Celtics Notes: Green, Young, Rozier, Brown

One of the main reasons Gerald Green decided to sign with the Celtics this offseason was the impression that Isaiah Thomas left on him when the two were teammates with the Suns, Mike Petraglia of WEEI 93.7 FM notes. “It kind of began in Phoenix,” Green said. “He was a genuine guy, came in really humble. I see the talent was there I knew he could be one of the best point guards in the league, and right away when we both stepped on the court we both had the same mentality. By any means necessary, go get a bucket and go get stops. We both had the same mentality, just try to push the first team because we were both coming off the bench. Just try to make the first team better and that’s what we did every day. We were able to finish games as a unit at both ends of the floor. Now, me teaming up with him here, we’re gonna try to do the same thing.”

Thomas is also a fan of Green’s, noting that he had no doubts about the swingman’s value to the franchise, Petraglia adds. “We needed someone like him,” Thomas said. “A guy that can shoot the ball, a guy that can space the floor, and he’s just an instant scorer — whether he starts, whether he comes off the bench, that’s what he’s going to do. And he’s explosive. We needed somebody like him and, when we played in Phoenix, it was like we played together for years because we clicked so easy. I know where he likes the ball, I know where his hot spots are. He’s just somebody that’s very excited and something we need. I just put my magic on it and usually it works. I can’t tell you my secrets.”

Here’s more out of Beantown:

• James Young is entering his third year in the league and will need to impress the Celtics’ coaching staff in order to land a roster spot for 2016/17. The swingman feels that he’s off to a solid start in training camp and isn’t focusing on what may happen if he doesn’t make the team, Marc D’Amico of NBA.com relays. “I’m playing well so far, so I’m not worrying about [the final roster spot]. Just going out here and playing my game,” Young told D’Amico. “I’m grabbing boards, I’m making the right plays and I’m just knocking down shots. Those are the main things, and things have been clicking so far.”
• Another player who’s on the bubble for a regular season roster spot is Terry Rozier, but the point guard has impressed coach Brad Stevens thus far with how his game has improved from a season ago, Logan Mullen of WEEI 93.7 FM writes. “You can see Terry’s a different guy year two than he was in the first couple of days of year one, he just stands out right now,” Stevens said. “And I think that’s probably pretty typical because of the comfort level of going through camp again, for the first time versus again.”
• Jaylen Brown is trying to manage the expectations that come along with being the No. 3 overall pick on a team that is expected to compete for an NBA title, Mullen relays in a separate piece. “There’s going to be highs, there’s going to be lows. Just the peaks and valleys,” Brown told Mullen. “But, just to stay with the process, just to keep confidence and keep working. Just stay with the process. Defensively I think I add it right way. I think I talked to Brad [Stevens] a lot about that. Just being able to get on the floor, defending at a high level. It would be one thing, and just hitting open shots would be another. Those are two key things to get me on the floor and that will help me add to this team.”