With Marcus Smart and Grant Williams both gone, there could be an immediate role for second-round pick Jordan Walsh with the Celtics, writes Gio Rivera of NESN. The 19-year-old built a reputation as a strong perimeter defender during his freshman season at Arkansas and he may get an opportunity to do the same thing in the NBA.
At Summer League, Walsh showed off a scoring touch in addition to his defensive prowess, leading Boston with 16.0 points per game while shooting 42.2% from the field. The Celtics rewarded him with a four-year, $7.6MM contract, indicating that he’s considered part of their future.
For now, Walsh is enjoying the experience of preparing for training camp with some of his new teammates.
“To finally be here, to finally be with the team and finally able to play guys 1-on-1 in practice, it’s been the best time, it’s been fun,” Walsh said (video link). “… Today I was matching up against Derrick White the whole practice. Even playing defense against somebody like him, I always have something to learn. For him, being a leader on the team, being a point guard who steps into that point guard role, there’s a lot I can take from him and I was happy to be able to get a chance to play with him.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Kristaps Porzingis arrived in Boston on Wednesday and has been doing “light on-court work” to prepare for training camp, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Porzingis traveled with Latvia’s World Cup team even though he wasn’t able to play because of plantar fasciitis. The condition isn’t expected to affect him in camp, and other players are excited about what he can bring to the team. “I think he’s an unbelievable player who is obviously really tall and can affect the game in a whole different way that we haven’t had, with his ability to shoot and put it on the floor and attack those mismatches,” Payton Pritchard said.
- Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon is reportedly unhappy about how the team handled his elbow injury and Pacers guard Buddy Hield is looking for a trade after not getting the contract extension he wants, but Brian Robb of MassLive doesn’t expect them to be dealt for each other. In a mailbag column, Robb points out that Indiana isn’t likely to have interest in Brogdon after trading him to Boston last summer, while exchanging Brogdon for Hield doesn’t represent an upgrade for the Celtics.
- Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe places the Celtics second in his preseason NBA rankings. He has the team behind the defending champion Nuggets, although he admits there are questions surrounding Porzingis’ ability to stay healthy, White’s transition to starting point guard duties and offensive production from its centers.
How many “Brogdon is mad” posts are there going to be?
He is going to play his hardest and be a good teammate because that is what he does.
So who cares?
Celtics have a history of not handling players injuries in a dishonest manner. How long until the league gets involved? Guess it helps when you’re part of A. silvers good ole boys club
Solid double negative.
Kurtis blows you have a history of terrible takes and idiotic false statements. How long until your empty head actually learns how to write a proper sentence? guess it helps that ignorance is bliss.
You literally just said that they have a history of NOT handling players injuries in a DISHONEST manner. You’re an idiot if you don’t realize what you just wrote. You tried to say that the C’s do not handle players injuries honestly, and typed the exact opposite. Go take your racist @$$ to another site already. Like Jay said, you can pay for college, but you can’t buy class… or intelligence, apparently.
He’s the one guy on this site I have blocked. He’s just trolling.
naw don’t block him. He’s the KD 17 of hoops rumors. It’s better to call out his BS so eventually he says something to get himself kicked out.
It’s actually better to not pay any attention to him at all. You’re just feeding him. If he gets kicked out he can just make another name.
hardly feeding him. He’s clearly an attention fiend but the more he comments the more likely he is to push the envelope too far. Regardless he’ll just make another name regardless of whether anyone mutes him or not.
Anyone who comments on a troll’s post is feeding him. He doesn’t mean anything he says, he’s just screwing with people.
What do you mean “push the envelope too far”? Banning him wouldn’t matter, He used to be DoDtoughguy. who knows who he was before that. Dude is seriously not worth a second of my time.
I mean say something so stupid and inflammatory he’ll get himself kicked out. like I said before he’ll just keep changing screen names whether or not you ban him
Oh you’re right then, I will take him off mute and argue with a troll about nothing all day in the hopes he will get banned.
That sounds like a good way to spend my time.
Some people don’t really understand the troll mentality.
Dude WANTS people to argue with him. If you stop watering him, he dies
Never feed a troll after midnight…
I get the mentality Joe. just different tactics for dealing with them.
I never said argue with him. I said roast him for his stupid takes. eventually he’ll say something against the rules or racist like KD and get booted.
Malcolm’s elbow injury will remain a problem until time proves out what’s what as surgery or no surgery was a tough call. For everyone involved. Go Celtics!
Buddy has always been a cry baby. Once he’s no longer a Pacer he’ll tell everyone how much he hated Indiana and all their fans. Coincidentally, the Pacers will also take the next step. The Hield effect is in full swing.
“I think he’s an unbelievable player who is obviously really tall and can affect the game in a whole different way that we haven’t had, with his ability to shoot and put it on the floor and attack those mismatches,” Payton Pritchard said.”
Put it on the floor ???? WhoTF is he talking about. Only handle KP has. Is the one to get out the car. That’s funny …
KP definitely makes them stronger. It may take awhile. This team can be tops offensively. Defense in the playoffs is another matter. Celtics are better. I guess we will see how much better as season goes on.
Celtics will go as far as their inexperienced coach can take them. We also will learn if Smart was a leader or a hindrance. With Williams KP and Brogdon. The bench will gave to step up. Hopefully health will materialize in the playoff. No step in foots in Game 7’s.
Celtics should be a tough out…
But 2nd?
Nah… Haven’t had a good coach since Brad moved to the FO… Either Joe makes a leap or they are a 2nd round out…