Should the Boston Celtics be concerned with the lack of front court depth?
With just three bigs under contract for next season, none of whom are proven starters in the NBA, the Celtics will have a tough decision to make regarding who anchors the paint for the starting unit. On paper, Queta is the most logical choice, as he's been part of Boston's rotation for multiple seasons, knows the system and has proven himself to be a viable center.
During a recent episode of NESN's "Hold My Banner" podcast, Travis Thomas and Ountae Campbell debated who could earn the starting center role for the Celtics, and whether there's enough talent in the big man rotation to feel confident heading into the new season. They noted the lack of depth and the unproven talent at Mazzulla's disposal before discussing potential trade options for the team.
You can watch the full podcast episode by clicking on the embedded video above.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Should the Celtics be concerned with the lack of front court depth?
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Yahoo
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De'Aaron Fox reportedly agrees to 4-year, $229 million max contract extension with San Antonio Spurs
De'Aaron Fox has agreed to a four-year, $229 million contract extension with the Spurs, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, as San Antonio continues to revamp its roster with sights set on building a bona fide contender around ascendant superstar big man Victor Wembanyama. Fox, 27, averaged 23.5 points, 6.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 36.1 minutes per game last season, shooting 46.3% from the field, 31% from 3-point range and 82.7% from the free-throw line across 62 total appearances for the Spurs and Kings. He had the second-highest individual scoring performance of the season, pouring in a career-high and Kings franchise record 60 points in a November win over the Timberwolves: Aug. 3 made it six months since Fox landed in San Antonio in a three-team trade that ended his tenure with the Kings, seven and a half seasons after Sacramento drafted him out of Kentucky with the fifth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Fox agreeing to a multi-year deal seemed all but assured from the moment he arrived, given the clear preference for being in San Antonio that he publicly confirmed to ESPN's Michael C. Wright after the trade … Once his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, informed Sacramento of Fox's desire to join the Spurs, reports surfaced of the guard telling the club he had a list of preferred teams. "There was no f***ing list," Fox said. "There was one team. I wanted to go to San Antonio. So, a lot of people are mad at me, saying I handcuffed the team by giving them a destination. Well, this is my career. If anybody else is in my position, you'd do the same thing. It's not my job to help build your team. I'm not about to just go where [the Kings] want me to go. I wanted to have a destination." Even after reaching that destination, though, hitting the six-month mark was key. Because while Fox was eligible to sign an extension with the Spurs as soon as the 2025 NBA Finals ended, he had to wait a bit longer to be able to ink the most lucrative deal available — one that signals the Spurs' belief that the former All-Star and All-NBA point guard can serve as a championship-caliber running buddy and table-setter for Wembanyama for years to come. Fox is one of the NBA's quickest, most explosive and most prolific scoring guards — a three-level scorer who can break opposing defenses down off the dribble, get into the teeth of the coverage, and punish opponents by either pulling up from midrange, finishing at the cup, or drawing contact to get to the foul line. He has averaged 24.3 points and 6.2 assists per game on 47.8% shooting over the past six seasons. The only other players to hit those numbers over that span? Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić and LeBron James. That's pretty decent company — and a pretty surprising peer group, considering the relative lack of success that Fox was met with for the bulk of his time in Sacramento, as Vivek Ranadivé's Kings bounced from coach to coach, executive to executive, vision to vision and, largely, loss to loss throughout Fox's first five professional seasons. And then the Kings hired Mike Brown, and suddenly, Sacramento got serious. An overhauled motion offense built around the dribble-handoff chemistry of Fox and playmaking center Domantas Sabonis surged to the top of the NBA in offensive efficiency, rocketing the club back to relevance. 