Getty Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics
After a bumpy off-season, the Boston Celtics are gearing themselves up for the start of a new NBA season and will be hoping to avoid any further injury issues in the coming weeks.
Furthermore, Joe Mazzulla and the coaching staff will probably be keeping their fingers crossed that some of their injured players continue to stick to their recovery timeline – so that a full-strength roster is available sooner rather than later.
Luke Kornet, who is primed to see a significant increase in role this season, is likely to be the first injured player to re-enter the rotation, following a sprained ankle at the end of training camp. Speaking to the media following an October 10 practice session, Kornet provided an update on where he’s at with his recovery.
Luke Kornet provides an update on his sprained ankle
“It’s doing well, it’s definitely gotten better in the last few days. It’s turned a page, from the more sensitive phase into feeling more mobile, more strong, and getting that leg back in shape – so it’s been good. I mean, I’m building back up the conditioning and all that kind of stuff, yeah, I’m building up to being ready and stuff. Just getting back on the court, getting into drills, and today was my first day of playing and doing some live contact stuff – just trying to build that up now,” Kornet said.
Kornet has missed Boston’s first three pre-season games, but given his latest update, there should be a glimmer of hope that he’s able to return to action in the Celtics’ final pre-season game against the Toronto Raptors on October 14.
Noah Vonleh Could Earn a Full Contract
While Kornet has been recovering from his ankle injury, Noah Vonleh has seized his opportunity to impress, and thus, stake a claim for a full-time contract once the Celtics’ pre-season preparations draw to a close.
On October 7, Vonleh produced his best performance of the pre-season so far, helping Boston defeat the Charlotte Hornets 112-103 with an impressive stat line of 14 points, 13 rebounds, and two assists and 75% shooting from the field.
How good are the Celtics looking so far?
They are clicking offensively as if it’s March, @JaredWeissNBA writes.
Takeaways from Boston’s second preseason game: t.co/NdqolQd7iH
Following that performance, Jared Weiss of The Athletic released an article stating that Vonleh has probably done enough to earn himself a spot within Boston’s rotation for the coming season.
“(Vonleh) finally showed how his face-up game can be used in an offense that isn’t going to give him clear-outs in the high post. Vonleh had a few athletic finishes off the bounce and showed he can be aggressive to get to spots where he has leverage without turning the ball over.
That gives him a distinct advantage over Mfiondu Kabengele in earning minutes at the five, especially given how Vonleh’s defensive intensity and positioning looked much better Friday. With Kabengele already on a two-way deal, Vonleh appears to have the inside track on the 14th roster spot,” Weiss wrote.
Of course, Justin Jackson is also fighting for his NBA life, and given the Celtics’ lack of wing depth, could still be the player Brad Stevens selects to remain with the team moving forward – but that is looking increasingly unlikely due to Vonleh’s recent performances.
Justin Jackson an ‘Appealing’ Option
Right now, the Celtics have five big men under contract – six if you include Mifondu Kabengele, who is on a two-way deal with the team. As such, adding another center could be seen as overkill for Boston, especially when there are others areas of need in their roster that need addressing.
With that in mind, MassLive’s Brian Robb recently noted how Justin Jackson could be seen as an appealing option for the Celtics, despite his patchy form throughout the start of pre-season with the team.
“Brad Stevens and the Celtics’ front office still have one more week of practice along with a preseason finale before making final cuts. However, Jackson’s impressive second half against the Hornets could leave a lasting mark. The team is likely to carry 15 players with Danilo Gallinari and Rob Williams sidelined through 2022 and Jackson looks like one appealing option to round out the team’s depth chart,” Robb wrote on October 8.
It’s worth noting that not everybody is expecting the Celtics to start their season with a full 15-man roster, but if they do choose to go that route, there’s certainly a chance that both Vonleh and Jackson will stick around for what we hope is another NBA finals run – just this time, we hope it ends in a championship.