Skip to main content

Guerschon Yabusele had to go - so what's next?

Danny Ainge is playing another numbers game here, and he just made a necessary move by waiving third-year forward, Guerschon Yabusele. With the logjam at the wing position - the success of the Summer League crew - and the disappointing play of Guersch as a member of that unit, meant the writing was on the wall. Yabu had to go.


Frankly, it was painful to watch Guersch in action for the three Summer League contests, all wins for Boston. He looked slow and uncertain and was being outplayed by many of his teammates with zero NBA experience. The Celtics may have to eat his $3.1 million for this season, but it had to be done. So where does that leave us.

Danny already has Max Strus and Tremont Waters locked up on two-way contracts. Grant Williams looks like he can contribute right away and should be heading to a standard contract. As a second-rounder, Carsen Edwards' deal is not set in stone, and Ainge can attempt to negotiate any contract that is agreeable to both parties. He hasn't lost a beat in moving from college ball to Summer League. He is a prolific scorer that seems to be a pairing of Isaiah Thomas and Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson, nicknamed by our own Danny Ainge.

Javonte Green can't be ignored here (are you seeing the numbers dilemma?). I haven't determined yet if he is just another superior athlete or a future NBA star. Danny doesn't know either, but he may not want to let him get away.

And how about the new fan delight, Tacko Fall. Like Green, no one is quite sure what this giant of a man has for a ceiling, but he sure as hell has already outperformed expectations in Summer League. He is currently on an Exhibit 10 contract which may net him a bonus of up to $50,000 if he signs with the G-League. He could also end up replacing Strus or Waters on a 2-way deal - or even eventually be signed to a standard NBA contract.

My feeling is that Ainge signed Yabu to an extended contract in preparation for a trade that never happened (read Anthony Davis here). Danny may have word that another team is already prepared to pick him up, but his poor showing this summer may have destroyed that possibility.


For Boston, the point guard position seems fairly solid, and the wing position is star-quality but remains clogged. The center spot has the bodies, but I doubt Ainge is totally happy with it as it stands right now. He most likely has his sights set on getting out of the East in the post-season, and that means matching up with the front courts of both Milwaukee and Philly.

The "what's next" part of my title brings to mind Semi Ojeleye. Going into his third year on a $1.6 million deal, my thought is that he should stay put. His meager salary doesn't make a trade likely unless it is to create more roster space. I see him as a late-bloomer possibility, and if so, Danny may make a mistake sending this premier defender elsewhere. This roster will not look exactly the same on opening night, and its specific look is up in the air. But I think we will fall in love with this team, and as Kevin Garnett once said, "Anything is possible."

Follow Tom at @CelticsSentinel and Facebook

Photo via Steve Flynn/USA Today Sports

Comments

  1. Great write-up, Tom, and glad to see you writing elsewhere after your CelticsLife departure!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Brian. A voice of sanity in these situations is always welcome. I always seem to survive despite the repeated attacks over the years. Thanks for the support and feedback.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Elm Street Nightmare

 A true-and-suspenseful horror tale of haunting, homicides and the hunt for triple-murderer, Daniel Laplante - as told by the cops that were there By Lt. Thomas Lane (Ret.)  Daniel Laplante - cold, calm, clever, calculating- Photo: YouTube   Elm Street  surfaces on four occasions in the Laplante saga: 1.) He  resided on Elm Street  in Townsend, Massachusetts 2.) He  kidnapped a woman  at gunpoint on  Elm Street, Pepperell , Massachusetts 3.) He was arrested and transported to Massachusetts State Police Barracks on Elm Street in Concord . 3.) He was  tried, convicted   and sentenced for the murders at  Superior Court , corner of  Elm Stree t and Gorham Street, Lowell, Massachusetts. When evil and cleverness reside in the same mind, the stage is often set for true horror. Such was the case with triple-murderer, Daniel Laplante . As a 16-year old , he quickly transitioned from: Minor thefts and breaking into homes To: Taunting and threatening a father and his two daughters as an unseen

Rules of survival: When search-and-rescue turns into body recovery

 How the Hell did this happen? Two days after 19-year-old Emily Sotelo was supposedly dropped off in Franconia Notch (NH) at roughly 5:00 AM ET, Sunday, November 20, 2022 by her mother, to hike several mountains alone, the search continues for the young lady. Photo by Linda Lane The information from news agencies indicated that Emily started hiking the trails while it was still dark. She was supposedly wearing only sneakers, a coat and workout pants. I can persona;ly attest that the weather in the area was very cold with high wind speeds, and gaining elevation on the trails would only add to the horrendous conditions. Ms. Sotelo was reportedly a seasoned hiker, but had little or no experience hiking in winter. At the peaks, temperatures on that Sunday dropped to zero degrees with a wind chill of minus-30 degrees. It is beyond my comprehension to imagine a hiker-of-experience tackling that kind of travel - in extreme weather - with only basic clothes and few (or no) supplies. I have hik

Nik Stauskas adds "shooting with size" voiced by Brad Stevens

 As a 6'6" shooting guard, 28-year-old Nik Stauskas adds that shooting with size sorely needed by the Boston Celtics. Drafted 8th-overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2014, Stauskas has bounced around to various teams since then. Nik Stauskas' deal with the Boston Celtics includes non-guaranteed salary for the second season in 2022-23, a source tells @celticsblog . — Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 4, 2022 Nik has never averaged more than 9.5 points per game in the NBA, but Boston is most likely counting on his production for Grand Rapids in the G League as the incentive to sign him. In 17 games thus far, he has averaged 24.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.8 APG - while shooting 50% on field goals and 45% on treys. Nik Stauskas is signing a two-year deal with the Boston Celtics, his agents Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman of @PrioritySports tell ESPN. Stauskas had an historic week, scoring 100 points on 57 and 43 point performances in back-to-back games for Grand Rapids. — Adrian Wo