National Basketball Association

Ben Bentil Should Have a Spot on the Boston Celtics

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Second round pick, Ben Bentil, should be a strong candidate for a final roster spot

The Boston Celtics have a lot of uncertainty and competition in the back end of their roster, and there are multiple players that could make a great case for one of those final spots. It may sound like a long shot for second round draft pick Ben Bentil to be deserving of one of those spots, but he can be a valuable piece to the team.

One of the immediate concerns with a rookie is how ready they will be physically. The level of athleticism reaches new heights while transitioning from college to the NBA and that is always a big area most rookies need to develop in. With Bentil there is a strong possibility he was drafted because of his NBA ready body.

First of all, at 21 years of age, it is not as if the Celtics are dealing with a one and done player. The Celtics can trust that Bentil has a development advantage because of his multiple seasons spent at Providence, combined with that valuable size.

While age is a factor, it is one of the more insignificant ones. Bentil’s development advantage has more to do with his size and frame and less to do with the age. Bentil stands at 6’9 which gives him great position versatility, particularly with small ball lineups. At 235 pounds, Tyler Zeller is the only player that has more than 10 pounds on him.

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The Celtics got Al Horford to give them a much needed paint presence in the starting lineup, and Bentil has the size to serve a similar, although much more minor, role with the second unit. Bentil kept his defensive rating under 100 in his final season at providence, and was a serviceable rebounder.

The Celtics have a lot of uncertainty with their front court depth, and if Bentil can have any kind of impact protecting the paint and rebounding the ball, then the Celtics need to have him on the roster. The Celtics do not have to worry as much about the transition to the NBA, and Bentil can certainly be a valuable defender.

Mar 17, 2016; Raleigh, NC, USA; USC Trojans forward Nikola Jovanovic (32) shoots the ball between Providence Friars guard Kyron Cartwright (24) and forward Ben Bentil (0) during the second half at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

At 6’9 Bentil offers depth at both the small forward and power forward position. As uncertain as the power forward depth is on the Celtics, there is even less small forward depth. Bentil would not primarily play at that position, largely because of what Jaylen Brown is expected to do, but that does not mean he can not offer valuable depth.

Bentil can be a contributor in areas of need for the Celtics and with how weak and young the end of the Celtics’ roster is, Bentil is in a strong position to prove to Stevens that he deserves that spot.

Defense will have to be a focus because it is hard to imagine any of the bubble players making the final roster without being capable defenders. For the final roster spots, Stevens needs players that he can trust, even if their high end potential may not be as promising.

It was not long ago that the Celtics were in a position to give the high risk high potential players more minutes. Now that they talent level is increasing and their expectations are drastically going up, they need to make sure they get the best contributors right now.

The real intrigue with Bentil then comes from his shooting. The Celtics have been desperately searching for a power forward who can shoot and Bentil is the next player in line to prove he can have an impact in that area.

Of the players currently on the Celtics roster that spend a lot of their time at the power forward position, Jonas Jerebko is the only one that provides floor spacing. Amir Johnson failed miserably trying to add that to his game last year and Jordan Mickey still needs to make sure he can shoot the mid range shot before looking to the three.

Bentil was not an outstanding shooter at Providence, but his volume would certainly go down and there is a good chance he could vastly improve his efficiency. 33% from three may not be enough to be the difference maker in getting him a roster spot, but the power forward position is where the Celtics need shooting the most and it is worth giving him that show to prove himself.

Bentil can give the Celtics a balanced option and if he establishes some level of trust with Stevens, he has proven that he can contribute in the areas the Celtics need the most help. Horford was such a phenomenal signing, largely because he directly addressed their two biggest problems in shooting and interior defense.

Bentil cannot be compared to Horford in terms of impact, but the Celtics still need to solidify their front court depth and they address similar needs. Bentil may never be that key piece or difference maker for the team, but a spot on the bench and an outside shot at a consistent spot in the rotation is certainly within his reach.

The two players that Bentil will have to be most concerned with are Jerebko and Mickey, Both play the same position and the difficulty with Jerebko is that he has proven he can shoot over 40% from three, while being a capable defender, and surpassing that could be difficult for Bentil. With Mickey, the problem is that Bentil does not excel in any one area the way Mickey excels with shot blocking.

Mickey can have a bigger impact with his blocking that Bentil can have in any phase of the game, and that could become problematic for one of the final roster spots.

Ultimately, balance is the number one thing working in Bentil’s favor, but he needs to make sure he establishes a level of comfort in Stevens’ system. Stevens has shown a willingness to play rookies in the past, but that has always hinged on trust, particularly on the defensive end.

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