National Basketball Association

Boston Celtics: Five Players With the Most On the Line in Preseason

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:00 p.m. ET

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Apr 8, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) looks to pass the ball as Boston Celtics center Kelly Olynyk (41) and guard Marcus Smart (36) defend during the third quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Celtics beat the Pistons 113-103. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Five players with the most on the line this preseason for the Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics have had their ups and downs this preseason, but overall they have to be satisfied with the way their starting unit has looked. The second unit, on the other hand, has lacked consistency, and certain players have a lot on the line in terms of roster spot or role on the team.

The Celtics have guys like Marcus Smart and Kelly Olynyk who have little to worry about. They are established enough that they cannot prove anymore n the preseason. The majority of the second unit does not have that kind of comfort at this point.

New additions need to get more comfortable and familiar faces are finally looking for their break. These are the players that can expect to get good opportunities throughout the preseason, and they cannot afford to squander any of them.

There is too much competition in the back end of the rotation, and too many options for almost any key role for anyone to relax. Brad Stevens has done a great job of getting a positive impact out of his second unit, but their primary players are changing this season.

The Celtics have always felt good about their depth and youth and these final preseason games could be the most important test for some of them. Here are the five players with the most on the line for the rest of the preseason.

Oct 4, 2016; Amherst, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Richaun Holmes (22) dunks the ball past Boston Celtics forward Jordan Mickey (55) during the second half at William D. Mullins Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Mickey

Mickey is one of the fringe players finally looking to break out. He was given the biggest contract in the history of second round draft picks last season, and he did a great job in the D League. Mickey has proven that he has great potential as a rim protector. Mickey has been successful at every level, but still is yet to play much more than garbage time minutes in the NBA.

At this point, it feels as though Mickey is one of the outside chances to make the roster. He has been given inconsistent minutes and has produced inconsistent results. Mickey is yet to do anything that would command a roster spot, but he still has time.

Mickey looked uninspired at times, but that was when he was not given bough minutes to get comfortable on the court. Then, when his minutes have been increased, he has been much more productive. After putting up a dud in the first game against the Hornets, Mickey shot 80 percent for 14 shots in their second tilt.

It would be unfair to criticize Mickey for anything during a six minutes performance, but he needs to maintain the effectiveness from that stellar performance. The back end of Boston’s front court is completely wide open, and Mickey will get his chance to claim a final spot.

As good as Mickey can be on offense, he needs to earn his spot on the defensive end. The Celtics will certainly have better options on the offensive end, but his ability to block shots is unparalleled on the second unit.

Mickey could be a great small ball forward for the Celtics. He has all the versatility they need on the defensive end, and the fans are itching to see what kind of impact he can have in the NBA. Mickey cannot afford to slow down at all the preseason. If he can continue to be trusted on the offensive end, while having a significant impact on defense, Mickey will earn one of the final roster spots.

Oct 4, 2016; Amherst, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard James Young (13) shoots the ball over Philadelphia 76ers guard Hollis Thompson (31) during the second half at William D. Mullins Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

James Young

Once again, the beginning of training camp and the preseason was followed by the annual James Young hype. Young has gone on about his maturity in terms of understanding the offense, as well as having a better grasp of what he needs to do in order to be a productive player. His scoring spurts in the preseason have also been a good indication that he may finally be ready to have an impact of a scorer.

Young has also been praised by his teammates for a changed demeanour and a lot more aggressiveness on the court. Establishing chemistry with his teammates could be the difference maker, and Young needs everything he can get in order to earn that roster spot.

Young has to deal with phenomenal guard depth ahead of him, and making the roster could mean a lot of time spent on the bench for him. Right now, Young needs to demonstrate that he has developed from last season, and finally start showing signs of the player that the Celtics thought he was when they selected him at such a young age.

Young has shown that scoring burst at times in the preseason, but he needs to prove that he will contribute in other ways. Now is the time for Young to show the progress he has made on defense and now is the time to prove that he can use his size to have an impact as a rebounder.

Young has the potential to be a valuable piece in multiple ways for the Celtics, but those qualities are yet to come out in legitimate NBA minutes. Young is still one of the youngest players on the team, but it continues to feel as though each opportunity is going to be his last.

It may not be fair to give up on Young because of his age. The problem is that it would be fair to let a player walk if he does not show any signs of improvement through the first three seasons of his NBA career.

