The 2019-20 Boston Celtics’ Season in Review

November 11th, 2020

by Alan Lu

After having a tumultuous 2019 season that resulted in the Celtics losing in five games quickly in the second round to the Milwaukee Bucks, Kyrie Irving and Marcus Morris departed via free agency, and the Celtics signed star guard Kemba Walker to replace Kyrie Irving.  As four of their players ended up on the 2019 USA team in the summer, this team bonded and no longer had chemistry issues.

This helped lead Boston to get almost as many wins in the regular season in 10 fewer games, and they managed to have more playoff success under a more cohesive, unified team than in their previous season.  The 2020 Celtics managed to sweep Joel Embiid’s 76ers in the first round, and they ousted the then-defending champions Toronto Raptors in the second round.  There even was hope that they could perhaps reach the NBA Finals, but they lost in the Eastern Conference in 6 games to the Miami Heat after they had trouble guarding Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro there.   Still, the Celtics had a very good season overall, and they managed to surpass expectations, even if they did so just by a little bit.

F Jayson Tatum – A-

2020 (BOS): 66 GP, 23.4 PPG, 7 RPG, 3 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 45 FG%, 40 3PT%, 81 FT%, 34.3 MPG, 20.4 PER, 6.9 WS

Tatum had a terrific season with the Boston Celtics, and his only hiccup was that he struggled to consistently play well in the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat, as he struggled to score consistently when the Heat would throw various zone defense looks at him. 

Throughout the season, he showed that he can be a top 2 player on a title contending team, and he had a terrific game 7 in the second round of the playoffs to lead his team to a win over the Toronto Raptors, as he had 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists.  Tatum seems to be a burgeoning superstar that could one day go into the stratosphere of obtaining the elite player status.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Franchise player/Starting forward of the Boston Celtics
Projected 2021 Rating: 3.5 stars (4.5 star potential)

F Jaylen Brown – A-

2020 (BOS): 57 GP, 20.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 48 FG%, 38 3PT%, 72 FT%, 33.9 MPG, 16.9 PER, 4.9 WS

After having a down 2019 season, Jaylen Brown had a terrific 2020 season, as he had a stellar bounce back year with the Boston Celtics.  He excelled as a shooter and scorer, he played a solid all-around game, his numbers were generally up across the board, but the only thing that would have been better would be if he were to have made the All-Star team.  Brown has really proven to be a valuable member of this team, and he is an important part of their core, as he will look to help them bring another championship to their franchise both next season and in the future.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Starting forward of the Boston Celtics
Projected 2021 Rating: 3 stars (4 star potential)

G Kemba Walker – B

2020 (BOS): 56 GP, 20.4 PPG, 4.8 APG, 3.9 RPG, 43 FG%, 38 3PT%, 86 FT%, 31.1 MPG, 20 PER, 5.9 WS

Kemba Walker had a solid season with the Boston Celtics.  He excelled as a shooter, scorer, and facilitator during the regular season, and he made his fourth consecutive All-Star team in 2020.  However, he struggled to knock down outside shots in the playoffs, and he also struggled defensively as well.  He will need to improve his defense and show that he can be the elite scorer his team needs him to be, but regardless Walker is a very good player that will help the Celtics get many wins in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Starting point guard of the Boston Celtics
Projected 2021 Rating: 3.5 stars

G Marcus Smart – B

2020 (BOS): 60 GP, 12.9 PPG, 4.9 APG, 3.8 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 38 FG%, 35 3PT%, 84 FT%, 32 MPG, 13.8 PER, 4.5 WS

Marcus Smart had a solid season with the Celtics in 2020.  He is a terrific defensive guard that can defend multiple positions, and he also showed a decent ability to knock down outside shots in games.  He had a terrific game 7 in which he made a game-saving block on Norman Powell’s dunk attempt to seal the win for the Celtics against the Raptors, and Smart is one of the best defenders in the game.  He also showed that he can put up a barrage of points in a hurry at times.  However, he can tend to be too inconsistent in making shots, and he has only made over 40% of his field goals just once during the regular season throughout his career.  Smart will still need to be a more consistent scorer in games and will need to improve his shot selection, but his tremendous defense will allow the Celtics to be a solid contender out in the East once again for the upcoming season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Starting shooting guard of the Boston Celtics
Projected 2021 Rating: 2.5 stars

C Daniel Theis – B+

2020 (BOS): 65 GP, 9.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.3 BPG, 57 FG%, 33 3PT%, 76 FT%, 24.1 MPG, 17.9 PER, 6.5 WS

