Here’s ESPN Boston looking on the bright side — entertainment-wise, at least — for the Celtics:
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One prominent theme that’s emerging as the new seasons nears is a sense from Celtics players/management that some have simply forgotten what a healthy Rajon Rondo is capable of. As Celtics team president Rich Gotham noted last week, “I think a healthy Rondo is a huge difference-maker for us.” Further removed from the ACL surgery that limited him to 68 games over the past two seasons, it’ll be interesting to see if Rondo can return to All-Star form and just how much he’s able to elevate the play of a young supporting cast….
There’s maybe no bigger reason to watch this year’s team than the development of the youngest players. The Celtics have an intriguing young nucleus with players at all different stages of their development and lingering questions about just how good they can become. You’ve got someone like 23-year-old shooting guard Avery Bradley coming off his first big payday this offseason and he must prove he can be a consistent two-way threat to justify the team’s spending. Then there’s recent draftees like Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk, both of whom will be expected to take the next step in their developments with potential to assert themselves as key parts of the team’s future. Then there’s rookies Marcus Smart and James Young. Even as the No. 6 overall pick, Smart has created an awful lot of buzz this offseason for both his personality and potential. The 19-year-old Young might even spend a good chunk of the season in the D-League shadows if he simply needs game reps to further his development, but there will be interest in his progress after just one season at Kentucky.
