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What To Watch For As Celtics Begin Preseason

BOSTON (CBS) -- Tuesday is a good day for basketball junkies.

The Boston Celtics will hit the hardwood against Olimpia Milano at the Mediolanum Forum in Milan, tipping off their preseason slate with a pair of overseas matchups. While we won't see the C's take on any NBA talent in their first two preseason tilts, they're finally going against someone other than themselves on the practice floor. For that, the players (and fans) are grateful.

The upcoming season will be an interesting one for Boston, with Brad Stevens now in his third year on the bench. Despite a roster that changed every week in the early months of the season last year, the boy wonder guided the team to an impressive second half run and a playoff berth. With that comes postseason expectations for the upcoming campaign, and Stevens and the Celtics looked poised to deliver.

No, there won't be a Banner 18 celebration next October, but this is another step in the team's rebuild -- or quest to lure a super star to Boston. There are plenty of question marks surrounding this team, so here is what we'll be keeping an eye on over the next 3 1/2 weeks before regular season basketball returns to the TD Garden.

A Rotating Rotation?

It's bad enough the Celtics have 16 players for their 15-man roster at the moment. It's going to get even more complicated when Brad Stevens has to figure out his 10-man rotation, leaving up to five players serving as cheerleaders on any given night.

Stevens has begged reporters and fans not to read much into his lineups throughout the preseason, as he attempts to iron out all the wrinkles and mix and match as they go, figuring out the best combinations for the team. But that's a request that will get ignored by those starved for anything basketball.

But really, we shouldn't read much into the rotations over the first few games. It's going to change constantly, based on whoever is earning those minutes and whatever analytics Stevens and his staff have on that evening's matchups.

The most intriguing part of the equation is Boston's front court, with Amir Johnson, David Lee, Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk and Tyler Zeller essentially battling for four spots. That abundance of bodies has most of us believing (or rather, wishing and hoping)  a trade will happen sometime within the next month.

The Celtics signed Johnson to a two-year deal over the summer (though only the first year is guaranteed), and he'll likely land in the starting five because of his rebounding and defense. Zeller appeared in all 82 games last season, getting the starting nod in 59 of them, and given he and Sullinger are due for paydays at the end of the season, both will be heavily motivated this year. But even with the contract situation coming up, it looks like the 7-foot Zeller will be part of the future in Boston.

The Celtics acquired Lee, the only player on the roster north of 30 years old, for his veteran leadership, and given his upcoming free agency Ainge may want to showcase him a bit for a potential midseason trade (Trader Danny has to round-up those second rounders!). Lee's playing time dipped considerably with the Warriors last season, essentially getting Wally Pipp'd after a preseason hamstring injury caused him to miss the first quarter Golden State's championship campaign. That led to his lowest rebounding numbers since his rookie season, but make no mistake, Lee can still clean up the glass. He should be able to earn his share of minutes in Boston, likely at the expense of Olynyk or Sullinger.

The Celtics have lauded their depth as a strength heading into the new campaign, but it's safe to say that not many envy the decisions Stevens and Ainge will have to make in the coming weeks.

Anything Isaiah Thomas

Boston Celtics v Emporio Armani Milano
Isiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics warms up prior to the start of a game against Emporio Armani Milano as part of the 2015 Global Games. (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

 

He says he wants to start, and as Boston's best scorer, he had a case. But he's too valuable off the bench, providing a spark to the second unit, and he'll be out there when the game is on the line anyways, so starting or being Boston's sixth man shouldn't matter too much.

Whenever he's out there, Thomas is a lot of fun to watch. He's deadly from downtown, he's expanding his arsenal to include some Steve Nash-like moves, and he's even improving his game as a distributor.

This should be fun, even if the results don't count.

Smart's Progress As A Point Guard

Marcus-Smart
Celtics point guard Marcus Smart. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NBAE via Getty Images)

 

Another reason Thomas shouldn't start is Marcus Smart, who had his ups and downs throughout his rookie campaign last season. He showed obvious growing pains as a 20-year-old finding his way in the NBA, and now the question is whether or not Smart is ready to handle the duties of a point guard in his second year.

The Celtics used Evan Turner as a playmaker while Smart learned the ropes (and battled injuries), and Turner filled in admirably. But repeating that this year would delay any growth in Smart's game. Giving him every opportunity to run the floor, mistakes and all, would be the best move for Boston in 2015-16 and beyond.

Where Are You James Young?

After a disappointing rookie season and injury-plagued summer league, we're all thirsty to see what Young can bring to the table. The Celtics brass has confidence that the 17th overall pick in the 2014 draft can put it all together this season, even if he can't legally drink (Young won't turn 21 until next August). His coaches have praised his defense this camp, which is a good sign for the young swingman.

Hopefully Young can gain some confidence on the offensive end over the preseason slate, but even then, he'll likely find himself back in Maine for some more seasoning during the regular season.

The Rookies

Like Young last season, it's very likely that rookies Terry Rozier and Jordan Mickey will get to know the state of Maine this season (let's hope they own a few pair of snow boots). Fellow rookie R.J. Hunter may also head up north at times, but his shooting should secure him a spot on the team (whether he cracks that 10-man rotation is a different story).

Put that all together and this may be our only chance to see some of the Boston rookies in action for a while. Let's see how Rozier's defense, Mickey's shot-blocking and Hunter's shot look, with regular minutes unlikely for the trio when the games start to count.

The Final Spot

Perry-Jones
Perry Jones dribbles by James Young as the Celtics practice at the Mediolanum Forum in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NBAE via Getty Images)

 

Forget the 10-man rotation for a minute. Before any of that can be sorted out, we have to figure out who is actually going to make the team.

Ainge acquired Perry Jones III from the Thunder for next to nothing, relieving them of some cap space and giving Boston a flyer on a first-rounder who had an up-and-down career in Oklahoma City. But at the moment, he's the 16th guy on the roster. Jones will have to turn heads this preseason to win the spot, or pray for some kind of trade. He has plenty of upside, but he'll have to show it on the floor if he wants to make the team.

A strong preseason could earn Jones, or other bubble players on the roster, that final spot, so we'll see what he can do with his back against the wall.

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