The Boston Celtics have officially wrapped up 2023 Summer League play after going 2-3 in Las Vegas.
To start, the Celtics posted back-to-back losses against the Miami Heat and the Washington Wizards. They then captured
their first win on Wednesday during a 95-90 comeback victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Next, they fell to the New York
Knicks before ending their stay in Sin City on a high note with a win on Saturday against the Orlando Magic.
While their team performance was underwhelming, a few individual players shined for the summer C’s. So, let’s delve into
three of the biggest things the Celtics learned from their 2023 NBA Summer League campaign.
3. Jordan Walsh might be a steal for the Celtics
Heading into the 2023 NBA Draft, the Celtics had the opportunity to use a first-round pick for the first time since 2020.
However, instead of keeping it, the C’s traded it away to get multiple second-round selections. The only second-round pick
Boston actually used turned into Arkansas freshman Jordan Walsh.
While some might’ve been disappointed by Boston’s frequent pick-swapping, Walsh has shown that the front office made the
right decision so far. In Vegas, the 19-year-old averaged 16 points per game, the most for the summer C’s, and shot 40.7
percent from 3-point land. Shooting was one of Walsh’s biggest question marks, as he had a measly conversion rate of 27.8
percent from beyond the arc in college. If he can continue to connect from deep like he did in summer league play, the
Celtics have themselves a solid 3-and-D guy.
On defense, Walsh has no shortage of hustle and defensive upside. His role as a two-way player could result in decent
minutes in the NBA this season, something many Celtics rookies have failed to earn in recent years. And if you need any
more proof of Boston’s confidence in Walsh, look no further than his four-year contract signed before Summer League
began: This is the first time the Celtics have used the new second-round exception that allows teams over the cap to sign
second rounders to a 4 year deal with a team option on year 4, all without tapping into the MLE.
Jay Scrubb is a name worth remembering
Unless you’re a Louisville native, a diehard Los Angeles Clippers fan, or an avid G-League watcher, you probably didn’t know
who Jay Scrubb was before the 2023 Summer League.
The Kentucky native gave Celtics fans plenty of reasons to remember his name in Vegas though, as he averaged 14.4 points
in just 20.4 minutes per game. Scrubb did it efficiently too, shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc and an impressive 46.3
percent from the field.
Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) July 15, 2023
What makes Scrubb even more remarkable is his journey to the league. When he was selected 55th overall in 2020, he
became the first junior college player in 16 years to get drafted. He then suffered a season-ending foot injury in 2022 and
had to overcome being waived by the Orlando Magic last month.
Despite all the hurdles, Scrubb showed out in Sin City and played like Boston’s most reliable scorer. For his efforts, he signed
a two-way contract with the Celtics shortly after summer league play finished:
Although he’ll likely be in the G-League most of the time, perhaps the 22-year-old can continue to develop into a true NBA
player.
The Celtics have a lot to be happy about in the wake of their 2023 Summer League campaign. Yet, not everything went
according to plan.
Ideally, Celtics point guard JD Davison would’ve taken the next step in Vegas and shown some NBA readiness. Instead,
the 2022 second-round pick doesn’t seem like he’ll be in Boston’s rotation anytime soon.
He averaged a solid 7.2 assists per outing, but it’s hard to ignore his 4.4 turnovers per game. Davison had less than four
turnovers in just two out of five games, and during a loss to the Washington Wizards, he had a whopping 10 turnovers in 32
minutes.
Turnover issues are something the C’s have already had issues with and they certainly don’t need more of it. While Davison
still has potential as an athletic playmaker, he has to be more careful with the ball if he wants to break into the league.
Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 10, 2023
Boston could use some extra point guard depth this season, however, it doesn’t seem like that help will come from Davison.
For now, he’ll have to shine in the G-League to prove his worth.
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