3 Players the Celtics Should Target in the Buyout Market

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Danny Ainge and the Celtics did not make any moves before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, but they are expected to be active in this year’s buyout market.

With Boston maintaining an impressive 36-15 record, Ainge understandably felt “there were no good deals to be made.” But Boston could still try to bolster their roster through midseason free agency.

In order to sign another player, they would have to waive one of their reserves, such as Vincent Poirier, Javonte Green, or Tremont Waters. But the Celtics may never have won their 17th NBA championship in 2008 without the midseason addition of P.J. Brown.

As Ainge eyes the buyout market, here are three players who could make a strong impact for this year’s Celtics.

3. Tristan Thompson

Jason Miller/Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers were expected to be sellers at the trade deadline, but instead acquired one of the NBA’s top centers in Andre Drummond.

This means that Thompson, their primary starting center since 2012, could soon become one of the most coveted players in this year’s buyout market.

Thompson is a tough defender, solid rebounder, and athletic finisher who would be a great addition to Boston’s bench.

As of February 7, Thompson is tied for eighth this NBA season with Miami All-Star Bam Adebayo averaging 10.4 rebounds per game.

Daniel Theis and Enes Kanter have done an exceptional job anchoring Boston's frontcourt. But they still could get outplayed or into foul trouble when battling against Eastern Conference rivals like the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, who are stacked with size and athleticism.

Fortifying Boston’s frontcourt with Thompson, a reliable 28-year-old center and former NBA champion known for his solid defense, could turn out to be an excellent move come playoff time.

2. Evan Turner

AP Photo/Darron Cummings

After being traded from Atlanta to Minnesota, the versatile former Celtic is rumored to be on Ainge’s radar for a potential reunion if he gets bought out by the Timberwolves.

Turner would give the Celtics’ bench an experienced reliable playmaker who already understands Brad Stevens’ system. He averaged 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists as their second unit facilitator from 2014-16.

He also recorded three triple-doubles in 2015 while developing into one of the team’s most reliable players.

With small-ball more prevalent in the NBA than ever before, the 6’6’’ Turner could still make a positive impact in the right situation. He’s a skilled veteran who can play any position and the Boston fans love him.

After Houston traded away Clint Capela at the deadline, the Rockets are playing better basketball with 6’5’’ P.J. Tucker starting at center.

Turner has the right combination of skill and size to improve Boston’s bench scoring, playmaking, defense, and rebounding. He helps create mismatches for opposing defenses and he’s also a really great guy.

1. Isaiah Thomas

Getty Images

No player on the buyout market would make Celtics fans happier than "The Little Guy."

IT was the heart and soul of the Celtics offense when they surged to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017. Thomas averaged 28.9 points per game, tying John Havlicek in 1970-71 for the second best scoring average in Celtics history behind only Larry Bird’s 29.9 in the 1987-88 season.

“The King of the 4th” routinely took over games in crunch time and led the Celtics to a 53-29 record. He finished fifth in MVP voting right between LeBron James and Stephen Curry.

Unfortunately, Thomas has since struggled to stay healthy and has been unable to find a long-term NBA home. After injuring his hip in the 2017 Conference Finals, Thomas was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving prior to the start of the following season.

This season, Thomas played in 40 games for the Washington Wizards, his most since Boston. He averaged 12.2 points and 3.7 assists before being sent to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.

The Clippers are Thomas’s fifth team since Boston, but they are expected to buy out his contract. As he prepares for the free agent market yet again, Boston fans are speaking up. And for good reason.

Thomas would serve as a much-needed scoring threat for a Celtics’ second unit that has played well, but lacked consistent scoring.

This could be a perfect opportunity to make things right on multiple levels.

Ainge received a lot of criticism for his business-first approach in dealing Thomas without openly communicating with his All-Star point guard prior to the deal.

Bringing Thomas back to Boston to give him a chance to lead their second unit and compete for a championship would right some of the wrong.

