornet excelled on the Celtics’ defensive system and made good choices offensively, Tillman Sr. struggled bodily and principally shot nook threes (28.6% 3PT) on offense in an inconsistent function. An offseason knee scope and powerful Finals efficiency confirmed promise, with Tillman Sr.’s switching protection an elite talent that provides Boston an alternative choice to Kornet’s drop-heavy function.