Two more Celtics preseason games stateside. Two more Celtics beatdowns. It didn’t matter whether it was the starters or the second and third stringers; the Celtics look ready to go for Opening Night. The last two preseason games have given us some great data points to help us figure out who will grab the last rotation spots. Without further ado, here are the updated Oshae Brissett Memorial Power Rankings and player grades.
This is a reminder that these are rolling rankings and grades, and that the grades are handed out relative to expectations.
1) Jordan Walsh – A
It felt like we saw the game slow down for Walsh in real time in his fourth preseason game against the Toronto Raptors. It’s encouraging that Walsh has been able to stack positive performances throughout the preseason, culminating in his best game yet. Shooting will always be a focus for a perimeter role player in today’s NBA, but finding ways to impact the game outside of the three-point shot will significantly raise the chances of a player finding their way into a rotation. That’s what continues to be exciting about Walsh’s game.
While Walsh went 1-4 from the three-point line, he contributed 16 points, 10 rebounds (4 offensive), 1 assist, and 1 steal while only committing one turnover. This is the type of all-around impact that should give Joe Mazzulla confidence that Walsh can contribute to the Celtics this season. Walsh’s confidence peaked when he hit Jakob Poetl, one of the better rim protectors in the NBA, with a patented Isaiah Thomas “Smitty” to get him off balance; Walsh then extended his endless right arm to finish at the rim.
I didn’t expect Walsh to be ready to crack the Celtics’ rotation this upcoming season. If Walsh can earn his way into the Celtics’ rotation at 20 years old as the 38th overall pick in last year’s draft, it would be another massive win on a long list of massive wins that the Boston Celtics have been collecting over the last 12 months.
2) Lonnie Walker – A-
I’m not counting the first two preseason games where Walker played a combined eleven minutes. However, over the last two preseason games where Lonnie has gotten real run, we have seen exactly why Celtics fans are excited about him. Lonnie Walker is a professional bucket-getter. Players who have the ability to create their own shot, pull off acrobatic finishes at the rim and catch fire from the outside are not usually available to teams like the Celtics. What has been encouraging about Walker’s performances is that he has been playing within Joe Mazzulla’s system. Moving the ball, making the right play, and creating plays on defense. It’s hard to not be intoxicated by the idea of adding Lonnie Walker to an already stacked Celtics roster.
Walker would have an argument for the top spot on the rankings if not for his contract situation creating uncertainty around whether or not he will be on the team. Signing Lonnie Walker to a minimum contract would cost the Celtics $11 million dollars due to their salary cap situation. Incurring that type of cost for a 10th man (at best) would be a tough pill to swallow. On the other hand, there is a very clear short and long-term upside to keeping Lonnie Walker around. Keeping Walker doesn’t meaningfully change the Celtics’ chances of winning another NBA title this season, but it would make the Celtics a worse basketball team if he were to leave.
3) Springer – D+
After Jaden Springer committed his second turnover, Joe Mazzulla benched him in favor of JD Davison. It continued a rough preseason for Jaden Springer. The benching followed the previous preseason game in which Springer received a DNP-CD. For someone who is built like a fire hydrant, Springer is not able to convert his sturdy frame and athleticism into plays on the court. He routinely ends up off balance when attacking downhill.
Defensively, Springer struggled to guard without fouling, picking up three fouls in 16 minutes. It appeared as though Springer was in his own head and pressing — not too dissimilar to Jordan Walsh’s performance throughout Summer League. It’s understandable. Springer wants to make his mark and earn the available minutes. However, if Walsh has been stacking positive performances, Springer has been doing the opposite. Springer did nail his two three-point attempts in the game against the Raptors, bringing his three-point percentage for the preseason to 50% (3-6). That’s keeping his grade from falling further.
I’m confident my 10th-grade geometry teacher would have given Springer an F, so I feel like I’m not being too harsh.
4) Drew Peterson – B+
Drew Peterson must have seen his inclusion on the last edition of the Oshae Brisset Memorial Power Rankings and been emboldened to take his play to a new level. Peterson put on a show in the Raptors game with 23 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.
As I said in the last rankings – I really like Peterson’s game. He’s got great feel and IQ. Peterson really grabbed my attention with multiple dazzling passes:
Despite Peterson’s thin frame, he was able to hold his line on multiple drives and finish at the rim. There are definitely some issues on defense, but overall, I’ve been super impressed by Peterson throughout the preseason.
5) Baylor Scheierman – D
If the current Celtics roster wasn’t so deep and talented and Jordan Walsh wasn’t exceeding expectations, Baylor Scheierman’s preseason performance might be a bigger story. The Celtics first-round pick has not gotten off to the best start between his Summer League and preseason contributions. Baylor has shot 3-17 from three (17.6%) in the preseason and struggled on defense. The good news for the Celtics and Baylor is that he won’t be counted on to play immediately.