Oct 8, 2016; Uncasville, CT, USA; Boston Celtics guard R.J. Hunter (28) attempts a 3 point shot over Charlotte Hornets guard Ramon Sessions (7) in the 2nd quarter during a pre-season game at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

R.J Hunter

Hunter is yet to separate himself so far this preseason, and he has a long ways to go in order to earn one of the final roster spots. He also has to deal with great guard depth head of him, and it kills his chances if Young is able to have a bigger impact than him.

The most frustrating thing for Hunter right now is the lack of shooting. He has shown a certain level of comfort in Stevens’ system and his length can prove to be somewhat valuable on the defensive end. The problem is that he was brought in to be a knock down three point shooter, and until he proves he can reach that level, he will be stuck on the bench for the Maine Red Claws.

The little things could be enough to earn Hunter a roster spot, but earning a role will definitely be predicated on his ability to shoot well. Boston’s second unit has far too many suspect shooters to pass up on someone like Hunter if he starts to impress. The Celtics have two leading guards that are expected to struggle shooting the ball, and giving them a shooting option in Hunter can alleviate a lot of the pressure.

The Celtics knew that Hunter would need to develop before being a capable defender, they did not think they would have this hard of an adjustment shooting the ball. The Celtics have proven that they will be patient and a disappointing end to the preseason will not be the end of the world for Hunter. That being said, Hunter will continue to see players jump him on the depth chart if he does not start to show flashes of that shooting that made him a first round pick.

The Celtics have an offensive system that accommodates bad shooting, but Hunter needs to be the player that fixes that situation. There will be little sense in using Hunter is he is not giving them a boost with his three point shooting.

Oct 8, 2016; Uncasville, CT, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Frank Kaminsky (44) is guarded by Boston Celtics guard Gerald Green (30) in the 2nd quarter during a pre-season game at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Gerald Green

Green can feel a certain degree of comfort when it comes to his roster spot. He was brought in on a minimum contract, and Stevens will not force him into the lineup if it does not make him better. That being said, Green has been praised by his coach and by Thomas and it would be a surprise at this point to see him off the opening day roster.

The Celtics know what they can get out of Green on the offensive end, and they need that option on their second unit. Green gives the Celtics valuable versatility to play the two or the three, and he is currently the best offensive option for their second unit back court. The Celtics have three players in Brown, Smart and Rozier who could end up being liabilities on the offensive end, and they need someone that can bail them out.

If Green gives the Celtics that legitimate option, it takes a lot of scoring pressure off the ball handlers, and they can focus on having an impact in different ways. While the roster spot is relatively secure, Green’s role is completely undetermined.

If he separates himself he has a great chance to be one of the top options off the bench, but he could also disappear behind one of the deepest teams in the league. The Celtics will not carry dead weight and Green will not be earning his playing time on the defensive end.

Green has the kind of offensive talent that Stevens should have no problem utilizing and with the way Stevens uses his bench, he also needs to be ready for extended minutes. The Celtics need scoring bursts from Green, and that second unit could depend greatly on those scoring bursts.

Green missed out on the beginning of the preseason, but he has plenty of time to demonstrate his value to the team. He is expected to already get opportunities on the NBA roster, but he can make a lot of progress in terms of establishing his role.

Oct 6, 2016; Greensboro, NC, USA; Boston Celtics center Tyler Zeller (44) stands on the court in the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Greensboro Coliseum. The Celtics defeated the Hornets 107-92. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Tyler Zeller

Tyler Zeller’s status with the Celtics is difficult to gauge at this point. The team appears to be confident that he can be important to the team, but last season was too far from what he needs to be to play in the NBA.

For Zeller, he needs to put everything from last season behind him. He cannot be anywhere close to where he was one the defensive end, and his shooting regressed horribly. Zeller has the potential to be be a top mid range shooter for the Celtics, but that is based entirely on his first season with the team.

Shooting 60 percent from anywhere on the court will earn Zeller minutes, and there is certainly room for him in the front court. It would be a surprise to see Zeller left off the opening day roster, but that is based strictly on what he did before last season.

The Celtics need someone to step up in their front court for the back end of the rotation, and the Celtics should give Zeller an opportunity to do that. As long as he avoids disaster in the preseason, he should have some sort of role to start the season.

The problem, however, is that Zeller was disastrous all of last season. Zeller was a liability on both ends and it did not take time for his role to disappear completely.

Zeller is a part of a front court that is unsettled and undetermined on the second unit. The Celtics chose to bring him back after last season and that should be all the confidence he needs. The Celtics have committed to giving Zeller one last opportunity, and it would be detrimental to his career with the Celtics if he squandered it.