Daniel Theis had his best season yet in the NBA.  He excelled as an interior player, as he shot a high field goal percentage, was effective as a rebounder and shot blocker, and he was the defensive anchor for his team.  However, there were concerns in the playoffs about his ability to defend in space, and his general lack of perimeter skills, and Miami’s speed and quickness seemed to give him some fits in the playoffs.  Still, he is a solid role player that will likely earn plenty of minutes with Boston for the upcoming season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player
Projected 2021 Rating: 2.5 stars

F Gordon Hayward – B-

2020 (BOS): 52 GP, 17.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 4.1 APG, 50 FG%, 38 3PT%, 86 FT%, 33.5 MPG, 18.1 PER, 5.7 WS

Gordon Hayward played very well when he was on the floor for the Boston Celtics.  He excelled as an all-around player for his team throughout the regular season, but he did miss some time due to injuries.  He did manage to return to play against the Miami Heat, and he was effective early on, but he struggled to consistently make shots or score in the postseason.  Overall, his versatility will likely help the Celtics significantly for the upcoming season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Starter/solid bench player
Projected 2021 Rating: 2.5 stars

Side note: Hayward has a player option at the end of the 2019-20 season.

C Enes Kanter – B-

2020 (BOS): 58 GP, 8.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 57 FG%, 16.9 MPG, 22.4 PER, 4.4 WS

Enes Kanter excelled as an inside scorer and rebounder for his team this season, and he did a good job of providing solid minutes for his team off the bench.  He’s a limited, situational use sort of center because his struggles on the defensive end has tended to limit his minutes over the years.  Still, his ability to score and rebound in the paint will allow him to be a solid backup center for the Boston Celtics for the upcoming season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player
Projected 2021 Rating: 2.5 stars

Side note: Kanter has a player option at the end of the 2019-20 season.

G Brad Wanamaker – B+

2020 (BOS): 71 GP, 6.9 PPG, 2.5 APG, 2.0 RPG, 45 FG%, 36 3PT%, 93 FT%, 19.3 MPG, 12.8 PER, 3.5 WS

Brad Wanamaker had a solid second year with the Celtics.  He played in an extended role, and he excelled as a shooter, facilitator, and defender for his team.  Wanamaker will need to be more assertive on offense though, as he will need to take more shots in games, and sometimes his lack of size on the defensive end would make it difficult for his team to successfully contest shots.  Still, he has been a solid role player for his team off the bench, and he will likely provide them with solid minutes for them in the upcoming season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars

Side note: Wanamaker will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2019-20 season.

F Grant Williams – B

2020 (BOS): 69 GP, 3.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.0 APG, 41 FG%, 25 3PT%, 72 FT%, 15.1 MPG, 7.9 PER, 1.6 WS

Grant Williams had a very good junior season at Tennessee, as he was the back-to-back SEC player of the year, with Corliss Williamson having done so in 1995.   Despite his tremendous production and mostly solid all-around skills, there were some concerns about if he should go in the first round, considering that he was not a great outside shooter in college and was an undersized power forward.

This season though, his strong defensive play has quieted the doubters, and has seemed to dispel any notions of his game possibly not translating as well to the NBA, as Williams has found a niche role as a solid defensive forward off the bench.  Grant Williams has defended well in his rookie season, and he was able to get a key stop on VanVleet’s three-point shot late in Game 7 of the second round.  On the downside, he will need to improve his scoring ability and make more shots consistently, and he will need to be more assertive in taking shots on offense. 

One encouraging sign was that he made shots very efficiently in the playoffs, despite not having taken many shots in those games.  Williams has the skills to be a solid 3 and D type of role player that can play either forward spot, also is a good passer, and he may be able to play the center spot in a pinch.  He will likely provide the Celtics with solid minutes for the upcoming season, and he could be effective for them as he may be like a variation of Cleveland Cavaliers’ forward, Larry Nance Jr. in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars (2.5 stars potential)

F Robert Williams – B

2020 (BOS): 29 GP, 5.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.2 BPG, 73 FG%, 13.4 MPG, 23.1 PER, 2 WS

Robert Williams is a very athletic, energetic big man that seemed poised to get plenty of minutes on the Celtics this season, but he ended up missing many games due to a lingering hip injury.  By the time he was able to return, playing time was hard to get, but Williams did manage to be effective in a backup role by excelling as an inside scorer, rebounder, and interior defender for his team.  He basically serves as Theis’ backup, and his strong interior play in a reserve role has helped the Celtics in both the regular and postseason.  He’ll need to stay healthy, but his ability to finish plays and protect the rim allows him to be a key contributor on the Boston Celtics.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars (2.5 stars potential)