Brad Wanamaker has been a serviceable backup to Kemba Walker, but the bulky playmaker could still make an impact while sharing ball-handling duties with another point guard. Having multiple facilitators on the floor is common in this small-ball era.

Furthermore, finally seeing Thomas play alongside Gordon Hayward, who signed in Boston in 2017 partially to play with Thomas, could work out beautifully.

Also, today is his 30th birthday.

The ultimate gift, both for Thomas and for Boston fans, would be to reunite one of the greatest Celtics in recent history with the team and city where he flourished.

It’s time to bring IT home.

Better late than never...

Words cannot describe what Isaiah Thomas @isaiahthomas means to Boston. He never got the #Celtics tribute video he deserved, so I tried to capture just how much he means to the fans who loved him most.

Thanks for watching!!https://t.co/OQoE24CQBZ pic.twitter.com/60X4Y6tpXv

— Jon Jacobson (@TommyPointJon) April 10, 2018

Stop Voting Tacko Fall for NBA All-Star

Tacko Fall does not deserve to play in the All-Star Game. He probably does not even want your votes.

If he does want your votes, then by all means, vote for him. It would obviously be fun to watch Tacko hammer down alley-oops and standing dunks alongside NBA elites in a defense-less game.

The first returns from #VoteNBAAllStar 2020!

Make YOUR vote count twice today by voting here ➡️ https://t.co/VMuxMjeZQO pic.twitter.com/qRzXqLxMti

— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2020

But my guess is that Fall would rather play in the Rising Stars game with his fellow rookies and let the more deserving players take the big stage.

Guys like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who are vying for their first All-Star appearances, belong in that game. It would be a huge achievement for Boston’s rising stars.

But that experience and accomplishment would be cheapened and overshadowed if there are players on the roster who do not belong there.

It is also demeaning to Fall, a rookie who hopes to eventually crack the Celtics rotation.

Fall has played less than 12 total minutes this season and is fighting back against the hindering narrative that his Senegalese nationality and 7’5 frame make him a gimmicky big man.

That unfortunate narrative has become a major obstacle for Fall, who went undrafted in 2019 despite his obvious sky-high potential.

Voting Fall for All-Star feeds that negative narrative. It does not give him positive recognition.

The Celtics are surging (12-4 last 16 games) and their wins often end with fans chanting for Tacko. Celtics players and fans alike have demonstrated intense support for him.

Even the unflappable Brad Stevens could be seen embracing Tacko Mania when he urged Boston fans to chant louder for Fall if they wanted to see him play.

But Stevens upset some fans on Friday when he admitted he was not a big fan of the 110,269 All-Star votes his reserve center had received.

Coach Stevens was understandably hesitant to support the possibility of players receiving accolades such as All-Star status based on non-basketball factors.

Brad Stevens loves Tacko Fall. But he's not feeling Tacko being 6th in first round of All-Star voting.
"I don't love it, " Stevens said. "I don't love the idea, when you talk about awards ... not being based on what's solely happening on the court."

— A. Sherrod Blakely (@ASherrodblakely) January 3, 2020

Votes for Fall could displace deserving players, like Bam Adebayo, who is having a breakout year in Miami.

For fringe All-Stars like Adebayo, Tatum, and Brown, making the team could completely transform their career trajectories. It can change their lives.

Boisterous social media support for Zaza Pachulia nearly got him named as an All-Star starter in 2016. Pachulia averaged 8.6 points per game for the Dallas Mavericks that year.

Following that season, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver changed the voting process for All-Star starters to a weighted system which included media and player votes to balance out fans who vote recklessly.

The current situation is arguably worse because Fall is not a longtime veteran receiving ironic or sympathetic votes. He is a hard-working rookie with his entire career in front of him.

Fall wants to improve his game to become a legitimate All-Star someday. Give him time and the opportunity to earn his rightful place amongst NBA elites instead of fueling a dangerous narrative with meaningless undeserved votes.

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Starting Smart for Hustle and Heart

Getty Images

Marcus Smart is one of Boston's most polarizing athletes.

