With the loss of five primary players — Jayson TatumLuke Kornet, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingisand Al Horford — there are plenty of open spots for role players, and Stevens made sure to use trades and acquisitions to keep the Celtics competitive in an Eastern Conference that is unpredictable beyond the top two teams.
The names may not be familiar to Celtics faithful, but these newcomers will quickly become known because they will play considerable minutes as coach Joe Mazzulla tries to find the right combinations.
“I don’t know that we’ll have one [rotation] throughout the entire year,” Mazzulla said. “Every time you have a strength and a weakness, they can be very similar. I think one of our strengths is the depth that we have. We may have inexperience. We may have newness, but I think we have depth, and the ability not to have a rotation is a strength because you can go to fresh guys, you can go to a bunch of different guys that do a bunch of different things.
“We’re in the early stages of that, but I’m not sure we’ll have [a rotation]and that can actually be a good thing for us throughout the season.”
Let’s take a look at the newest Celtics, who they are, and what roles they will play in a season that tips off Wednesday night at TD Garden against the 76ers.
The swingman from Memphis played a total of 463 minutes in three seasons with the Timberwolves, serving as a developmental player and sideline cheerleader. But what the 6-foot-8-inch Minott has shown is the ability to defend multiple positions, rebound, and deliver an edge that has quickly made him a Mazzulla favorite. While Mazzulla did play Minott and Jordan Walsh simultaneously during the preseason finale, it appears Minott has seized the 3-and-D role that may have been slated for Walsh. And Minott is only 22 years old, so he begins his Celtics tenure with plenty of energy and enthusiasm. He’ll back up Jaylen Brown and Sam Hauser in the frontcourt.
The consensus College Player of the Year in 2021, Garza has not been able to find his footing in the NBA, spending time with the Pistons but mostly in the G-League, before joining the Timberwolves for the past three seasons. He has totaled just 124 games over four seasons. Garza has worked on his conditioning, frame, and outside shot to make himself a more complete player. The center position in Boston is the team’s biggest question with Neemias Queta, a fourth-stringer from last season, likely inheriting the starting role. But he did not have a standout preseason, creating an opportunity for Garza and Xavier Tillman to get more minutes. Garza averaged 9 points and 5.8 rebounds in just 16 minutes per game in the preseason. He should begin the season as the backup center.
The 26-year-old guard averaged just short of 20 points the past four seasons in Portland. He’ll likely come off the bench to replace Derrick White or Payton Pritchard. The good news for the Celtics is Simons came off the bench for most of the first four years of his NBA career and he appears invested in his new role, as well as in becoming a better defender. Simons statistically was one of the worst defenders at his position in recent years, but he’s been working on it and Mazzulla has created defensive sets that will protect him against certain offensive players, using double-teams to trap and help on the perimeter. This is an important season for Simons, a free agent at season’s end, and he appears ready to contribute as long as he remains in Boston.
The former Raptor provides versatility for Mazzulla because of his ability to shoot from the perimeter. He’s 6-9, but his slight frame won’t allow him to play center unless Mazzulla decides to go small or five out, which is five players on the perimeter. Since Mazzulla said he will use different combinations throughout the season, he could give teams unique looks by starting Boucher at center on occasion. But most likely he will play power forward and could be in the opening night starting lineup.
The initial thought was that the 19-year-old rookie would spend most of the season with G-League Maine, but he has adapted so quickly to the NBA game that he could carve out minutes as a defender and energy player. González is going to get plenty of opportunities to shoot from the 3-point line early in his career and was 3 for 8 in a small preseason sample. His minutes may be limited in the early going, but he has earned Mazzulla’s trust and will have a role in the second unit on some nights.
The Celtics will be a considerably different team than last season. It will take time for roles to become cemented, but the newcomers should bring new energy to the roster and an upgrade to the bench.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.
