Ramp to Camp: Who will emerge as Celtics' tenth man this season?

Ramp to Camp: Who will emerge as Celtics’ 10th man this season? initially appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics are bringing back their top nine rotation players from final season’s NBA title workforce, a bunch that accounted for greater than 90 p.c of the workforce’s complete minutes.

What’s extra, the Celtics misplaced solely two roster gamers from final season in Oshae Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk, a duo that mixed for little greater than 1,000 complete regular-season minutes. On paper, there’s not numerous room for somebody to pry their strategy to heavy rotation minutes.

Nonetheless, these departures, coupled with Kristaps Porzingis being sidelined to start out the season and a basic need to tread cautiously with veteran legs, there may be seemingly a chance for a minimum of one different roster participant to vault right into a constant rotation presence.

So who would possibly emerge?

For the seven installment of our Ramp to Camp collection, we requested our NBC Sports activities Boston panel to mission the participant almost certainly to emerge as Boston’s tenth man throughout the workforce’s title quest.

(Try the first six installments of Ramp to Camp here.)

Let’s begin with a rundown of the candidates (not together with two-way gamers):

• Xavier Tillman: The versatile huge man logged solely 274 complete minutes after being acquired at commerce deadline final season, however head coach Joe Mazzulla wasn’t afraid to name his quantity in key spots within the postseason.

• Neemias Queta: The 7-foot huge man helped patch big-man minutes at instances final season and earned an improve to the mum or dad roster after beginning the season on a two-way deal.

• Jaden Springer: The commerce deadline acquisition is getting into his fourth season however nonetheless solely 21 years outdated. Springer has excessive defensive upside however should present progress on the offensive finish.

• Lonnie Walker IV: A surprise late-summer addition who will head to camp trying to earn a spot on the mum or dad roster. In contrast to some on the again finish of Boston’s roster, Walker IV has confirmed he generally is a regular NBA function participant, although there’s nonetheless room to develop, notably along with his defensive potential.

• Baylor Scheierman: The 23-year-old rookie confirmed spectacular vary in faculty however must show he can constantly knock down that shot on the professional degree.

• Jordan Walsh: Walsh logged solely 83 minutes over 9 NBA appearances as a 19-year-old rookie. He has all of the instruments to evolve right into a 3-and-D risk however the shot defied him at Summer time :eague this 12 months and he’ll need to show he’s made strides from 12 months 1.

Springer ought to get each alternative to indicate what he can do early within the season. He’s set to be the eighth-highest paid participant on the roster and is extension eligible. The Celtics have to resolve pretty shortly if they’re dedicated to his growth, or whether or not they want to lean on a extra veteran candidate like Walker IV. Springer appeared sharp in a short Summer time League cameo.

Tillman feels just like the participant almost certainly to see a minutes spike. After having to leap in midstream final season, he’ll get a full coaching camp with the Celtics and may really feel extra snug in his function. Mazzulla can confidently throw him on the market to defend gamers of all sizes and shapes.

Tillman’s protection will earn him time, however discovering a strategy to evolve his offense may very well be the important thing to a constant function. He’s a profession 28.6 p.c 3-point shooter however has labored on that shot. He by no means averaged greater than seven factors per recreation in his time in Memphis.

Walker IV’s wingspan provides him an opportunity to primarily be this 12 months’s Brissett and an additional bench scoring choice may very well be a superb factor for Boston. It’s only a matter of how Walker IV matches right here and whether or not he can push Tillman for these rotation minutes.

Listed below are our panel’s picks:

John Tomase, Columnist: Baylor Scheierman

Scheierman wasn’t only a four-year faculty participant — he put in 5. He is solely two years youthful than Jayson Tatum. That sort of expertise, plus his capacity to shoot and rebound, ought to a minimum of get him Oshae minutes.

Tom Giles, Multi-platform host: Lonnie Walker IV

Lonnie Walker IV, and never simply due to recency bias. He is a confirmed veteran who can defend and get scorching on offense.

Max Lederman, Multi-platform producer: Baylor Scheierman

Is that this the season Brad Stevens locations the ultimate infinity stone within the gauntlet by hitting on a draft choose? It is the one space he hasn’t been elite at, however that is about to alter when Scheierman turns into the tenth man for the Celtics this season.

Scheierman’s capturing and passing ought to match proper in with Mazzulla Ball, and if he can maintain his personal on protection, look out.

Mark Hazlett, Multi-platform producer: Baylor Scheierman

I feel Scheierman will pop round higher teammates (learn: non-Summer time League), and it might be a long-term profit to get him some run.

Darren Hartwell, Managing Editor: Xavier Tillman

Scheierman and Walker each have good circumstances for taking part in time, however I am going to go along with the man who noticed significant minutes in an NBA Finals. Tillman’s (relative) expertise ought to earn him a job from the soar with Porzingis sidelined whereas additionally serving to Al Horford get some further relaxation.

Nick Goss, Net Producer: Lonnie Walker IV

This man can rating, whether or not it is driving to the basket or capturing higher than 35 p.c from 3-point vary. He is additionally fairly athletic and performs onerous. His protection is not superb, however he’ll doubtless be on the ground with a number of different high quality defenders, so it should not be an excessive amount of of a problem.

Each workforce wants a man on the bench who can are available and get scorching. Scoring shouldn’t be an issue from the 2018 first-round choose.

Justin Leger, Net Producer: Xavier Tillman

Tillman appears like the best alternative right here. He stepped up on a number of events after being acquired finally season’s commerce deadline, each throughout the common season and the playoffs. He ought to have an elevated function this season, particularly with Porzingis sidelined and Horford in his age 38 marketing campaign.

Kevin Miller, VP, Content material: Lonnie Walker IV

Might the Fourth Be With You.