With Jaylen Brown no longer on the roster, just about every wing on the Boston Celtics' roster is going to see a bigger role next season. And while most of the talk is surrounding Hugo Gonzalez, who looked really good in summer league, nobody should be sleeping on Baylor Scheierman.
The Nebraska native showed some real flashes during his second season (30 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block in the season finale against the Orlando Magic, namely), and he solidified himself as a real contributor.
Scheierman plays hard, and he makes a lot of those same hustle plays that made guys like Marcus Smart so beloved in Boston. He is also a fantastic three-point shooter (37.8% from deep across two seasons), a great playmaker and passer, and a sneaky good rebounder (he grabbed at least seven boards in 12 games last season).
And now that he's expected to get an even bigger opportunity next season, Celtics fans should keep their eye on Scheierman and what he can do.
Baylor Scheierman could be in for a career year with the Celtics
There are a few things going against the Creighton alum: he is not particularly athletic, he is not much of a defender, and he's already almost 26 years old (he also thinks High School Musical 3 is the best movie of the trilogy... for me to praise him even after a take like that should be a testament to how highly I think of his game).
But aside from all of that, it doesn't take much to see that he's a good ball player. He's not going to be the next Larry Bird (he can't be... he's not even right-handed), but he knows his role, he knows how to play it well, and he provides a huge boost every time he steps onto the floor.
I also wouldn't be all that shocked if he finds his way into Boston's starting lineup at some point next season, whether it be because the team is opting to keep Payton Pritchard in his role as the sixth man, because Paul George is going to miss 40 games, or (unlikely) they ultimately move on from Sam Hauser by the end of next season.
A lot of eyes are going to be on the Celtics' young wings next season, and rightfully so. Without Brown, guys like Scheierman, Gonzalez, and Jordan Walsh will all be in line for bigger roles. This is going to be Scheierman's biggest role of his young NBA career so far, and given what he's already shown so far, don't be surprised if he makes a big leap next season.
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