Ranking Boston Celtics Players in Order of Importance This Upcoming Season

Boston Celtics training camp begins next week, and all of the theoretical concepts pitched while the leaves were still on the trees can be put to the test. By the time we’re done raking, we’ll have a clearer idea of what the Celtics are trying to do with this year’s group.

For all the consternation over the Jaylen Brown trade all summer, the Celtics still have high hopes this season.

“I'm never gonna put a ceiling on the team,” Brad Stevens said on a recent SiriusXM appearance. “I really like this team. I think they're really smart. I think we're really versatile. I think we're really deep. We have 14 players under contract and a couple of two ways and every single one of them I think can add value to our team.”

Every Celtic is going to be important this season, but some players are more important than others. So in the spirit of September rankings, here’s the ranking of the Boston Celtics, in order of importance this upcoming season.

1. Jayson Tatum

No real need to explain much on this one. The Celtics not only need Tatum to return to form this season, they need him to be a top-five MVP kind of player. This will be a tough test of his greatness because there's no doubt he can compile some great stats, but can he control the game better than he ever has. The Celtics need him to raise everyone’s game more than ever.

2. Derrick White

His shooting has to come back around this season. There is fear of a regression, even if it’s slight, because of how his career started behind the arc, so it’s important to get him to his spots for catch-and-shoot opportunities.

His playmaking will obviously be huge for Boston and his point-of-attack defense will be more important than it was before. But with two big centers behind him, he can focus more on that without worrying about being burned.

White will have to do a little bit of everything, but his shooting is going to be the main focal point.

3. Mitchell Robinson

Robinson will open up a lot in Boston’s offense, even if his time on the floor is somewhat limited. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, his athleticism and ability to catch big-time lobs will put pressure on the rim and suck in opposing defenses. Then his positioning for offensive rebounds will give the offense the second chances they need to win the possession battle and give themselves a good chance to win.

Because the shooting from guys like White, or Paul George, or Baylor Scheierman is so important, having another great pick-setter with the athleticism of Robinson gives them the extra moment they need to get clean looks. And being able to take some pressure off ball-handlers by being able to get up for late passes is no small thing either.

Add to that the rim protection and he gives Boston consistency at center that they never had before.

4. Payton Pritchard

His ability to create for himself will be his most important skill for Boston this season. The shooting dipped a little last season, but his history suggests that was a minor blip. Without Brown, Pritchard’s ability to isolate and get a shot off will be huge when Tatum is off the floor.

There's a strong case to put him second because of this, but I think White’s shooting and Robinson’s ability to open that up is too important to take the pressure off Tatum. Tatum needs those things to get him where he needs to be, so I kind of see the first three players as a sort of package deal.

Pritchard is going to be asked to carry a lot of non-Tatum minutes this season. He’s critically important to this team.

5. Baylor Scheierman

The Celtics are going to need one of their young wings to step up, and I think Scheierman is the most complete player of them all at the moment. Whether it’s coming in for Tatum off the bench or starting as a big guard, Scheierman is going to have to step into a much bigger role this season. If he can’t handle it, the Celtics will find themselves in a bit of a bind.

We could easily label Scheierman the wild card of this year’s team. If he has a great season, then the Celtics will surprise a lot of people. If he doesn’t, then they’ll need a younger or less well-rounded player to make an even bigger leap.

Scheierman could be the bellwether this season.

6. Neemias Queta

I know this probably feels low, especially because Robinson is so high. There was a temptation to lump them together because they’ll do a lot of the same things, but ultimately, Queta sitting at six is a compliment to him.

He’s here because I feel like we know what we’ll get, and some of the uncertainty around the other players makes their situations more important. If the Celtics get eight months of last season’s Queta, then they don’t have to worry about their center play at all.

Weirdly, I don’t have much fear of regression from a guy who only broke out last season. I feel like he’s solidly established who he is. If I had any fear about Queta’s game, it’s that he might try to do too much on a team that doesn’t need him to handle much of the scoring burden.