G Romeo Langford – C

2020 (BOS): 32 GP, 2.5 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 35 FG%, 19 3PT%, 72 FT%, 11.6 MPG, 5.4 PER, 0.2 WS

Romeo Langford is an athletic swingman that was drafted as a high-upside prospect by the Boston Celtics.  The 2019 first round pick missed a lot of time due to a wrist injury.  When he was healthy, Langford showed flashes of his shooting, scoring, and defensive skills, but he struggled to consistently do these things on the court.  He did defend well in limited minutes in the postseason, but for the most part, Langford did not shoot or score as well as anticipated as a rookie.  Right now, he will be fighting for a rotation spot on this team next season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Fringe rotation player, backend roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars (2.5 stars potential)

F Semi Ojeleye – C

2020 (BOS): 69 GP, 3.4 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 41 FG%, 38 3PT%, 88 FT%, 14.7 MPG, 7.7 PER, 1.9 WS

Semi Ojeleye had an up and down season for the Celtics this past year.  He did a good job of knocking down threes to space the floor for his team in limited minutes during the regular season, and he also played adequate defense, but he did not take many shots overall.  He also did not play much nor shoot well during the postseason.  Right now, he projects to be fighting for a rotation spot on this team for the upcoming season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Fringe rotation player, backend roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars (2 stars potential)

Side note: Ojeleye has a team option at the end of the 2019-20 season.

G Javonte Green – C+

2020 (BOS): 48 GP, 3.4 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 50 FG%, 27 3PT%, 68 FT%, 9.8 MPG, 13.1 PER, 1.1 WS

Javonte Green is an athletic swingman that excelled as a slasher, rebounder, and defender for his team in limited minutes.  He will need to improve his shooting, playmaking, and also must cut down on the fouls he commits, but his ability to score and defend off the bench could allow him to get more minutes next season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Fringe rotation player, backend roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars

C Vincent Poirier (Two-Way) – C

2020 (BOS): 22 GP, 1.9 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 47 FG%, 50 3PT%, 86 FT%, 5.9 MPG, 12.7 PER, 0.3 WS

Vincent Poirier is a big man that excelled as a rim protector for the Celtics in limited minutes.  He rebounded and did a good job of blocking shots and playing interior defense for his team, but he will need to improve his shooting and scoring ability on offense.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Fringe rotation player, backend roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars

C Tacko Fall – B

2020 (BOS): 7 GP, 3.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 79 FG%, 4.7 MPG, 28.4 PER, 0.2 WS
2020 (NBA G-League): 29 GP, 12.9 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 3.1 BPG, 70 FG%, 23.3 MPG, 25.9 PER, 2.6 WS

Currently the tallest man in the NBA, the 7-5 center wasn’t expected to play much for the Celtics during his rookie season, but it was a feat in itself that he was able to play on one of the best teams in 2020.  Tacko Fall played very well in limited minutes, as he excelled as an inside scorer, rebounder, and interior defender.  There are significant concerns about his mobility, which may limit his playing time in the NBA.  Still, Fall could provide some solid minutes in a backup center for either the Celtics or another team in the NBA.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Fringe rotation player, backend roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1 star (2 star potential)

Side note: Will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2019-20 season.

G Carsen Edwards – D

2020 (BOS): 37 GP, 3.3 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 33 FG%, 32 3PT%, 68 FT%, 9.5 MPG, 6.9 PER, 0.1 WS
2020 (NBA G-League): 13 GP, 22.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.8 SPG, 43 FG%, 28 3PT%, 74 FT%, 34.3 MPG, 15.1 PER, 0.2 WS

Carsen Edwards is an agile, skilled combo guard that can put up points in a hurry, and he is best known for scoring 42 points in an 2019 NCAA Tournament game in his team’s win over the then-defending champs, Villanova, while also having scored 42 points in his team’s OT loss to Virginia in the Elite Eight.  The 2019 NCAA Tournament star and tournament hero surely looked to be a steal after having been selected in the early second round of the 2019 draft, as the Celtics were able to make a draft-day trade to acquire him.

