Tyler Zeller was arguably one of the most consistent big men for the Boston Celtics last season. He averaged 10.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG and he shot 54.9 percent from the field last year. Zeller was coming off his best season as a pro heading into this year, but so far he has been off his game and not on the court very much.
Zeller has started in three games this year, but he has only played in 42 minutes in five games. He played 11 minutes in the opening game against the Philadelphia 76ers and he had his best game of the season against the Toronto Raptors, where he played 16 minutes and posted 10 points. Both of these games were in October, and so far the month of November has not been friendly to Zeller. He has averaged 4.7 MPG in three games during the month and he has averaged 2.3 PPG, which nobody would have predicted coming into this season.
The former Tar Heel is struggling from the field — shooting 45 percent — and he is barely seeing the floor, so what is the outlook for Zeller in Boston?
Zeller’s Future
Coach Brad Stevens and the Celtics have gone away from playing Zeller much as of late. Zeller has averaged 8.4 MPG, which is second to last on the team, right in front of rookie Jordan Mickey, who averages 2.5 MPG. Instead, the Celtics have put a lot of faith in frontcourt players like Amir Johnson, Kelly Olynyk, Jared Sullinger, and David Lee.
Sullinger has averaged 21.6 MPG, Johnson has averaged 21.2 MPG, and then Lee has averaged 18.0 MPG, while Olynyk has averaged 16.8 MPG.
Tyler Zeller might have watched that first half like uh oh I may never play again.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) November 7, 2015
Sullinger has gotten off to a hot start this season by shooting 54.3 percent from the field (number one on the team) and he is averaging 11.6 PPG and 1.2 BPG. He is impressing with his play so far this season, which is a big reason why Zeller is not playing that much. Sullinger adds the threat of shooting from deep and hitting shots inside, which is why he has played more minutes. Zeller adds a pretty standard big man game, where he can score from close, and he is a serviceable rim-protector.
The options that the Celtics have in the frontcourt have more versatility than Zeller. Johnson is a two-way player, Olynyk can shoot it from deep (only 26.7 percent from deep this year, but still) and he is 7-feet tall, and Lee is a great ball-handler and facilitator on the fastbreak.
Overall
Coach Stevens definitely saw Zeller as a key part of the rotation before the season started, but his mind has changed. Do not be surprised if Zeller or maybe Lee ends up on the trading block because the Celtics could be on the lookout for two-way frontcourt players. Lee is versatile, but he is a poor defensive player.
Rewind back to the end of last season, Zeller was one of the most consistent players on the team, and now he is barely used and might not be in a Celtics’ uniform much longer. Boston looked really good in their victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night, and Zeller only played five garbage time minutes for the Celtics with some of the rookies.
Zeller has been demoted from starter, to out of the rotation.