Survival of the Fittest for a Crowded Boston Celtics Roster

Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics have been building steadily towards the future for awhile now, stockpiling draft picks and filling their roster young players, placing heavy bets on a whole bunch of potential being realized. Earlier this week, however, they made a move that should help the team immediately, acquiring veteran forward David Lee from the Golden State Warriors. Boston desperately needed experience in the frontcourt and Lee, a former two-time All-Star, should fill the role perfectly.

After resigning free agent Jonas Jerebko and adding big man Amir Johnson, the acquisition of Lee further bolsters the Celtic forces down low. Lee should push young forwards Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk in a way they haven’t been yet.

Don’t let last year’s modest numbers fool you, at just 32, the guy should still be able to bring it. If things don’t work out, his contact expires after next season, making it a low risk situation for the team.

One of Boston’s biggest problems next year may actually be a lack of minutes to go around. Sullinger, Olynyk, and Tyler Zeller all need time to develop, but Lee and Johnson should see significant action. It appears at least one Boston big man will be left out in the cold.

Things don’t get simpler in the backcourt. The Celtics surprised a lot of people when they drafted another point guard with the 16th pick, taking Terry Rozier out of Louisville. They already have last year’s lottery pick, Marcus Smart, as well as Avery Bradley, Evan Turner, James Young, and the dynamic Isaiah Thomas. The competition should be fierce for ball handling duties, but that may be exactly what the team wants.

This battle for minutes, at every position, creates a situation that could work out well for Boston, survival of the fittest with so many players looking to establish themselves. Coach Brad Stevens will be tasked with establishing the most effective rotation. It should be a touch and go process throughout the season, as some players blossom and others fail to. He won’t be able to keep everyone happy, but of course no coach can.

I, for one, am eager to see how things unfold. Of course I loved the ’08 Championship team, but I always felt they came together all at once. We didn’t really get to see them grow and develop. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen arrived and suddenly we were the best team in the league. The current roster has a much steeper learning curve.

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Making the playoffs last year was a surprise, but the Celtics should be optimistic about improving on 7th place in the east. Juggernauts in the conference are scarce. The Cavaliers will obviously enter next season as the favorites, but I wouldn’t call anyone else a sure thing. The Bulls have Derrick Rose and his still very shaky knee. Neither the Raptors nor Wizards have made moves that appear to position them for a leap. After a phenomenal regular season last year, Atlanta will likely come back to the pack, and the Milwaukee Bucks are right there with the Celtics in terms of youth and potential.

Will the Celtics jump to number two in the conference? Probably not, but home court advantage in the first round isn’t outside the realm of possibility. This is a team with players poised to improve at every position, and I believe getting a veteran presence like Lee with be huge. We’ll see who emerges from this crowded field, who rises to the moment and who resigns to the bench. Other roster shakeups are sure to come later this summer, but the future definitely looks bright in Boston.

Next: Celtics Acquire David Lee from Warriors for Gerald Wallace

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