Celtics Summer Leaguers finding balance between freedom and role preparation

LAS VEGAS — UV rays are not any joke in Vegas. However as the complete NBA prepares for Summer time League, it’s not the warmth that’s turning Boston Celtics rookie Baylor Scheierman away from Sin Metropolis.

“Not an enormous fan of Vegas general, whatever the warmth or not,” Scheierman mentioned after follow on Friday. “Not likely my pace.”

As playing cards fly and the Sphere dominates the skyline, hoopers litter the streets, able to show themselves to coaches, scouts, and entrance workplace executives alike. For 2 weeks, Vegas is the basketball capital of the world.

So, whereas the hustle and bustle of the strip is probably not for Scheierman, his focus is on the hardwood.

The Celtics discover themselves in a novel place. Following their profitable conquest of Banner 18, they’ve introduced again 13 of the 15 gamers who had been on final 12 months’s roster, in addition to two-way gamers JD Davison and Drew Peterson.

With that, roles and obligations will look extraordinarily related, leaving little margin for guys like Scheierman and the Celtics’ different Summer time League standouts to get actual run subsequent season.

However Boston nonetheless needs to equip them for that likelihood.

When Sam Hauser was incomes his stripes within the G League, the Maine Celtics performed him in an identical position to the one he was coaching to tackle in Boston. Now, Hauser is an integral a part of the Celtics’ rotation.

For guys like Scheierman and Jordan Walsh, Summer time League can be about current inside the planes of freedom and preparation.

“It must be a wholesome medium of each,” Walsh mentioned at follow. “In fact, once you come right here, I don’t have Jayson Tatum on my crew, and JB [Jaylen Brown], who I’ve to get the ball to. So now it’s type of like, ‘alright, now I can get in my bag just a little bit. Late shot clock.’

“However there’s additionally nonetheless like a spotlight— I nonetheless acquired to point out Joe [Mazzulla] and Brad [Stevens] and them that I can play a task that they want me to play subsequent 12 months and hopefully assist to win a championship.”

Maine utilized Walsh in an identical method to Hauser throughout his first G League season. They wished to get him used to the best way he’d be capable to assist them in Boston.

“Completely. It was positively a spotlight in Maine,” Walsh mentioned. “I really feel like I type of took that backseat to be extra of a 3-and-D man. I really feel like that’s what Boston wished for me. I felt like that’s what Blaine wished. I really feel like that’s what my teammates wanted.

“So, that’s what I needed to do. Clearly, Summer time League [last year], I used to be making an attempt to show myself. So, I had a wholesome little bit of each.”

The now-former rookie performed 27 video games in Maine final season. He averaged 14.7 factors, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists whereas taking pictures 42.8% from the sphere and 32.1% from past the three-point arc.

Like Walsh, Scheierman is probably going poised to spend most of his rookie season up in Portland. However the 23-year-old is able to do something the group asks of him. And that begins now.

“Yeah, I imply, it’s positively a steadiness for certain, like Jordan mentioned,” Scheierman mentioned. “We don’t have Jayson or Jaylen or Jrue [Holiday] or them right here, so it’s just a little completely different. However on the similar time, making an attempt to deal with areas that you realize will contribute to the precise crew is an enormous focus for me for certain.”

Boston has constructed up their roster by meticulously buying and selling for high-level supporting items that match subsequent to their star duo, Jrue Vacation, Derrick White, and Kristaps Porzingis. However concurrently, they’ve been compelled to construct on the fringes.

They drafted and developed Payton Pritchard. They found Hauser in free company and helped him develop into the participant he’s as we speak. They invested their time into making Luke Kornet a strong backup massive man.

Having Walsh and Scheierman within the pipeline is vital, and never solely will Summer time League be an opportunity for guys like them to point out off their greatest abilities, however it should additionally give them a chance to play the best way they might in Boston.