The Boston Celtics were back on the court for the first time since their season-ending Game 6 loss at the hands of the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals. Considering how it was for Summer League action rather than a championship, the stakes were considerably lower.
Truthfully, the Celtics didn't have much they had to accomplish heading into Summer League play. Their rotation is already pretty much set, and at this point, they are really just looking for options to fill out the backend of their bench. Summer League may be helpful in finding those guys to help at the back of the bench, but other than that, this was a good time for the C's to focus on the development of some of their younger guys.
The results were typically pretty good, as the Celtics went 3-2 over the course of their five game set. Many of their players had a shining moment or two along the way, which has shown the future is still bright for Boston. But as always, fans will tend to look too hard at Summer League play, and that causes tons of overreactions to come flying in. With that in mind, let's take a look at three of the biggest overreactions from the Celtics Summer League play.
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Boston Celtics 3 biggest Summer League overreactions
3. Sam Hauser won't have a place in the rotation
Sam Hauser was the most noticeable name on Boston's Summer League roster as the team flew out to Las Vegas. He had recently signed a three-year deal, and with the departure of Aaron Nesmith, there were a lot of hints in place that Hauser is going to have a bigger role for the C's this season.
Hauser proceeded to only play in two games, and they weren't exactly great outings for the young sharpshooter. He shot just 2-12 from the field in the opening contest, and while he was a little bit better in the second game, shooting 4-9 from the field, it wasn't the best look for Hauser.
Fans have quickly questioned whether or not he will have a spot on the team, especially after he was outperformed by Matt Ryan, who shot a lights out 52.6 percent from behind the arc in his two games of action. But there's really no cause for concern here. Hauser shot 43.2 percent from behind the arc during his limited action with the C's, and has been labeled a sharpshooter for much of his career. Summer League was really just a way for him to get some work in, and while the results weren't great, his spot on the back of the bench isn't in jeopardy.
2. JD Davison is on track to become a starting point guard
JD Davison was the only player Boston selected in the 2022 NBA Draft, so fans were naturally excited to see him play during Summer League action. Expectations weren't high considering he was the 53rd overall pick of the draft, and while he has potential, his game needs to become far more polished if he wants a shot at making a career for himself in the NBA.
Davison struggled in his first three games before completely lighting up the Memphis Grizzles the fourth game. He dropped 28 points and 10 assists while shooting 4-6 from behind the arc. It showed the type of potential that Davison possesses when everything comes together for him.
The problem is that more often than not, things don't work like they did in that contest against Memphis. Davison is still a poor three-point shooter, has a tendency to turn the ball over too much, and gets overrun on defense far too often.
These are things that he will work on over time, but to declare Davison a stud based off one good Summer League performance feels unreasonable. He has a lot of potential, but time will tell whether or not he will be able to reach his ceiling. It was a good start for Davison, but the work is only just getting started for the young guard from Alabama.
1. Mfiondu Kabengele is the third big man the Celtics are looking for
The only potential spot of weakness Boston has on their roster currently is a lack of big man depth. Al Horford and Robert Williams III are a deadly duo, but the only option behind them is the undersized Grant Williams. Adding another big man would help, whether it be through free agency or a trade.
After a strong Summer League, though, some people believe that the Celtics already have their missing big man in Mfiondu Kabengele. Kabengele was a stud for the Celtics, averaging 14.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, but again, it came during Summer League play. You cannot put too much weight into this stuff.
Mfiondu Kabengele has a lot of untapped potential, and the Celtics were wise to sign him to a two-way contract. But he still needs time to develop, and throwing him into the fire as one of the top rotational guys is a bad idea. Having him be the fourth big man isn't a bad idea, but the Celtics still need help at center, even with Kabengele on the roster. Mfiondu Kabengele isn't the answer to the problem just because he played well during Summer League; much like Davison, he still has aways to go.
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