As one of the NBA's fiercest backcourt defenders, “The Cobra” relentlessly harasses opposing ball handlers and capably defends four (sometimes all five) positions utilizing physicality, high energy, and sheer determination.

But with career averages of just 9.2 points per game on 36% shooting, the 6'4" combo guard notoriously struggled with shot selection through his first four NBA seasons.

Regardless, Smart's pedestrian scoring numbers were rightfully overlooked by Danny Ainge when the Celtics inked him to a four-year, $52 million deal in July.

Brad Stevens has now doubled down on the organization’s investment in the tenacious defender by inserting Smart into his starting unit.

The benefits have been crystal clear.

After starting the season 10-10, the Celtics have surged to three straight wins with Smart starting, outscoring their opponents 370-311 during the streak.

This average scoring margin (123.3 - 103.7) is significantly better than the average margin (106.3 - 104.2) over their first 20 games with Smart coming off the bench.

More importantly, the entire team is playing with increased focus and consistent aggression. All four accompanying Celtics starters have scored in double-digits in each of Smart’s starts.

Getty Images

Smart exhibits a strong rapport with All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Al Horford, frequently facilitating quality looks while alleviating some of Irving’s point guard duties.

Irving and Horford both rank in the NBA's top-20 in catch-and-shoot field goals this season, converting more than two per game as of December 4.

The career-high catch-and-shoot numbers for Irving have also come on 45.7% shooting, whereas last season he converted 1.5 catch-and-shoot field goals per game at a 41.5% clip.

Many of Smart’s contributions don't show up in the box score, but he consistently makes a positive impact in important situations.

Seven of Boston’s nine best five-man lineups feature Smart, per Basketball Reference.

Furthermore, his average plus/minus as a starter (+15.3) is significantly better than off the bench (+0.3).

His field goal percentage improves to .526 as a starter (.462 from 3PT range) versus .375 off the bench (.306 from 3PT range).

And he averages 5.0 assists and 2.7 steals per game as a starter compared to 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals off the bench.

Perhaps most impressive, his turnover numbers as a starter have dropped to 0.3 per game versus 1.6 off the bench, despite playing more minutes when he starts.

Smart could soon return to the second unit to accommodate the elite offensive potential of Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward.

Brown missed the last three games with back spasms, so Smart's role will continue to fluctuate.

Stevens has been hesitant to name Smart a full-time starter, pointing out to reporters:

"The problem with starting Marcus Smart is you can’t bring his energy off the bench. He’s a valuable guy in both of those areas for the same reason."

Smart is arguably best suited for a sixth man role with the Celtics because his two-way versatility and explosive playmaking ability allow him to impact games immediately upon checking into any situation.

Additionally, Hayward and Brown are simply too talented not to start. They will displace Smart as soon as they prove to Stevens that they can open games with comparable intensity.

Hayward has struggled to regain his footing after last year’s horrific ankle injury, but he impressed the basketball world on Saturday night with one of the best statistical performances in NBA history for a player off the bench.

Hayward’s 30-9-8 outburst reportedly came on the heels of a scuffle with Smart during practice when physical defense and several hard fouls resulted in a red-faced Hayward becoming enraged.

But instead of losing his composure, Hayward responded to Smart's ferocity by using his own strength and size to throw down some of his most thunderous dunks since the injury.

As Marcus Morris told reporters,

"Any time Smartie gets tangled up with somebody, it's good. I've been waiting to see that side of (Hayward) for a little bit now."

When one of the NBA’s most aggressive players dives for loose balls and causes chaos for opponents from the opening possession, it sets the tone and pace for the entire game.

It is no surprise the Celtics look better with Smart playing more minutes because he pushes his teammates to become great.

Marcus Smart sparks the @celtics break from the hardwood!#CUsRise 72#AllEyesNorth 58

📺: @NBATV pic.twitter.com/MQ9T5RtpUX

— NBA (@NBA) December 2, 2018

The Big Three led the way to Boston’s 17th championship in 2008, but anybody who followed the team knows that Tony Allen’s defense was a foundational element of its success.

