The Celtics begin their regular season Wednesday when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers. And roughly 12 hours before tip-off, Gordon Hayward provided an in-depth look at Boston’s new-look roster.
Of course, with any new season comes a lack of familiarity, which is why Celtics fans will appreciate Hayward’s Players’ Tribune article published Wednesday. The 29-year-old broke down everyone from Kemba Walker to Robert Williams, and even two-way players Tacko Fall and Tremont Waters.
Here are a few of the tidbits provided by Hayward in each of his breakdowns:
Walker: “But now seeing him do his thing up-close, as a teammate? I’ve been blown away. The guy can basically get to anywhere on the court, at will. And he finishes with this confidence that’s unreal. Whether it’s some last-second move within a move that he’s adding, or switching up his timing the smallest amount, or using the rim as a shield in all of these creative ways….. it’s hard to explain, but what Kemba is able to do around the basket is unique.”
Jayson Tatum: “Then you have Jayson, who is such a natural scorer it’s crazy. He’s coming at you from all three levels, and by that I mean he can hit it lights-out from three, off the dribble, or spotting up. To be as versatile and as lethal of a scorer as he is at his age….. trust me when I tell you that’s extremely rare. It’s a small list. JT is ready to make a really big leap this year — on both ends of the court.”
Jaylen Brown: “Jay is one of the best athletes in the entire league, and when he puts his mind to it he can truly be a lockdown defensive player — and I’m talking at multiple positions. That’s what sets his game apart from a lot of the young wings he gets compared to: A lot of guys, maybe they can lock it down at one spot….. and then “hold their own” at another spot or two. But not that many guys have the ability to legitimately play lockdown D at multiple spots on the court — against bigs and point guards alike.”
Carsen Edwards: “That dude is going to be scoring a lot of points in this league….. for a long time. He’s insanely quick, and yet somehow has no fear — with the body control of a 10-year vet. I love that we made this pick. Kid is a stud.”
Williams: “Unlimited potential. Already a pretty dominant rim-roller and shot-blocker. Not too many bigs Rob’s age can combine his timing and his physical gifts. If he puts it all together, he’s going to be a beast.”
Waters: “I love his vision. Tremont might not be the biggest guy on the court, but he sees things two or three steps ahead of everyone else — which will get you pretty far in this league. It always helps to be smart, and Tremont is as smart as they come.”
To see the rest of the scouting reports, you’ll have to read his full Players’ Tribune article (link provided below), but one thing is for sure, Hayward is very confident in this group heading into the 2019-20 season.
Tip-off from Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
