Von Wafer, Jermaine O'Neal (who always oddly reminded me of the Koopas in the Super Mario Bros. film) Delonte West 2.0 and that tall, funny guy whose name escapes me are all among the Celtics' newcomers this season.
Not only that, but reports surfaced Wednesday that a league source has informed Yahoo Sports that the Celtics are working out castoffs like Cuttino Mobley, Trenton Hassell, Rashad McCants and Adam Morrison.
In fact, of the 15 guys currently on the Celtics' roster (not including Oliver Lafayette and Tony Gaffney as their salaries are not guaranteed, making them the most likely to be dumped coming out of camp), seven of them didn't play for Boston last season. And four of them, unlike those listed above, are rookies.
A squad packed full of veteran scorers with a last-ditch chance for another championship isn't exactly the ideal place to get your chops. Ask Lester Hudson, Bill Walker, J.R. Giddens or Gabe Pruitt, former Celtic rookies who are no longer in Boston.
But is there more hope for this year's group? Is there merit to the theory that the rookies will be needed to give the Celtics' veterans rest down the stretch? Or will they be relegated to towel duties and overly animated cheering from the bench, which the "Artist Formerly Known as Scal" did so well?
Here’s where I’d rate them on level of potential impact this season starting with the least impactful.
Least impact: Semih Erden
Sorry to all those who spent the FIBA World Championships dissecting this guy's play, but … he's not good. The guy has hands more slippery than Kendrick Perkins' were in his rookie season (which is a tough standard to beat) and he might be the worst free-throw shooter on Boston's roster — including Rajon Rondo and Shaquille O'Neal. Yes, he's a decent rebounder and not a bad low-past passer, but the former costs outweigh the latter benefits.
Dooming the Turk even further is the fact that he's sitting third on the Celts' depth chart at center right now and will be fourth when Perk returns. Expect him to spend most of the season either in the D-League or riding the bench.
Some impact: Luke Harangody
I hate putting this kid down on the list, because he's a fighter and showed up in summer ball, leading Boston in both points (16.6) and rebounds (6.8). Problem is, he's undersized — 6-foot-7 with high heels on — and has both Kevin Garnett and Glen Davis ahead of him at the power forward position.
That said, Harangody's got a non-stop motor (which Doc Rivers loves) and is a natural scorer from both inside and out. With those assets, he could see time spelling Paul Pierce and Marquis Daniels at the 3 and pick up the occasional shift giving Big Baby a rest in runaway games at the 4.
One thing's certain: When he gets on the floor, he'll shoot and rebound.
And with resident Irish-looking guy Brian Scalabrine gone, Harangody will fast become a fan favorite.
Most Impact: Avery Bradley
When I say "Most Impact," I don't mean "Lots of Impact." Bradley's got a couple of factors working against him. First, he's still wet behind the ears (only 19 years old, which Doc traditionally doesn't like). He’s also coming off ankle surgery, stands at only 6-foot-3 and just watched the C's pick up Delonte West, who Bradley will now have to battle with for minutes.
And yet, Bradley — unlike, say, Hudson, Walker or Giddens — was selected 19th overall, high enough that Danny Ainge won't want to waste him, either as an impact player or trade bait in years to come. The former Texas Longhorn, moreover, is by all accounts an NBA-caliber perimeter defender, a cog the Celtics lost when Tony Allen signed this offseason with Memphis.
With that ability to be a stopper, and with Wafer and West both offering wild-card personalities, Bradley stands to see more time on the floor than his rookie colleagues. If he can improve his jump shot and gain a little diversity in his ball-handling skills, those five-10 minutes a game could turn into 10-15.
That kind of playing time would be a minor miracle in a Celtics system heavy on experience and short on patience.
Which Celtics Rookie Will Have the Biggest Impact This Season?Market Research