After having a strong NBA summer league and preseason, Edwards seemed poised to get many rotation minutes on the Celtics this year.  However, after struggling to shoot or score during the regular season, Edwards saw his playing time decreased and he ended up out of the Celtics’ rotation.  He’s a sub-six foot tall combo guard that may never really have the desired point guard skills, but it was thought that his shooting and scoring ability could get him ample playing time.  Now, Edwards will need to regain his lost shooting stroke to be able to get more minutes next season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Fringe rotation player, backend roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1 star (2 star potential)

G Tremont Waters (Two-Way) – D+

2020 (BOS): 11 GP, 3.6 PPG, 1.5 APG, 29 FG%, 17 3PT%, 100 FT%, 10.8 MPG, 4.3 PER, -0.3 WS

2020 (NBA G-League): 36 GP, 18 PPG, 7.3 APG, 3.2 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 43 FG%, 35 3PT%, 78 FT%, 33.8 MPG, 15.7 PER, 2.1 WS

Tremont Waters is a 2019 late second round pick that was drafted out of LSU.  He’s a diminutive, sub-six foot tall point guard that after having been selected in the draft by the Boston Celtics, signed on a two-way contract with them for the 2019-20 season.  He is a scrappy, skilled playmaker that excelled defensively, but he struggled to make shots and with turnovers in limited minutes during his time up in the NBA.  Most likely, he will fight for playing time on the Celtics or another team next season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Fringe rotation player, backend roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1 star (2 star potential)

Side note: Waters will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2019-20 season.

Head Coach:
Brad Stevens – B+
2020 (BOS): 48-24, 10-7 in the playoffs
Head coaching career: 318-246, 37-36 in his playoff career

After having a relatively turbulent 2019 season, head coach Brad Stevens did a very good job of coaching the 2020 Celtics, as he led them to more wins than expected in the regular season, and he helped them get the 3^rd seed out in the East.  With new point guard Kemba Walker, and star forwards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Stevens led his team to sweep the Joel Embiid-led 76ers in the first round, and they won a hard-fought series against the defending champions, Toronto Raptors in the following round. 

However, they ran out of gas as they ran into Jimmy Butler, Erik Spoelstra, and the Miami Heat, and the Celtics lost in 6 games in the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals.  Specifically in this series, Stevens had some issues making adjustments down the stretch against Miami, and his teams have tended to fallen a bit short in the playoffs.  Still, they won more games than anticipated overall, and they will try to carry the positive momentum to make a deeper playoff run next year.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Head Coach of the Boston Celtics
Projected 2021 Rating: 3 stars

The 2020 Boston Celtics’ season grade: B

The 2020 Boston Celtics did better than most people anticipated, but they still fell short of the Eastern Conference Finals.  They have a lot of good players, but they don’t yet have an elite player, though they are very close with Tatum and Walker.  Brad Stevens’ teams usually struggle more the deeper they go in the playoffs, and he has never won an Eastern Conference Finals’ series yet.  Still, it was encouraging that his team were able to go there in 2020, and that they can definitely beat the mid-tier playoff teams.  He’ll need his team to go the extra mile, but they may be very close to being able to make the extra leap to reach the NBA Finals in the future.

The Boston Celtics’ Projected 2020-21 NBA Rotation

Projected Starters:
C Daniel Theis
F Jaylen Brown
F Jayson Tatum
G Marcus Smart
G Kemba Walker

Key Reserves:
 F Gordon Hayward
C Enes Kanter
F Grant Williams
F-C Robert Williams
The 14^th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft

Others competing for a spot in the rotation next season:
G Romeo Langford
The 26^th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft
The 30^th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft
G Javonte Green

Other players that are currently projected to be on their next season’s roster:
G Carsen Edwards
C Vincent Poirier
The 47^th Overall Pick of the 2020 (NBA Draft)
C Tacko Fall* (RFA) (Two-Way Contract)
G Tremont Waters* (RFA) (Two-Way Contract)

Players that will be Restricted Free Agents:
C Tacko Fall
G Tremont Waters

Prediction: I think they will sign both Fall and Waters, but only to minimum contracts.  Both of them were rookies for them in 2019, but neither of them are established players in the NBA, and so they will likely offer them partially guaranteed contracts, but the Celtics are more than prepared to let them walk if they end up declining the first initial offer.  At the very least, I would expect the Celtics to give both players a fair shot to make their regular season roster for the 2020-21 season.

Players that will be Unrestricted Free Agents:
Brad Wanamaker

Prediction: The Celtics will likely let Wanamaker hit the open market, and let him sign with another team.  The Celtics have four NBA draft picks, #14, #26, #30, and #47 in the 2020 NBA Draft, and they could replace him with one of those players that they may pick in the draft, much like Grant Williams was able to slide into a rotation role as a rookie.  Wanamaker is 31 years old, and just now was a solid role player in the NBA off the bench, and may likely command anywhere from above the minimum to mid-tier money.  The Celtics have roughly $16 million to spend according to Spotrac, but they would likely save their roster spots for their draft picks and for a chance to sign an elite player that may come their way.   