Smart is in a similar situation this year. Eventually, he will be relegated back to the bench in favor of elite talent.

But no player represents the heart and driving force of a city’s collective basketball identity more than Smart does in Boston.

Playing with a massive chip on his shoulder, Smart does anything it takes to help his Celtics win.

Someday soon, that fiery mentality may prove instrumental in bringing home Banner 18.

Boston Remembers

Maybe it wasn’t a big deal.

When Jamal Murray launched a last-second three-pointer instead of dribbling out the clock on Tuesday night, perhaps he didn’t even realize he would offend anyone.

Murray was caught up in the moment after playing the game of his life against the top-ranked defense in the NBA, singlehandedly willing his Denver Nuggets to victory over the Celtics with a career-high 48 points.

The only thing that could make the moment sweeter in Murray’s eyes was crossing the 50-point threshold for the first time.

So, with Denver leading by eight in the final seconds, Murray slowly dribbled past half-court and Boston’s defense yielded. He casually let the clock tick down to the final two seconds, then quickly glanced at Jaylen Brown and bricked a long three-point attempt.

Only Murray knows if his actions were intended to show disrespect to the opposition. But here’s the thing: Boston remembers these kinds of transgressions.

After the final shot, players on both teams engaged in a brief scuffle and Kyrie Irving launched the game ball several hundred feet into the stands.

That outburst resulted in a $25,000 fine for Irving’s fiery response to what he referred to as a “bullshit move” by Murray. Irving later said the penalty did not affect his stance on the ordeal.

"From a competition and competitive standpoint, I think (the ball) absolutely deserved to go in the stands still… You just don't play basketball like that…. You just don't. 

There's a tradition and a respect within the league, as well as in any basketball game. Obviously you've won the game, you have it sealed, you've had a great game, game of your life, and you do something like that… it's petty. It's immature… We'll see him again though."

Predictably, Murray told reporters after the game that he had intended no ill will.

"I think my emotions took over… No disrespect to the Boston organization and fans with that shot -- I just had in my mind that I was going to go 50, and I think everybody kind of understood that was what I was trying to do. I really wasn't meaning no disrespect... I know half the team over there, so no hard feelings."

But regardless of intentions, any sensible basketball player, coach, or fan who has been around the NBA for years should understand basic longstanding unwritten rules.

Irving believes that Murray knew the gravity of his actions. As a proven champion, Irving felt the unmistakable twinge of disrespect when the Celtics’ defense surrendered and Murray bid to pad his stats.

“He knew. He knew… In any game, it's just a respect for your opponent, and I felt disrespected after the game. So, your career-high ball goes in the stands."

Basketball is a brotherhood and Murray acted up while exhibiting selfish immaturity. Irving simply wanted him to play with the same sense of honor and respect that all great NBA players should demonstrate.

Denver Post/Getty Images

When the Nuggets come to Boston for their rematch on March 18, it will not just be another regular season game.

Physicality and a playoff environment should favor Irving and the Celtics as they will focus on wearing down Murray by exposing his mediocre defensive skills through a relentless pick-and-roll attack.

Furthermore, he will learn firsthand just how important tradition is to the city of Boston when 18,000 screaming fans tell him exactly how they feel about his disrespectful actions towards their team.

This incident could also energize the Celtics to play harder moving forward, which would be scary for their opponents because Boston already owns the top-ranked defense.

Nevertheless, Denver’s rising star will keep improving and whatever relationships he had with Boston’s players will continue to endure. Guys on both teams will talk and laugh with one another during All-Star Weekend in February.

But because of Murray’s arrogant last-second brick, nobody in the TD Garden, especially the Celtics, will fear the player who dropped 48 points on them back in November.

Instead, he is just the newest enemy of one of the Association’s greatest franchises. If he later develops into a superstar, perhaps that wrinkle will even embolden his legacy.

So for now, Boston and the Celtics will move on and wait to get their revenge when they will remind Murray not to mess with tradition, especially one as important as sportsmanship.

