As he prepares for his third NBA season, Celtics guard Carsen Edwards hopes to move into a more defined role, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Edwards has played a combined 68 games in his first two years and saw just 276 minutes last season. An opportunity for additional playing time seemed to arise after Kemba Walker was traded, but that closed when Boston signed Dennis Schröder.
“I feel like, me just being a young player in the league and stuff, I feel like narrowing down on one thing is good,” Edwards said. “I want to improve on everything at the same time, but I’m mostly just working on my pace, shooting it consistently and just being comfortable with the ball.”
Edwards spent the start of the offseason working with a skills trainer, focusing on the sets the Celtics run and breaking down how to attack different defenses. He hopes to carve out a role as a bench scorer this season and give Boston an incentive to pick up his option for 2022/23.
“I think it’s just comfort, man,” Edwards said. “I feel like at times, just being able to slow down for me, just getting repetitions. I feel like just shooting and working out and stuff like that. Training is never the same as being in a game. So just whatever experience I can get just to be comfortable, just being at ease and be able to shoot it and not feel rushed, I think is a big, important part for me.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Romeo Langford, another young guard hoping to increase his playing time, is trying to make the most of his Summer League opportunity, notes Souichi Terada of MassLive. A lottery pick in 2019, Langford was limited to 18 games last season because of injuries. “He’s a very good player who plays the right way,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “There are times when he’s passive maybe, but regardless of whether it’s Summer League or a league game he’s going to be in the right spot and make the right read. He’s going to be a physical defender on and off the ball and it’s something he has to continue to work on.”
- Sam Hauser said the Celtics only gave him 10 minutes to decide on their offer of a two-way contract after he wasn’t selected on draft night, per Brian Robb of MassLive. Hauser, who officially signed the deal on Friday, believes he made the right choice. “They said I had a really good workout,” he said of Celtics management. “They said they weren’t sure if I was in their range or not in the draft. But I ended up here so sort of a blessing in disguise, I guess. So. I’m happy with the fit. And I’m glad to be in Boston.”
- Free agent guard Isaiah Thomas mentioned the Celtics this week as one of four NBA teams that have expressed interest in him, relays Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub.
Boston is an example of what having too many draft picks will do. Yes from their bonanza of picks, they got Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, which is great. But they also got all of these guys at the end of the bench that aren’t even getting a chance to prove themselves. Plus all the draft and stash guys that have already been discarded. They are no help to Boston and it is definitely not a help to these guys.
The same thing will happen in OKC because there are just not enough roster spots to go around. I don’t know exactly how the problem can be solved unless the NBA implements a better minor league system OR limits the total number of draft picks a team can have over a certain amount of time. Say no more than 4 per year or so.
The problem is solved when these idiots have to draft 6 guys a year and end up cutting half them within a year.
I agree on OKC.
They have to be aggressive over the next few drafts and move up via packaging picks or use their capital to get young talent via trades.
This is something Ainge was never able to make happen and it hurt the Celtics.
OKC has so many picks that they can shower a team with three or four picks to get into the top couple of picks. Imagine if OKC could pick say 2nd and 4th in a given draft…
The problem with that thought is that most of OKC’s picks are coming from likely playoff teams. Teams are just not going to trade down that far. Look at this year’s draft. The earliest pick in 2021 that was traded after the draft order was set was the Pelicans at #10. And I am sure that OKC tried to move up.
Other teams don’t want multiple low first rounders in exchange for their high draft pick. You could probably move up to 13-15 range with a couple of low firsts, but just look at what the Knicks got out of their two firsts this year. Low first round picks are not valued very highly right now. If Houston can actually turn it around quickly, then OKC will likely be stuck with all of their picks being in the teens and 20s other than their own.
Good point.
There’s one thing OKC has that the C’s didn’t a great GM/president Danny always looked to screw teams in trades so a lot of teams wouldn’t deal with so that’s y he had no choice to use those picks
Danny made some trades and the other GM’s were stupid. After he was thought of as something he is not. Tatum and Langford for trading down. Philly had 3 Lottery busy and now an issue with Simmons Danny has never missed on a Lottery Player pick.,
I’m looking forward to see what Langford/Edwards can do with consistent playing time. Both were really good college prospects. I think Boston’s window is still open but it needs to be a lighting in a bottle type season for the other guys not named Tatum or Brown.
Nesmith looks like a player. Langford is definitely a rotation guy at minimum.
Edwards? Not so much. He will be out of the league soon.
How can you even say Langford is a rotation guy at this point? He has only played in 50 games in 2 years. Nesmith got more minutes in his first year than Langford got in his first two years combined. And Nesmith still didn’t get THAT much playing time.
I can say he is a rotation guy by knowing his skillset and watching him play. He is very athletic and tough on D.Hin being injured doesn’t change that.
Congratulations on being so observant that you can see things that no one else sees. That either makes you brilliant or wrong. I guess we’ll have to wait and see which one is correct.
A short time ago you said Langford, etc. lacked developmental time because his team had too many picks. Now he is hopeless regardless? Then why be concerned about teams having so many picks?
I doubt that matters. Pritchard sailed through them.
I thought Edwards would be a shooter at least, but his quotes are about such basic skills. He is behind. GL please.
You are saying “no one” thinks Langford will be a rotation player.
You’re either trolling or ignorant. If you want to argue basketball you don’t have exaggerate to make your points. A lot of people think highly of Langford.
Very very little
I would say Boston’s window is closed for the core of a few years ago. Loosing Hayward in FA and Walker’s knees failing, doomed that core.
But, with JT and JB, they have another window on the horizon.
Boston has a lowkey good team now. they could clamp teams and score. idk how people think Shroeder/Richardson/Jaylen/Tatum/Horford is horrible
Not horrible, but do you really think that is a championship contending team?
No…it’s lowkey good like he said.
edwards is a ballhog no thnx
So many top players were available when Celtics had a ton of future picks – Butler, PG13, Kawhi, CP3… Granted, trading down to take Tatum might be the most genius GM move I ever saw, and they traded for Kyrie, but maan, Celts couldve been stacked
doubt any of those players would want to be in Boston. at least Beal looks like it and i give them a 60% chance of getting him next season
How does Beal look like he wants Boston (60%)? Are you a fan of either? (I thought not)
I Think Boston could surprise a lot of people Schröder was a steal. Robert Williams could be the difference in the middle. Langford, Pritchard, Nemsmith and Hauser are on fire in Summer League Yam, Bruno and Serigan have some potential. Edwards is the odd man out in Boston. Dunn is a wild card too.
They need guys to stay healthy and for one or two of doofus Danny horrible draft picks to show something anything this season that’s the only way this team will have any shot
Please sign Isaiah Thomas. He would be fun watch be “6th” man like and lead the bench units. Dude can still score.
My heart actually breaks for I.T. He should be so rich, should have landed a massive contract. That damn injury. He shouldn’t have become a journeyman who can barely find a place to journey to. Sad.
He has made 31M dollars.
How rich is so rich?