Getty Images Boston Celtics point guard Terry Rozier in the 2017 playoffs.
The Boston Celtics found out that they could strike gold from one of their depth players at the end of the 2017-2018 season. Last year, when the Celtics were attempting to make a run at the NBA Finals, they were hit with a roadblock. Their superstar guard Kyrie Irving went down with an injury, and his chances of making it back for the playoffs were far out of the picture. Therefore, the team had to use Terry Rozier, who was nothing more than a bench player while Kyrie was still involved.
Terry ‘Scary Terry’ Rozier ended up dominating in the playoffs. Although the Celtics couldn’t make it to the Finals, their journey up to the Eastern Conference Title game was still impressive as they were missing some key components. And ever since Rozier’s breakout stretch, he feels a bit under-utilized. The Celtics know it, and so do other teams.
As Rozier is approaching the end of his contract, he’s indicated to his team behind closed doors that he probably won’t be back. That’s totally understandable, considering that he wants a more significant role and a bigger payday. But as guard-needy teams are watching from the outside looking in, they want to fast-track this process and get Rozier out of Boston.
Rozier Draws up a Heavy Demand
There’s a ton of speculation going around that the Celtics are constantly receiving phone calls with trade offers in an attempt to acquire Rozier. This is the furthest thing from surprising. Apparently, the Phoenix Suns have expressed a keen interest in the guard, but they aren’t the only ones. Including the Suns, there’s rumored to be seven teams interested in Rozier.
Being that the Celtics are stocked up once again with their injured superstars from last season, Rozier has become involved in an off-the-bench type of role once again. As much as he wants to be a star in this league, leading his own team, the Celtics understand that losing him can damage them in two different ways. One, if Kyrie goes down, Rozier wouldn’t be there. Two, they would lose some quality productivity off the bench.
If you are expecting a Rozier trade this season, don’t hold your breath. The Celtics simply do not seem all that interested in moving him, and if they ever do consider it, the offer would have to blow them away. According to Tom Westerholm of MassLive.com, since the Celtics currently have the tools to make it to the Finals, they have their eyes set on championships. Moving their quality backup guard could be seen as a step back.