With Jaylen Brown gone and Payton Pritchard potentially (probably?) entering the Boston Celtics' starting lineup as a result, the team is going to need to find another sixth man. At the very least, even if Pritchard keeps this role, Boston still needs a big boost to its bench scoring.
There isn't anybody else on the Celtics' roster who can create their own shot and truly act as a microwave off the bench, but their best bet is Baylor Scheierman, who should be in for a career year.
Baylor Scheierman already proved he can step up for the Celtics
The soon-to-be third-year wing found his shot at the NBA level last season (45.3/39.9/90.3% shooting splits in 77 games), and he is gradually looking more comfortable whenever he steps onto the court. Scheierman is mostly an off-ball and catch-and-shoot player, but he is also showing improvements as a scorer off the dribble.
With Brown no longer on the roster, it's going to be up to the rest of the Celtics' supporting cast to take the pressure off of Jayson Tatum, who is now their clear-cut No. 1 guy. That includes the minutes he's not playing, and that's exactly where Scheierman could have his chance to shine.
The Creighton alum stepped up numerous times last season (some examples: a 30-point performance against the Orlando Magic in the regular season finale; a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Mar. 8; and a 20-point, 7-for-8 shooting performance against the eventual champion New York Knicks on Apr. 9... off the bench), and he has also proven to be a high-IQ player who can make great passes and hustle plays, is an underrated rebounder, and is developing defensively.
At this rate, Scheierman should further establish himself as a real asset to the Celtics next season, and fans should be excited about what he has to offer as an even more important bench player.
Baylor Scheierman can turn it up another level for Boston
Scheierman was significantly better last season than he was during his rookie year. And while I'm sure a lot of that is related to him having more opportunities, he also passed the eye test. It wasn't just his numbers that improved. He looked way more confident in his decision-making, and he improved his all-around game.
Boston clearly likes Scheierman, having drafted him in the first round in 2024 and reportedly not including him in a trade package for Giannis Antetokounmpo. He is likely going to be in line for the biggest role of his NBA career so far.
And if last year was any indication, then things should only get better from here on out for the Nebraska native.
Add us as a preferred source on Google