Heading into this season, we know the Boston Celtics won’t be the Celtics of the last four years. This team is not a championship contender, and there’s no guarantee that they’ll make the playoffs in a weak Eastern Conference.
With their numerous departures and Jayson Tatum sidelined indefinitely, this season is a perfect opportunity for players not named Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard to display their value to the team and become a potential valuable contributor once Tatum returns.
Since this season's emphasis will be on developing the younger guys, all eyes should be on 2024 first-round pick Baylor Scheierman, who must prove his worth to the team before the end of 2025.
Celtics' Baylor Scheierman Must Shape Up or Ship Out
Baylor Scheierman had a hard time trying to get on the court last year, as the Celtics retained their championship core. It wasn’t until March that Scheierman received consistent playing time, but he only appeared in 31 games, averaging 3.6 points and 2.1 rebounds, shooting 31.7% from three.
With a year of experience under his belt, Scheierman was expected to take a big leap in this year’s Summer League. While he exhibited his hustle and playmaking ability that he displayed in limited action last year, averaging 6.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds, his shooting numbers were atrocious.
Scheierman averaged 12.3 points on 27.4% shooting from the field and 20.5% from three on 9.8 attempts. Coming out of college, he was regarded as a great three-point shooter, shooting a career 39% from three; however, it hasn’t translated to the pros.
This is an idea I got from Baylor Scheierman recently (surprise - it's on defense) pic.twitter.com/x6OeC5VxX9
— Mike Gribanov - NBA Draft, Youth BBall analysis (@mikegrib8) July 31, 2025
While his shooting is a concern, there were also times he'd make questionable decisions on defense. Although he was able to average 2.3 steals, there were countless times when he attempted the wrap-around steal, and when it failed, he gave his man an opportunity to attack the rim.
Given where the Celtics are at this season, and that Scheierman is expected to have an increased role, he still has time to develop in these areas. This season is ultimately a try-out for who’ll be on the team once Tatum returns, and if Scheierman wants to remain with the Celtics, he must regain his shooting stroke from college.
If he isn’t able to knock down threes and become a solid team-defender, then the Celtics should move on from Scheierman before 2025 is over and find someone capable of doing so.