Boston Celtics: Starting lineup locks, fringe, and potential break-ins

Break-in candidates for the starting lineup

Tremont Waters, Romeo Langford, Semi Ojeleye, Robert Williams

In addition to all of the aforementioned candidates, the Boston Celtics have cultivated a roster of young talent. If one of these players steps up, they could break into the starting lineup and raise the ceiling of this team.

Robert Williams is worth mentioning as the team’s third center option. He has been a picture of inconsistency since entering the league, pairing highlight-reel dunks and blocks interspersed by inconsistent effort or slow processing of his defensive assignment. He has more upside than Thompson and Theis combined, and if he can put it together this year the Celtics would be immediately better.

Romeo Langford was a top recruit who struggled in his freshman year at Indiana, then has battled a wrist injury since the Celtics drafted him. The buzz is that he continues to grow as a player, and the Celtics will certainly give him minutes this year to evaluate where he is. If he can be the long-term backup to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown that is a win for Boston; if he is good enough to force his way into the starting lineup, it’s a coup.

Tremont Waters is only on a two-way contract, but he has not let that stopped him from balling out in the G-League. He was the G-League’s Rookie of the Year a season ago, dropping 18 points and 7.3 assists per game with the Maine Red Claws. He is the team’s first option to back up Jeff Teague, and there is reason to believe he could jump Teague in the pecking order.

Finally, Semi Ojeleye is the option for the Celtics to keep Grant Williams in his bench role and still get larger and stronger defensively in the starting lineup. The burly Ojeleye has started nine games for Boston over the past two seasons and is reliable even if he isn’t spectacular.

Boston does not have the same over-qualified rotation that they did the past two seasons, forcing one of their five perimeter players to the bench. This season they have to stretch to find their fifth option in the starting lineup until Kemba Walker returns. They have options, and it will be interesting to see who steps up for this team and whether it is enough to launch them to the top of the Eastern Conference.