The Boston Celtics are off to a slightly disappointing 6-4 win-loss card this year. To make matters worse, rumors suggest young budding star Terry Rozier has been unhappy with his playing time throughout the early portion of the season.
Unexpected early-season Celts subplot: Terry Rozier (restricted FA next summer) has been unhappy w/ his PT all season, word has gotten around the league, and everyone now knows the Celtics need to trade him… which, of course, makes it harder to trade him.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) November 7, 2018
It feels like Simmons is a bit off here, because Rozier's uncertain future with the Celtics has been a subplot for the team for a while. Rozier looked the part of a starting-caliber point guard during last year's playoffs. With Kyrie Irving sidelined by an injury last postseason, Rozier posted averages of 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 36.6 minutes per game of play.
Ten games into this season after failing to secure a contract extension, Rozier is averaging just 22.7 minutes per game, a curse of the Celtics' great roster depth. As a result, the 24-year-old guard is putting up just 7.5 points and 2.1 assists per game, and he hasn't been all that effective as the backup point guard.
Knowing Rozier's talent and potential, you can't blame him for being disappointed over his playing minutes. Head coach Brad Stevens has opted to use defensive ace Marcus Smart to close out games as the latter's versatility on both ends of the floor is irreplaceable.
With this issue brewing, there will certainly be teams looking to pounce in potential trade talks. The Celtics likely want to keep Terry Rozier around for a potential championship run this season, but his long-term future with the squad is firmly up in the air.
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