(Getty Images)
Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Boston Celtics guard Terry Rozier scanned the court, and in a different setting — say, his rookie NBA season — probably would have swung the ball to a teammate and stepped aside to provide a bit of space. This was summer league, though, and Rozier dug up an opportunity to reach the paint.
The Utah Jazz showed no easy path there but Rozier made his move anyway, pulling the ball over his defender’s head, high-stepping into the lane, and finding James Young wide open in the corner. Young swished the shot, sealing a nice outing for him and all but closing the door on Boston’s 89-82 win. But it was Rozier who created the play in a situation where, in a Celtics uniform, he hasn’t always shown aggression. The Jazz guarded him pretty well, but he decided not to let them off the hook.
“I’m smarter,” Rozier said a few days ago, trying to explain how he has grown since his first year of professional basketball. That extra intelligence allowed him to notch 16 points, six rebounds and four assists Tuesday night against the Jazz, with just one turnover in almost 30 minutes.
Mass Live – Terry Rozier demonstrates increased poise
I know, I know, it’s Summer League play, but there is reason to be certifiably impressed and excited by Terry Rozier through the Celtics’ first two exhibitions. When a raw rookie (Kedrick Brown, Gerald Green, perhaps Guerschon Yabusele?) shows flashes in Summer League, one must be careful not to overreact. When an undrafted rookie or summer league retread (Dionte Christmas, perhaps James Young or Malcolm Miller) leads his Summer League team to victory, odds are it won’t translate into regular season success or even a spot at the end of the bench. When players like Jonathan Simmons, Kyle Anderson or Justise Winslow dominate, it reaffirms what one already knows — those guys are turning into decent NBA players.
So, what about Rozier? I actually think Rozier’s first two games are cause for excitement for two reasons: One, which goes in line with the pattern from above, Rozier saw only glimpses of the court in his first season and within those glimpses, fans saw only glimpses of what he could become as a rotation guard in the NBA. Two, he’s a point guard, so his decision making, leadership and confidence are on display when he takes the court. In those respects, Rozier looks far more comfortable and decisive this summer and has shown those very same glimpses but for larger stretches of time. He’s driven hard to the hoop in both games, which has opened up looks for teammates — James Young’s dagger last night being a prime example — and he’s shot the ball with confidence. There is the large caveat that playing with confidence in front of half empty stadiums against lesser competition doesn’t always translate to similar play in the regular season, but those flashes Rozier demonstrated last year and even in limited playoff time lead to the possibility that he can continue to grow and play like this to help fill the void left by Evan Turner.
Last night was nice for Yabusele and it was relieving to see James Young bounce back, but Rozier’s performance is most meaningful in the context of this coming season.
Related links:
CSNNE – Terry Rozier continues to be Boston Celtics floor leader
On page 2, About that Russell Westbrook trade idea
Thunder get:Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder, Amir Johnson and rights to the Celtics’ first-round pick swap with the Nets in 2017
Celtics get: Westbrook
[…]
The proposed trade would leave Boston with a hole at small forward, but the Celtics could still address it with another trade (or free-agent pickup). And even without further roster tweaks, the Celtics’ new core of Westbrook, Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Al Horford, Jared Sullinger(assuming they re-sign the restricted free agent) and Kelly Olynyk should vault them into contention with the Cavs in the East.
ESPN – Four best Russell Westbrook trades for Oklahoma City Thunder
Yesterday, Chuck demurred when faced with the prospect of dealing Isaiah and the Brooklyn picks for a year of Russell Westbrook. Today, we look at a proposed deal from ESPN, which has the Cs dealing two of their foundational pieces — Smart and Crowder along with just this year’s pick swap. If I knew for a fact that Westbrook would re-up to play with Al Horford, Isaiah, Avery Bradley and Jaylen Brown, I would likely pull the trigger on this move. My largest concern from a basketball standpoint would be playing Westbrook and Thomas together. While IT showed a willingness to play off the ball last season, I wonder how the two would fit together for long stretches of time.
Additionally, if the Cs think that Rozier’s growth merits more playing time this season, dealing Smart, who showed marked growth last season and into the playoffs, seems more palatable.
These fake trades never happen, so I probably just wasted 100 or so words pontificating on something that will not come to fruition, but I’d be more willing to deal Smart/Crowder and one pick than IT and two picks. Thoughts?
Related links:
Herald – Next steps for Celtics aren’t so clear now
And finally, if you missed last night’s game, Forsberg’s got you covered
Summer League emoji recap:
🍀 89, 🎷 82
Ya-👻-sule: 13 pts, 8 reb
T🌹: 16 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast
💰👦🏻: 17 points, 4 3sC’s chasing summer league 🏆
— Chris Forsberg (@ESPNForsberg) July 6, 2016
I was mid-flight during most of this game, so I now feel officially caught up. Thanks, Chris.
Rest of the links:
ESPNBoston – Celtics’ Jaylen Brown proving to be a driving force | Herald – Celtics rookie Jaylen Brown sits out after strong summer league debut
