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Mailbag: Capture the Flag, Superstars and Scorers

Marc D'Amico
Team Reporter and Analyst

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BOSTON - It’s been a while since we opened up the Celtics Mailbag. What better time to do so than late August?

The Celtics roster has taken form and we have a good idea of what the team will look like come Opening Night. You guys submitted questions about what to expect this coming season, so let’s dive right in. Please keep in mind that these opinions are mine and do not reflect those of the team’s front office personnel.

ANSWER: Well this isn’t your everyday Mailbag question, is it? Not gonna lie – I like it.

So, who would I pick for Capture the Flag? Coincidentally, he shares a name with you, Terry. My choice is Terry Rozier.

Rozier might be the most athletic guy on this roster. He’s fast. He’s quick. He can jump. He’s elusive. And what do I like the most about his potential Capture the Flag skills? He’s smart and crafty.

I don’t know if any other Celtic would protect my flag, or get the other team’s flag, in more efficient style than Rozier.

ANSWER: My choice is undoubtedly Marcus Smart. He really impressed me during Summer League play, and although he suffered a setback with his dislocated fingers, I still believe he’s trending up. I think his confidence will be sky-high heading into his second season, and I think that’s going to lead to a breakout campaign.

ANSWER: I’m no Brad Stevens – trust me – but I have a pretty strong inclination on this one. Tyler Zeller was impressive as Boston’s starting center last season and I don’t think he’ll lose that job. I anticipate David Lee, who is the only former All-Star on this roster, solidifying himself as the team’s starting power forward. He’ll be fine if he winds up coming off the bench, but I think he's capable of doing too many good things to keep him out of the starting lineup. One caveat: if he and Isaiah Thomas show high-level chemistry in pick-and-rolls, I could see them coming off the bench together.

ANSWER: I like R.J. Hunter, and so do the Celtics, but I wouldn’t set the bar too high for the kid this season. He’s 21 years old and on a team that’s going to run a legit 15 deep. It’s going to be very difficult for him to crack the rotation this season. If he doesn’t manage to do so, he might be the dark horse next season.

ANSWER: Many people who have seen this question answered with Thomas and Jared Sullinger. I’m going to disagree with the latter, and here’s why: I think it’s going to be difficult for any of Boston’s big men to put up huge numbers this season. There are just too many quality players there, and I think they’re going to wind up splitting up much of the playing time. As a result, I think this answer falls in the backcourt. My vote: Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley.

ANSWER: Yes. No doubt. Ever since Ainge traded Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, he has been accumulating assets and flexibility to make a huge move. That move just hasn’t presented itself yet. There’s no guarantee as to when it will present itself, but I’m guessing it will happen in the next one to two years.

ANSWER: Absolutely. I don’t think there’s any question about that. The only question I have is, how soon will it happen? I don’t think Ainge wants to wait three years. As I referenced above, I think he’ll pull something off in the next one to two years, so mark the over/under at 18 months.

ANSWER: The roster currently stands at 16 players. At this point, I think the “most likely” move to get down to 15 players is to simply waive a player ahead of the regular season. Anything else would require a trade, and as we all know, trades aren’t easy to make. The Celtics are unlikely to attach a pick to a player just to get him off the books, so if a trade were to happen, I think it would involve multiple players.

ANSWER: Let’s actually go to six years. Thanks to assistant general manager Mike Zarren, we’ve got this nifty table available:

*Memphis 1st will be received two years after they send one to Denver, but then only if 13+ in 2018, 9+ in 2019, 7+ in 2020, unprotected in 2021.

Realistically, there’s no way the Celtics will be able to use all of these picks. There just isn’t enough room on the roster. Some of these picks will be traded, but it remains to be seen what they’ll be traded for. That 2016 Dallas pick, along with the unprotected Brooklyn pick, could have a ton of value at the trade deadline.

ANSWER: I don’t think anyone on this roster is on the verge of superstardom. That’s a tough level to get to. Of all of the players on this team, I think the one guy who could potentially get there is Marcus Smart. He’s already a superstar at the defensive end, and he showcased a much more mature offensive game during Summer League action. If his offense continues to improve year after year, he could be an All-Star-caliber player within the next five years.