Getty Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens looks on prior to Game Two of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat.
Despite the internal turmoil that was put on full display heading into the year, through these early stages of 2022-23 it appears the Boston Celtics have not let the organization’s preseason drama distract them from picking up right where they left off last season — playing like a legitimate championship contender.
In the midst of a seven-game win streak, the C’s currently boast a stellar overall record of 11-3, the best mark in the entire association.
Their level of top-notch play has been a theme dating back to the mid-way point of 2021-22 when Brad Stevens and company opted to shake up the team’s talent pool and take part in several trade deadline transactions that, in many ways, served as driving forces for their eventual NBA Finals run.
Perhaps the most noteworthy of them all proved to be the trade with the Spurs that netted the Celtics Derrick White in exchange for Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, and a 2022 first-round pick.
For Boston, they received a highly effective and talented two-way combo guard who has managed to carve out a nice role for himself within the club’s main rotation and is currently seeing 25.6 minutes per game this season.
For San Antonio, however, while Richardson has become a reliable 3-and-D role player within Gregg Popovich’s scheme, arguably the most intriguing talent in the exchange in Langford has struggled to come across any semblance of a definitive role.
As was the case during his time with the Boston Celtics, the 2019 lottery-selected wing has managed to show flashes from time to time with the Spurs during his 11 total games of action but has failed to put forth consistent play on a nightly basis.
With this, some believe that the Spurs should simply look to offload the youngster via trade to swap him out for assets that could be better suited and more favorable for their rebuild in the long-run.
Should the organization shop the fourth-year pro, one belief is that a specific Boston Celtics rival could prove to be interested in acquiring his services.
Former Celtics Wing Could Help Nets
In a November 15 article by Sports Illustrated’s FastBreak, writer Ben Stinar floated the idea of Boston Celtics divisional rival, the Brooklyn Nets, inquiring about Romeo Langford’s availability with the Spurs, stating that he could prove to be a low-risk, high-reward talent that could help them both in the near future as well as long-term.
“I think they should make a trade to acquire youth on the roster that can help them now (and in the future). One player who has been forgotten about is former McDonald’s All-American Romeo Langford,” Stinar wrote.
“The Indiana Hoosier was the 14th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics, and he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in the middle of last season… Coming out of high school, ESPN ranked him as the fifth best player in the country. He is still just 23 years old, so he has plenty of time to reach his potential.”
Through four seasons played in the NBA, the former Celtics lottery pick finds himself boasting rather pedestrian per-game averages of 3.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game on 40.2% shooting from the floor and 29.2% shooting from distance.
Though his tenure in the association has been anything but awe-inspiring, as mentioned Langford has managed to show flashes with his limited opportunities on the hardwood, with Stinar specifically highlighting the wing’s 17 points, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks performance against the Nets in Game 5 of the first round of the 2021 postseason.
While his stints with the Boston Celtics and now San Antonio Spurs may not have proven his viability for being the 14th overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft, perhaps a change of scenery to the borough of Brooklyn could help inch him closer to unlocking his lottery-worthy potential.
Tatum Praises Celtics Veteran
During a post-game media session on November 12, Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum couldn’t help but praise veteran cohort Al Horford for the impact that he’s had, both on him as well as the team overall, and went as far as to refer to the 36-year-old as “one of the best teammates” he’s ever had.
“Al is for sure one of the best teammates I’ve ever had at any level,” Tatum said. “I think about being 19 and coming in my first year and him taking me under his wing from a professional standpoint.
“I remember the first training camp, every day after practice, he would just encourage me and ask me how I was feeling. Good days and bad days, he always seemed to check up on me.”
Tatum would continue by labeling Horford as “the ultimate professional” and “the ultimate teammate,” suggesting that his selflessness has become a major part of helping establish their current team-first culture.