The Celtics completed the common season portion of Summer season League at 3-1 with an 82-76 victory the Sacramento Kings. The wire-to-wire win included a powerful defensive effort within the first quarter when the Kings solely scored 4 factors, the bottom in SL historical past. There’s nonetheless a shot for Boston to be a playoff staff with right now’s video games nonetheless undecided.
Earlier within the day, former CelticsBlogger and Spotrac’s Keith Smith reported that Boston had signed Milos Uzan and Tucker DeVries to Exhibit 10 contracts. Tennies are mainly non-guaranteed coaching camp offers that are likely to subsequently result in G League invitations to Maine.
Uzan has been significantly spectacular all through this Summer season League common season. Kingston Flemings was the College of Houston’s highest draft decide at #8 to Atlanta, adopted by Cenac Jr. to the Cs and Emanuel Sharp to Sacramento, however Uzan has been a pleasing shock because the lone undrafted Cougar. He had one other strong recreation with 13 factors, seven rebounds, and two assists final evening and could possibly be a great candidate to be the place to begin guard up on the Portland Expo.
“I do know I’m going to be at coaching camp, so I’m simply making an attempt to maintain getting higher and simply attempt to add worth to the staff,” Uzan stated.
What might fascinating is the destiny of John Tonje. He was included within the commerce that despatched Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz and performed on a two-way contract with the Celtics final season. Now, he’s successfully a free agent after the Celtics didn’t decide up his choice final month. He hit 47.4% from 3 heading into the Kings recreation and made one other 3-of-7 in opposition to Sacramento.
The 25-year-old is a succesful second-side scorer as a spot-up shooter and close-out attacker, however he simply lacks the athleticism on protection to carry his floor.
I made this Hugo Gonzalez comp in our CelticsBlog Slack and I feel it’s fairly correct: Austin Reaves. Ridicule and disgust adopted the comparability to the Laker. The sophomore nonetheless has three extra years on his rookie contract whereas Reaves signed a four-year, $185 million max extension this summer season. There’s nonetheless some methods to go for Gonzalez, however the instruments are there. Hugo is the superior defender (by far) and the Summer season League ## turnovers are an eyesore in his SL field rating, however he’s on observe with Reaves’ improvement on offense.
His Eurostep and decel have generated 15 journeys to the free throw line — bear in mind: Summer season League is testing a brand new rule the place one free throw is 2 factors — and he’s dished out 17 assists in three video games.
Admittedly, the grift isn’t precisely my favourite a part of his recreation, but when his deal with tightens up and his imaginative and prescient focuses, he could possibly be a dependable ball handler within the second unit. That’s an enormous improvement from final yr when he was principally used as a set off the bench and a flexible defender.
Converse softly and carry an enormous stick
The marquee signing of this offseason was Mitchell Robinson. The previous Knick earned a three-year, $47 million contract in Boston after ending final season as one of many league’s greatest offensive rebounders and rim protectors. He’ll be a part of final yr’s breakout star Neemias Queta and second unit stalwart Luka Garza within the Celtics middle room.
Nonetheless, within the shadows of the Summer season League, Boston is creating the way forward for their franchise in Amari Williams and Chris Cenac Jr. Williams spent final season in Maine on a two-way contract and he’s signed on once more to do the identical, however don’t be shocked if he’s transformed into a typical deal once more by the tip of the yr.
The prerequisite rebounding and rim safety is there — I swear there are occasions that Williams seemingly invitations a driver to check him just for him to swat their try into the primary row.
What units Williams actually aside is his passing.
“It calms all people else down,” SL head coach Amile Jefferson stated of taking part in by Williams. “Whenever you’re in a position to play off-ball figuring out that we now have a man that—his energy is his passing. He’s artistic. He can discover you. In case you transfer and also you’re open, he can get the ball the place it must go.”
He had three assists to associate with his seven rebounds and two blocks.
Cenac Jr. is a special animal. After making that game-tying three within the staff’s opener in opposition to the Raptors that despatched the sport into extra time, he missed his subsequent 4 makes an attempt in opposition to Charlotte and Atlanta. Then, final evening, he went 1-for-3 in opposition to the Kings.
His shot plot at Houston consisted of a heavy weight loss plan of mid-range jumpers. Assume Chris Bosh or LaMarcus Aldridge. Within the professionals, that shot would possibly must migrate out to the three-point line and it appears prefer it’s already an adjustment that the staff has made with him.
“I dropped approach decrease than I used to be purported to within the draft,” Cenac Jr. instructed ESPN. “So, I’m popping out and displaying all people what I’m able to doing and [making them regret] the choice that they made.”
Cenac Jr. completed with a powerful double-double of 10 & 12.
