Boston Celtics: Training Camp News And Notes – The Guards

The Boston Celtics, along with the rest of the NBA have entered into preseason training camp and this is the first chance to start assessing how the new roster will come together for the 2014-15 season. The Celtics begin the second season of a rebuilding project and are looking to make a big improvement on the 25 wins they finished with last season.

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While we are just days into camp, the news starts to come out thick and fast as the media takes their first opportunity to cover the NBA season. After scouring the web, here’s what we’re hearing about each of the Celtics’ guards coming out of the first few days of training camp.

Avery Bradley

After signing a new four-year, $32 million deal in the offseason it looks like the Celtics’ resident pit bull Avery Bradley is back and focused on what he does best, playing defense. After averaging a career high 14.9 points per game last season, one could be excused for assuming Bradley may look to expand his offense even further, but it sounds as if he wants to re-establish himself as one of the most feared defensive guards in the NBA.

Bradley told ESPN’s Chris Forsberg that he intends to improve upon his All-Defensive Team selection in 2012-13.

"“I want to be on the first team all-defense,” Bradley said Thursday when asked about his individual goals for new season. “I made the second team two years ago. That’s my No. 1 goal this year, but obviously I want to improve in every part of my game.”"

Phil Pressey

After sticking with the Celtics as an undrafted free agent last season, Phil Pressey was again fighting for his place in the league with an unguaranteed contract coming into the off-season. Despite an average showing in the Orlando Summer League, Pressey’s contract has been guaranteed and he enters training camp looking to earn minutes in a loaded backcourt.

With an injury to Rajon Rondo, Pressey may get an early chance to redeem himself from summer league and try to earn minutes as a back up point guard once Rondo returns. To his credit, Pressey continues to show the work ethic needed to stick in the NBA despite being undersized and struggling with his shot.

Rajon Rondo

Due to an unfortunate accident at his home, the Celtics’ star point guard has had surgery to repair a broken hand and is expected to be out of action for between six and eight weeks. After injury kept Rondo out of all but 30 games for the Celtics last season this is the last news the team wanted from their star, but Rondo has told CSNNE that he has not ruled out being ready for the season opener.

"“Hopefully I won’t miss any games this year,” Rondo said in an exclusive interview with CSNNE’s Mike Gorman. “Lord willing I heal correctly and I’ll be back in no time.“They’re telling me 6-to-8 [weeks]. But that means nothing to me.”Gorman then asked if Rondo would be a possibility for Opening Night at the end of October.“Always,” Rondo said."

It is unfortunate that Rondo will not be able to fully participate in training camp but the guard and impending free agent has said and done all the right things in the opening days and it appears that he and General Manager Danny Ainge are operating on the same wave length, at least for now.

Marcus Smart

The Celtics’ rookie continues to impress and after rave reviews from Team USA camp and impressive showings in summer league, he now has the opportunity in training camp to show his new teammates what he can do on the court. Smart’s size and defensive ability at the guard spot allowed him to dominate at the collegiate level and he is already raising eyebrows among his more experienced peers in Boston. Mark D’Amico from NBA.com quoted Celtics’ big man Jared Sullinger and Coach Brad Stevens speaking on Smart’s defense and both had nothing but praise for the 2014 sixth overall pick.

"“He has similarities with Avery (Bradley),” Sullinger said, comparing the rook to one of the NBA’s top perimeter defenders. “[Smart’s] just a little bit more thicker, so he can guard more positions. But at the same time, he has that ball-hawking ability like Avery and he just changes the pace of the game.”Stevens took it a step further when he said, “Marcus has a chance to be a game-changer at that end of the floor.”"

It’s not just his ability, but Smart’s commitment that has impressed everyone within the organisation. It appears that the Celtics’ rookie not only has a tenacious demeanor on the court, but the work ethic and mentality to become a star.

A lot about Smart’s incredible drive is explained in this inspiring piece by the Boston Globe’s Baxter Holmes, which goes into Smart’s past and what is motivating this strong-willed young man.

Marcus Thornton

A bit of a mystery man heading into training camp, veteran shooting guard Marcus Thornton is somewhat of a wildcard on this roster and it will be interesting to see how Stevens utilizes the experienced spark-plug in his rotation. While it could well be a short stay in Boston for Thornton who looks to be a likely candidate to be shopped in trades, he genuinely sounds excited to be playing for the Celtics and the fans in Boston, as he told Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald.

"“They told me a lot of stories about here when I was there,” Thornton said. “(Pierce) told me about his days here and how the fans are. You play your heart out and the fans love you. I definitely am anxious to see that for myself. I’m ready to play right now.”His shooting considered, Thornton certainly has the right tools to make a splash with the TD Garden crowd.“I thank God for it every day, to have this skill that not too many other people have,” he said. “I’ve been around a lot of young guys before, so I know what it takes to lead, and to help the team and help myself get better, so it’s going to be fun.”"

Evan Turner

Turner finally signed with the Celtics after a delay of more than a month after agreeing on terms with the team. The two-year, $6.6 million deal seems like great value for the Celtics if Turner can reclaim some of the form he showed at the start of the 2013-14 season with the 76ers. It is unclear how exactly Turner will be used in the Celtics’ offense, but with the injury to Rondo it appears that Turner will be spending a lot of time with the ball in his hands during training camp and this could translate across to the start of the regular season. The Boston Herald reported that Stevens has been using Smart, Pressey and Turner as his point guards in training camp thus far.

"Brad Stevens is going through the first day of training camp today with 20 players divided into three teams. His three point guards are “veteran” Phil Pressey, rookie Marcus Smart and Evan Turner, who hasn’t played the point since his senior year at Ohio State in the winter and spring of 2010.Until Rajon Rondo returns from hand surgery in approximately two months, plan on watching the offense run through those three sets of hands….“The one thing is you don’t know,” Stevens said of how the Turner deployment will work. “But he’s better with the ball than not. With Rondo not being here, he’s as good of a pick and roll player as we have.”"

It will be interesting to see how Turner reacts to his new role and how he settles in once Rondo returns and starts to dominate the ball-handling duties.

James Young

James Young’s scouting report coming out of Kentucky after his freshman year was primarily based around his potential on the offensive end. Young’s sweet jump shot and athletic ability were his main calling cards as he entered the NBA draft, but early in training camp some of the comments Coach Stevens made to NBA.com may come as a surprise. Viewed as a raw prospect, Young is making an impression with his defense and a high basketball IQ.

"“I went through all of our scrimmage segments yesterday on film, anything that was live at all, I went through it in pretty good detail,” Stevens told reporters. “The most impressive thing about James was he never really crossed my radar as making mistakes defensively, which is pretty impressive for a young guy.”Young’s lack of mistakes, according to Stevens, can be attributed to his sky-high basketball IQ.“One of the things that I’ve seen with James is that James picks things up really quickly,” Stevens said. He later added, “The basketball plays come very easy to him. Some guys you have to talk through a 2-on-1. You don’t have to do that with James Young.”"

This is wonderful news and it may result in Young finding court time earlier than originally expected. It will do no harm that veteran Jeff Green has taken Young under his wing and the rookie seems to be taking it all in his stride.

Rodney McGruder and Tim Frazier

We have not heard much about the Celtics’ camp invitees and it looks less and less likely that either will make the roster in a loaded back court. Both could get a look on the Celtics’ D-League affiliate in Maine once the season begins.

Overall, as expected with the exception of Rondo’s injury it’s all been good news coming out of training camp thus far. The young Celtics are locked in and working hard to prove the doubters wrong and come out firing in season 2014-15.