There’s been a lot of change with the Boston Celtics this summer. Jaylen Brown being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers has dominated the airwaves; however, Brad Stevens has made some solid additions, too.
Mitchell Robinson headlines the Celtics’ new additions, having signed at the start of free agency. The veteran big man played a large role in helping the New York Knicks win a championship last season.
During a recent appearance on the “Celtics Talk” podcast, Payton Pritchard was asked about Robinson’s addition.
“We’re definitely very lucky to have him, best rebounder in the league. Second chances … that’s going to be a big help,” Pritchard said.
Boston now has three high-level offensive rebounding bigs. Both Neemias Queta and Luka Garza proved themselves on the offensive glass last season. Joe Mazzulla now has the player personnel to implement a possession-maxing system.
As part of that system, we should expect to see the Celtics continuing to fire away from deep, knowing that they can secure their fair share of offensive boards, thus adding extra offensive possessions along the way.
Boston’s interior scoring will likely come via rolling big men, weakside cutters and secondary opportunities on the glass. Of course, there will be a fair helping of mid-range attempts to keep defenses honest, but likely nowhere near the extent we saw last season with Brown leading the charge.
Brad Stevens Pleased to Have Mitchell Robinson
During a recent episode of ‘Beneath The Banners,’ Brad Stevens shared his thoughts on Robinson’s addition.
“I feel like that spot is just really solid for us,” Stevens said. “I think Mitch is obviously proven. He’s been there, done that. He’s an NBA champion and played a very meaningful role in that series. That’s just kind of what he’s always done. He just makes teams better.”
Last season, Robinson suited up for 60 regular-season games. He averaged 5.7 points and 8.8 rebounds, with 4.2 of those boards coming on the offensive glass. Robinson also finished eighth in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
Celtics’ Neemias Queta Speaks On Robinson Addition
When speaking with Portugese outlet A Bola, Queta shared his thoughts on Boston’s addition of Robinson.
“What I appreciate is not having to box out against him because it was very difficult,” Queta said. “He’s a very strong, very agile player, capable of going in and winning almost every offensive rebound. Having a player of this level, who defends so well and can cause so much trouble on the offensive boards, will be very good because we are quite similar basketball players and we can bring many similar things to the team, which is essential.”
It will be interesting to see how the Celtics’ big man rotation shakes out this season. All three bigs deserve playing time. However, Mazzulla has to do what’s best for the team, which could mean that Garza sees his time on the floor significantly cut. That is, of course, unless the Celtics want a five-out option off the bench.
Robinson’s addition provides Boston with multiple options. That can only be a good thing.
Payton Pritchard Makes Intriguing Admission About Celtics’ New Big Man