Boston Celtics: The C’s expected more from Brad Wanamaker this season

The Boston Celtics had high expectations for Brad Wanamaker this season to help command the second unit. Unfortunately it hasn’t played out that way.

When the Boston Celtics re-signed Brad Wanamaker over the summer, they had high hopes that he would be a solid backup point guard that could run the team’s second unit. Unfortunately it just hasn’t panned out that way this season.

Wanamaker has played in 56 games this season for the Celtics, which is good for the most on the team. He is averaging 6.6 points, two rebounds, and just under three assists per game this season. It’s worth mentioning that he is playing 19 minutes per outing, which is the seventh-highest on the team and almost double his usage total from last season (9.5 minutes per game)

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Since returning from the All-Star break, the Celtics have played three games in which Wanamaker has played over 18 minutes each contest, and has gone 5-of-14 from the field. His two points and three turnovers in the team’s most recent game against the Los Angeles Lakers really impacted the C’s chances of winning that game.

His role has increased this season in terms of playing time. Mainly because the Celtics don’t have much depth at point guard behind Marcus Smart, so when Kemba Walker is out, it forces Wanamaker to be on the court sooner than later.

The only other true point guard the Celtics have is rookie Tremont Waters, who is currently on a two-way contract with the team. But given the rules of a two-way contract, Waters will not be eligible to play in the NBA playoffs.

In more recent games, we have seen Gordon Hayward running the floor as the point guard in certain sets and that’s largely due to Wanamaker’s inability to stay consistent and run the second unit efficiently. It has become another way Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has been able to keep a facilitator on the floor at all times, along with consistent scoring.

This first happened at the beginning of February when the Celtics needed to form a lineup against the Atlanta Hawks when both Walker and Smart were sidelined because of injuries. Coach Stevens would later comment during post-game on the decision to run Hayward at the point.

"“Usually we’ll have another guy out there that as a primary ball handler, but we wanted to try that, we wanted to see that.” – Brad Stevens, per Greg Dudek of CelticsBlog"

Although Smart is the obvious back up to Walker, it doesn’t seem like the offense is run through him when he’s playing point. It’s noticeable during play that anyone will bring the ball up the court and make the first move when Smart is running point. That discrepancy can really affect the way the plays are meant to be run.

As of lately, it seems like the pressures of being the floor General are too heavy on the shoulders of Wanamaker and it’s starting to have a negative impact on the team. If the Boston Celtics are going to be without Walker for an extensive period of games leading up to the playoffs, it could prove to be beneficial for the team to have Hayward and his keen decision-making in command of the floor.