48 points against an elite defense is truly remarkable. But it doesn’t give a player the right to throw sportsmanship right out the window.

Basketball should be better than that.

Celtics Hit Franchise-Record 24 Threes

The Milwaukee Bucks may lead the NBA in three-point shooting (14.5 3PM/game), but the Celtics beat them at their own game in a 117-113 victory last night.

Boston drilled a franchise-record 24 triples to go along with a franchise-record 55 (43.6%) attempts. Their previous record had been just 19.

Kyrie Irving was the facilitator and driving force of the offense, registering 28 points and seven assists in his best game of the young season.

NBA Getty Images

The Celtics fell just one three-pointer shy of Cleveland's all-time record (25) as Brad Stevens exploited Milwaukee’s lackluster perimeter defense and refusal to defend Boston’s bigs on pick-and-pop plays.

Stevens, who unearths and attacks opponents’ weakest defenders, took advantage of the slow-footed Brook Lopez last night.

Al Horford (6’10”) and Marcus Morris (6’9”) collectively scored 35 points and converted 9-19 shots from beyond the arc, making Milwaukee's biggest offseason acquisition into nothing more than a defensive liability.

Lopez finished with just two points in 23 minutes while his notoriously weak rebounding and ineffective shot-blocking abilities noticeably hurt the Bucks' defense whenever Irving penetrated inside and found Horford wide open on the perimeter.

Boston's relentless pick-and-roll offense exposed Milwaukee's poor defensive switchability as Lopez awkwardly lumbered around and failed to protect the three-point line. As Irving told reporters after the game,

“Al is a capable shooter that I have the utmost confidence in. I feel like if they’re going to play that type of defense we should just shoot it every time. At one point, I think Brook (Lopez) and John Henson were in the paint... I hope we shoot 80 next game if they play defense like that.”

The Celtics improved to 6-2 as Mike Budenholzer’s Bucks (7-1) suffered their first loss of the season. Stevens, like Irving, was confident about his team’s 55 three-point attempts.

"Since the second half of the OKC game, we've played pretty good offensively... We've gotten good shots. We've generated good ones. Tonight, we didn't settle as much. We still had some possessions we'd like to have back, but I thought that we took what the defense gave us."

Irving and Gordon Hayward both looked terrific as they continue recovering from last season’s injuries. Irving is nearly back to form, utilizing elite quickness and incredible ball handling skills to break down defenses.

Hayward still looks uncomfortable at times, but he’s improving every game and last night contributed season-highs of 18 points and five assists.

Breakdown of the #Celtics' 3-point makes on their franchise-record-setting night.

Kyrie: 6-12
Morris: 5-8
Horford: 4-11
Hayward: 3-5
Tatum: 2-3
Ojeleye: 2-4
Baynes: 1-5
Rozier: 1-4

All in all, they made a franchise-record 24 3-pointers, going 24-55 (43.6%).

— Blood Runs Green ☘ (@BloodRunsGreen_) November 2, 2018

What makes the win even more impressive is that the Celtics were without Jaylen Brown, one of their best defenders. Semi Ojeleye stepped up with 10 points, five rebounds, two steals and all-around terrific defense in his first start of the season.

Meanwhile, Morris has scored 118 points off the bench through eight games, which is the highest scoring output of any Celtics’ bench player since Dino Radja in the 1993-94 season.

Last night’s win was huge for Boston’s confidence as the team grows more comfortable playing alongside one another.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was easily the best player on the court, but the “Greek Freak” and his undefeated Bucks were exposed and outplayed by a team that was ultimately without one of their best players in Brown.

The Celtics have rolled to four straight wins since they started having fun in the second half in OKC. So while the Bucks and Toronto Raptors each have just one loss under their new head coaches, look for the Celtics and their #1 ranked defense to surge to the top of the Eastern Conference standings in November.

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

All It Took Was Some Fun

The Celtics stormed back from a 16-point halftime deficit against the Thunder last night in a 101-95 victory.

