Boston Celtics: Danny Ainge confident in Romeo Langford
By Sam Minton
Danny Ainge seems confident in Romeo Langford and expects him to be a key member of the Boston Celtics next season.
The Boston Celtics didn’t exactly have a great 2019 draft. None of the players really made an impact this past season, but GM Danny Ainge wants Celtics fans to be patient.
Ainge spoke for the first time on Thursday about the Celtics being eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals. He didn’t hold back.
Talking to 98.5 the Sports Hub’s Toucher and Rich, Ainge admitted that the C’s should have beaten the Heat and that they didn’t play good enough.
But Ainge also said some interesting things about “Romey” or as we know him, Romeo Langford.
Langford only appeared in 32 games this past season. He struggled to stay healthy and thus failed to show why he was drafted 14th overall.
Ainge believes that Langford could have made a difference in the postseason and could be in for a great year next season.
Danny Ainge on @Toucherandrich about biggest need in offseason: “First and foremost health.” Admits criticism about thin bench is fair but stresses team thought a healthy Romeo Langford could have been impactful in postseason. Said injuries, “exposed our bench a little bit."
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) October 1, 2020
Danny Ainge says Romeo Langford, who's recovering from surgery, is in a great mental place to have "a dynamic year next year."
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) October 1, 2020
It will be interesting to see how Langford is inserted into the lineup next season. Ainge makes it seem like he will be a major part of the second unit.
Ainge lauded Langford for his ability to score in the post. That’s definitely an area where Boston needs to improve, but the Celtics need Langford to be better in other areas.
Langford has been working on his perimeter and three-point shooting his entire rookie year. His motion and mechanics seemed to go under quite the overhaul.
The C’s need Langford to be close to a double-digit scorer. He needs to be a good defender and someone who can use his athleticism.
Ideally, he would be your seventh or eighth man in the rotation. If he isn’t then you run into some problems. The Celtics would need to add some depth to their second unit.
But Celtics fans should be excited with Ainge’s excitement over Langford. Ainge and coaches must see something in regards to Langford. It seems like he will be the best player to come out of the 2019 draft class.
Next. Jayson Tatum’s biggest takeaway from playoff run. dark
So it will be interesting to see just how well Langford does next season. It sure seems like he will have a major role in 2021.