Then again, he’s shown a few things in international play that could be interesting elements, especially if he’s on Boston’s second unit, which is where I think he’ll be most helpful. This could be a situation like Pritchard, where having him come off the bench is actually the best way to maximize his contribution to the team.

This is where I have to talk directly to the Queta fans who always latch onto my comments about him coming off the bench: Don’t look at it as him being benched. I’m not saying “bench him,” because that's a negative thing. I think starting him and Pritchard actually limits their contributions, and putting them on the second unit together gets the most out of them. It’s just a matter of minutes distribution, not some reward or punishment.

7. Paul George

I am not sure what to expect from George this season. Obviously, there's no reason to doubt that he will contribute at a high level. If the Celtics get 17/5/4 from him over 50-something games, then I’d consider that a massive success.

George’s ability to do that without demanding high-usage is going to be a massive part of this offense. Him chipping in those numbers as part of the normal flow will make it easier for Boston to make up for other things they lost by trading Jaylen Brown. So in that sense, George is more than the seventh-most important player on the team.

At the same time, it’s because of the maybe 50-something games played that he’s not higher on the list. It’s why Scheierman and Pritchard, and both centers who open things up for everyone are higher.

8. Hugo Gonzalez

He and Walsh are interchangeable on this list this season. Gonzalez is higher because he has a natural ability to do more things, so if I had to pick one of the two to ascend this year, it’d be him.

Gonzalez is gifted with great basketball instincts and is already one of the strongest guys on the team. He may lack some of Walsh’s defensive capability, but not by much. If he can figure out his jump shot and dial back his fouling, he can be a major asset for Boston this season.

9. Jordan Walsh

Walsh lands here because I’m still not sure how much of a contributor he can be offensively. When his shot is falling, he’s great. When it’s not, it’s bad.

The thing about Walsh is he might be Boston’s best point-of-attack defender. His length and quickness make it incredibly difficult on opposing ball-handlers. However, he’s unreliable on the offensive end. More than the jumper, I’m just not sure he fully grasps the read-and-react nature of what Joe Mazzulla is trying to do. I do wonder if sometimes that level of complicated basketball is a little beyond his reach.

10. Sam Hauser

Hauser’s shooting is obviously hugely important to Boston’s offense, and he’s capable enough in all other areas that there's an easy case to be made for him in the starting lineup.

However, if he remains as streaky as he has been from three, then other, more versatile guys will start taking the important minutes away from him.

11. Ron Harper Jr.

This might be where I get killed for this list. Harper has excelled in limited opportunities, including a couple of big performances against elite teams.

Still, I see him as a depth wing who will see time when Paul George or Jayson Tatum rest. I don’t see him as a backup point guard. I know he’s capable of initiating some sets, but I don’t think his strengths lie in running an offense.

12. Luka Garza

He’ll have plenty of DNPs this season, but he’ll still be important in games where Robinson sits. There will be plenty of opportunity for Garza, and I don’t want to minimize how important he’ll be in those moments. However, the fully optimized Boston Celtics will not be relying much on Garza.

His value is in the knowledge that he’s always ready to go, and will do the things he does well no matter when he’s inserted in the game. That's very important, because most guys in this spot will give in to temptation and sulk. I think Garza epitomizes the “stay ready” concept.

13. Mike Conley

They won’t be relying on him for much. He’ll be good in select spots and he’s good enough to have a few important moments here and there. His value will be felt more in the locker room and practices.

14. Chris Cenac Jr.

I like his game and was impressed with the tools he showed at summer league. I think 90% of his basketball will be played in Maine this season. He’ll get some spot minutes here and there much like Amari Williams did last season, but if you want to see him play in person, head on up to Portland this winter.

15. The two-ways

Amari Williams and Dillon Mitchell will have minimal impact. Williams needs to prove that he can play through the confusing moments without grinding to a halt. Mitchell has a lot of work to do on his jump shot.

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