Boston closed the game on a commanding 16-1 run. They also poured in 40 points in the third quarter after scoring just 34 in the entire first half.

Something clearly sparked a change during halftime. Who would have guessed that the adjustment was something as simple as remembering to have fun?

The Canadian Press

As Jayson Tatum told reporters after the game, “Nobody was smiling. Nobody was having fun. And that was the difference in the second half.”

He also said Brad Stevens told the Celtics they were playing well and just needed to loosen up.

Many coaches might not react that composedly to a team that missed all eleven three-point attempts in the first half while exhibiting frustrated body language and overall lack of confidence.

But their struggles gave way to renewed energy and big smiles at the start of the third quarter when the Celtics caught fire and knocked down nine three pointers in less than ten minutes.

Overall, Boston outscored Oklahoma City 67-45 in the second half. Marcus Morris played a critical role off the bench with 21 points and 10 rebounds. He also led the team in plus/minus (+16) and drilled a three-pointer with 28.7 seconds left to give Boston a 98-95 lead.

Four Celtics (Tatum, Morris, Al Horford, Kyrie Irving) finished with at least 15 points as teamwork and quick ball movement facilitated their second-half scoring barrage.

Tatum tied his season-high with 24 points, leading the Celtics in scoring for the third time in five games. The dynamic 20-year-old is already playing at an All-Star level with averages of 18.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.

Horford also energized the offense when he shockingly knocked down three treys in a 41-second span.

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Horford gave credit to his point guard, saying that “Kyrie looked at me and said ‘Hey, we’ve got to set the tone. We have to be more aggressive.’”

Aggression and confidence are vital to the Celtics’ success. They have one of the most talented and versatile rosters in the NBA and a brilliant head coach.

They also currently rank atop the Association in defensive rating by a significant margin.

This is largely thanks to four players (Horford, Tatum, Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart) who could each garner consideration for Defensive Player of the Year.

Listen, I get it, sample size, the whole thing.

But the Celtics through 10 days are not only the best defensive team in the NBA, the gap between them and #2 Denver is bigger than #2 Denver through #9 Golden State.

Rozier, Smart and Tatum are 1-2-3 in defensive rating. pic.twitter.com/ib8jbYBsg0

— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) October 26, 2018

Boston has not dominated opponents, but the season outlook is trending up with last night’s performance serving as a stark reminder to the rest of the NBA that the Celtics are still clearly one of the fiercest teams.

As Irving and Gordon Hayward continue working back to full health, game-changing explosive scoring runs will become more common.

According to Irving, “We’re capable of doing that any quarter, anytime… It felt good to go out there and focus on who we are as a team, and how special we can be.”

The Celtics will keep shaking off the rust and gradually improving as Stevens implements a variety of effective lineup combinations that fully access the wide range of talent on one of the Association’s deepest rosters.

It will not be long before the Celtics find their groove as they continue to grind towards ambitious postseason goals.

2018-2019 NBA Awards Predictions

The 2018-19 NBA Season is finally here.

Barring any season-derailing injuries, Golden State and Boston likely will face off next summer. Both teams are stacked with elite talent and selfless superstars.

But that doesn’t mean this NBA season won’t be full of surprises. Here’s a look at early predictions for the end-of-season awards.

Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images North America

Most Improved Player: Pascal Siakam (TOR)

Brandon Ingram could blossom into a premiere scorer this season with new teammate LeBron James commanding the attention of Lakers’ opponents.

But regarding individual improvement, Toronto’s Pascal Siakam will take the biggest step forward in development.

The energetic 24-year-old Cameroonian power forward with a 7’3’’ wingspan earned NBA D-League Finals MVP honors in 2017 before playing in all but one game for Toronto as a sophomore last season.

Surprising quickness for his 6’9’’ frame allows Siakam to defend multiple positions and he has proven to be a proficient passer with terrific ball-handling skills for a big man.

Like Ingram with James, Siakam will greatly benefit from Toronto’s offseason acquisition of MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard.

New Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is expected to utilize a "fluid" starting lineup. In other words, Leonard and Kyle Lowry are the only Raptors locked into starting positions.

Nurse will experiment with Siakam in various roles, including center and point forward due to his unique blend of size, athleticism and court vision.

If Siakam develops a strong rapport with Leonard, his production and playing time will flourish. With pedestrian career averages of 6.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, continued significant improvement may earn him MIP consideration.

* MIP Runner-ups: Julius Randle (NO), Brandon Ingram (LAL), Jamal Murray (DEN)

- ESPN Expert Panel: Brandon Ingram 

- CBS Expert Panel: Brandon Ingram/Markelle Fultz (PHI)

- Celtic to watch: Jaylen Brown

Stuart Cahill-Boston Herald

Sixth Man of the Year: Terry Rozier (BOS)

This one's a no-brainer for Celtics fans or anyone who beheld Terry Rozier’s transformation last season.

“Scary Terry” is too talented to come off the bench and he knows it. Regardless, he'll serve one final season as Kyrie Irving’s backup in Boston before hitting free agency in 2019.

Contract year motivation aside, Rozier is a proven playmaker on both sides of the ball.

His field goal percentage and stats across the board have climbed exponentially in each of his first three seasons.

All the while, Rozier has established an identity as one of the league’s most fearless defenders.

Rozier’s role this season will be to overwhelm opponents. Boston's powerhouse starting five will exhaust opposing defenses and Rozier (and/or Marcus Smart) will frequently check into games in one of two favorable situations:

1 – Matched up with a defender who is fatigued from having chased Kyrie Irving or bodied Jaylen Brown for the last ten minutes.
2 – Matched up with an inferior backup guard.

Each of these situations allow Rozier to instantly impact games by utilizing explosiveness, tenacity and elite playmaking ability to wreak havoc against opposing backcourts.

Rozier, like Smart, often changes the pace and flow of games with athleticism, passionate play and focused aggression.

It also doesn’t hurt that he models his offensive game after Michael Jordan.

Boston’s opponents simply have too much to worry about this season. Rozier, one of the NBA’s most aggressive guards, will reap the benefits of an offensive game plan designed to exploit opponents’ weakest links.

* 6MOY Runner-ups: JJ Redick (PHI), Lou Williams (LAC), Eric Gordon (HOU)
- ESPN: Eric Gordon
- CBS: Lou Williams
- Celtic to watch: (Also) Marcus Smart

AP Photo/Boston Herald

Defensive Player of the Year: Al Horford (BOS)

Al Horford may not record the block numbers of the last two DPOY winners, but make no mistake: Horford is an elite defender.

He finished fifth in DPOY voting last season and consistently ranked among the league leaders in defensive rating.

But this season, operating as the anchor to a dynamic lineup that will cause nightmares for opponents, Horford will be the leader and driving force behind possibly the best defensive starting unit in the NBA.

At age 32, Horford is past his prime. But don’t forget that Kevin Garnett won the award at age 31 when he led the ’08 Celtics to Banner 17. Horford gets a similar opportunity this season as the centerpiece for the East’s most promising squad.

Look for Horford to lock down the paint and help patrol the perimeter as the defensive leader for the Celtics’ starters. As with Rozier and Sixth Man, Horford’s case for DPOY will fluctuate with the overall success of the team.

* DPOY Runner-ups: Kawhi Leonard (TOR), Rudy Gobert (UTA), Anthony Davis (NO)
- ESPN: Rudy Gobert
- CBS: Kawhi Leonard (TOR)
- Celtic to watch: (Also) Marcus Smart

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Rookie of the Year: Deandre Ayton (PHO)

Slovenian guard Luka Doncic is considered the most NBA-ready rookie after he was named the 2017-18 EuroLeague MVP and then selected third overall in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Doncic averaged 14.7 points per game in the preseason and takes the reins of the Dallas Mavericks' franchise in what could be Dirk Nowitzki’s final year.

Nevertheless, Deandre Ayton will remind the basketball world why he was selected #1 overall, before Doncic and other talented young players, by the Phoenix Suns this summer.