Players that have a team option:
Semi Ojeleye*

Prediction: It may be a toss up, but I am predicting the Celtics to decline his team option.  Ojeleye is an athletic combo forward that can shoot and defend, but he didn’t take many shots on offense this season, is not an elite scorer at the NBA level, and he didn’t play much in the postseason. 

While he may add depth to the Celtics’ roster, they have a deep roster with a lot of draft picks coming in, and they may want to leave room to have higher upside players on the roster, so my projection is that they might decline his team option.

Players that have a player option:
Gordon Hayward
Enes Kanter

Prediction: Both players are likely to opt-in and accept their player options to play for the Celtics for the 2020-21 season.  I am projecting both players to opt-in to their contracts.  Both players will likely opt in.  Hayward stands to make $34 million if he opts in, which is a lot of money, and as centers may be devalued in the open market, Kanter could end up opting in to make $5 million next season.  With Kanter, it may be a toss up, but Hayward is almost definitely guaranteed to opt into his contract and accept the player option for the 2020-21 season.

Projected Players Cut from Next Season’s Roster:
Vincent Poirier, Tremont Waters

There are a lot of roster spots towards the end of the roster that may be in flux, but the 15^th spot amongst players on standard contracts could come down to Edwards and Poirier.  Edwards really disappointed as a rookie, but the Celtics have a lot of big men on the roster, and they could use some more versatility on their bench, and if Edwards can be the player they thought he’d be coming into the 2019-20 season, he could provide the Celtics a scorer and an extra ball handler off the bench, as where the Celtics may have too many big men in front of Poirier, which could leave him in danger of getting cut prior to the 2020-21 season.

Another roster spot in flux could be the 2^nd two-way contract.  The 47^th overall pick could potentially be good enough to earn such a contract, and if so, the last spot would come down to Fall or Waters.  Tacko Fall is a 7-5 center that played really well in limited minutes in the NBA, and he also put up strong numbers per minute in the NBA G-League.  He also played in the playoffs, and could project well into a backup center role. 

Tremont Waters has also played well in the G-League, but his lack of size could make it tough for him to guard upper-echelon point guards, and he has not really established that he could be any more than a run of the mill, run the team type of backup point guard in the NBA, which those players are a dime a dozen, and can easily be replaced.  Also, unfortunately there only can be 2 two-way contracts, so if the 47^th overall pick ends up getting a two-way contract rather than getting stashed overseas, Tremont Waters could end up in danger of being released from his contract.

2020 NBA Draft Picks:
#14, #26, #30, #47

Projected Offseason Plan for the Celtics:

Whether or not if the Celtics will have cap space to spend in free agency could hinge upon whether or not Hayward and/or Kanter opt-in to their contracts via team option.  If Gordon Hayward opts in, the Celtics may not have much cap space to work with in free agency, which seems to be the likely scenario.  If he doesn’t, then they will need to get to work to either to re-sign or to replace him, as they would need a player that has a similar skill set to what Hayward would bring to the table.

In the draft, there are many different players the Celtics could pick with their draft picks.  They could use a 3 and D player to play off of Tatum and Walker, but they also could look to select a big man that is capable of getting playing time in the Celtics’ lineup.  Also, they could look to draft a playmaking guard that can shoot and pass, and minutes could be available especially if the Celtics choose not to re-sign Brad Wanamaker.

Expected Regular-Season Win-Loss Record in 2021*: 43-29, 3^rd seed in the Eastern Conference

In this scenario, the 2021 Boston Celtics would play the 6^th seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs.

Expected 2021 Season Outcome:  They will likely be a top 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.  The 2021 Celtics could win a lot of regular season games, and they could be a solid bet to advance far in the playoffs in 2021.

(* – The asterisk denotes that the expected regular season win total is adjusted for the 72-game schedule that the NBA will play for the 2020-21 season.  The initial projection for the Celtics was for them to get 50-55 wins in an 82-game season.  Also, the projected record does not take into account for the NBA draft or free agency, as those events have not happened yet.)

In case if you need the rubric for my player rating system of projecting NBA players for the 2020-21 season, here is the link. In addition, Basketball-Reference and Spotrac were vital information sites that I used to look at player and team statistics, as well as contract information.

Side note: Also, the letter grades attached to the player name was my grade for their 2019-20 season, as it is my judgment of their performance and whether or not they met or exceeded my expectations, and didn’t have much bearing on my projection of how they will perform for the 2020-21 NBA season.