Ayton has the body and talent to become the most dominant big man since Shaquille O’Neal. His stellar play at the University of Arizona (20.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, 1.9 blocks) drew frequent comparisons to David Robinson, Patrick Ewing and other Hall of Famers.

Despite most media predictions favoring Doncic, it was Ayton, the 7’1’’ Bahamian center (wingspan 7’6’’) who was voted most likely to win ROY by his peers in the 2017-18 NBA.com Rookie Survey.

The modern NBA is gradually phasing out the role of the traditional big man, but Ayton battles using well-timed explosiveness and brute force in the paint. He is the best of several young centers looking to spark a resurgence at the position.

Phoenix will probably struggle against fast-paced teams, but Ayton will make the Suns into a formidably gritty team. Their offensive game plan will seek to maximize scoring production from him and Devin Booker.

Ayton will almost certainly average a double-double while producing plenty of highlights as a commanding paint presence for the rebuilding Suns.

* ROY Runner-ups: Luka Doncic (DAL), Mohamed Bamba (ORL), Kevin Knox (NYK)
- ESPN: Luka Doncic
- CBS: Luka Doncic
- Celtic to watch: Robert Williams

Brett Duke-The Times-Picayune

MVP: Anthony Davis (NO)

After quashing past injury concerns by playing in 75 games in each of the last two years, Anthony Davis will continue shouldering the load for the New Orleans Pelicans in his seventh season.

Davis, 25, was my MVP pick last year when he finished third in voting behind James Harden and LeBron James. He also finished third in DPOY voting.

Now working in a faster-paced offense, Davis can build on last season’s averages (28.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.6 blocks) while exerting his overall dominance on both ends of the floor.

Arguably the most dynamic big man in NBA history, Davis shot over 53% last season (and career-high 34% from three-point range) while also logging a career-best 1.5 steals per game.

With DeMarcus Cousins gone, Davis is back to operating as the sole focal point of the Pelicans’ offense. New acquisitions Elfrid Payton and Julius Randle will help New Orleans move the ball quicker, allowing Davis more opportunities to overwhelm defenders in transition.

It would only take slight improvement from last season for Davis to average 30 and 12. Those are MVP frontrunner numbers.

* MVP Runner-ups: Giannis Antetekounmpo (MIL), Russell Westbrook (OKC), LeBron James (LAL)
- ESPN: LeBron James
- CBS: Giannis Antetekounmpo/LeBron James
- Celtic to watch: Kyrie Irving

Christopher Evans-Boston Herald

Coach of the Year: Brad Stevens (BOS)

It’s unfortunate that Brad Stevens is still yet to win COY, especially after he led last year’s Celtics to a 55-27 record en route to the Eastern Conference Finals despite injuries to several key players.

Nevertheless, Stevens won’t be overlooked this season when he leads Boston to the best record in the East and their first NBA Finals appearance since 2010.

As the best coach with the most talented roster in the conference, Stevens and the Celtics are incredibly skilled at exploiting mismatches. They are the greatest immediate threat to Golden State’s dynasty.

* COY Runner-ups: Nick Nurse (TOR), Quin Snyder (UTA)
- ESPN: Brad Stevens
- CBS: Brad Stevens

Axel Koester-Orange County Register

Executive of the Year: Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson is credited with bringing LeBron James to Los Angeles.

After the Lakers floundered to a 35-47 record last season, Johnson ultimately responded with an immediate influx in talent, wins, ticket sales and overall revenue facilitated by James’ presence.

Plenty of NBA executives are deserving of this award, including Danny Ainge and Bob Myers, who assembled the teams most likely to appear in this season’s Finals.

But even if Golden State and Boston prove dominant as expected, drastic improvement within the Lakers' franchise through the acquisition of James will earn Johnson EOY honors.

* EOY Runner-ups: Bob Myers (GS), Masai Ujiri (TOR)
- ESPN: No Prediction
- CBS: Masai Ujiri
- Celtic to watch: Danny Ainge