'Light the Beam' became a joyous meme, a rallying cry, an article of faith. Both Fox and Sabonis earned All-Star and All-NBA berths. Fox's remarkable late-game shooting and playmaking earned him the NBA's inaugural Clutch Player of the Year award. For the first time in 16 years, the Kings made the playoffs, taking the Bay Area big-brother Warriors all the way to seven games in the first round of the 2023 postseason; it took Fox breaking a finger on his shooting hand in Game 4, and Stephen Curry exploding for 50 points in Game 7, to end the Kings' breathtaking run. That, it turns out, was as good as it would get. Despite continued stellar play from Fox, Sabonis and sixth man Malik Monk, the Kings took a slight step back in 2023-24, dropping from 48 wins and third place in the West to 46 wins and the ninth seed as the rest of the conference rose up around them. They'd exact a measure of revenge by eliminating Golden State in their first play-in tournament game, but would lose to the Pelicans in their second, preventing them from returning to the playoffs proper for the second straight season — and setting the stage for things to get uncomfortable if the next campaign got off to a rocky start. Fast forward to December 2024, and … well, things got rocky: Already under .500 30 games into the season, the Kings had a chance to end a four-game losing streak by knocking off the upstart Pistons the night after Christmas. But Fox fouled Detroit guard Jaden Ivey in the act of shooting a 3-pointer with 3.1 seconds to go, resulting in a four-point play and a fifth straight loss. Afterward, Brown was critical of, among other things, Fox's defense on that decisive final play. One day later, the Kings fired Brown — a sudden, sharp decision that led some to speculate, especially in the absence of any press conference by the front office to clarify the rationale for the move, that Fox had gone to Sacramento's brass to call for a change. Fox vehemently denied that, and as the Kings' decision-makers continued to leave the circumstances surrounding Brown's firing unclear, the All-Star point guard grew increasingly dissatisfied with the state of affairs in California's capital. "I was like, 'Yo, I've been here for going on my eighth year. If Mike gets fired, I'll be going on my fifth coach,'" Fox told ESPN. "And I told them, 'I'm not going to play for another coach. I'm going to play for another team.' … You fire the coach, and you don't do an interview? So, all the blame was on me. Did it weigh on me? No. I don't give a f—. But the fact y'all are supposed to be protecting your player and y'all let that happen. ... I felt at the time the organization didn't have my back." Frustrated by that lack of support, and reportedly fearful of 'the prospect of wasting his best years on a team that was mired in mediocrity,' Fox and Paul made it clear that he felt his future lay outside of Sacramento. Specifically, in San Antonio — just a couple hours west of Katy, Texas, where Fox played his high school ball; where his wife, Recee, grew up; and where a certain 7-foot-3 Frenchman seems poised to take over the sport. 'It's like playing with Steph,' Fox told ESPN. 'Everybody can't play with Steph because you always have to look for him. But at the end of the day, that motherf—er can win championships. And I think Vic can win championships.' The Spurs barely got to see Fox and Wembanyama together, with a pair of ailments — Wembanyama's deep vein thrombosis and Fox's fractured left pinky finger — limiting them to just 120 shared minutes across five games, with San Antonio getting outscored by five points with them sharing the floor. The new agreement represents a vote of confidence that, with a clean bill of health and a lot more reps, the pairing can produce significantly more positive results. It also allows San Antonio to give Dylan Harper — whom the Spurs drafted No. 2 overall in June's 2025 NBA draft after a surprise rise in the lottery — a longer developmental runway, affording him the opportunity to come along slowly behind a high-level pro playmaker rather than being pressed into immediate duty and expected to provide elite service to Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, and the rest of a Spurs roster expected by many to make a leap this season. Just how significant a leap depends primarily on Wembanyama, who's been cleared to return in time for training camp and could well be ticketed for MVP consideration in his third season. Just how significant a leap Wembanyama makes, though, could depend a lot on Fox — the kind of offensive engine who could make his life a lot easier, and who could give San Antonio the sort of inside-out one-two punch that makes Western Conference opponents' lives much, much tougher.
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De'Aaron Fox, Spurs agree to 4-year contract extension
De'Aaron Fox and the San Antonio Spurs have agreed to a four-year maximum extension worth as much as $229 million, his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, confirmed to The Athletic. The deal includes no options, a team source said, and the move lines up the former All-Star guard's contract for the rest of the decade alongside emerging superstar Victor Wembanyama. Advertisement The Spurs acquired Fox from the Sacramento Kings at the trade deadline in February, but both Fox and Wembanyama missed significant time and only played five games together. At the time, the Spurs believed they had found an ideal pick-and-roll partner for their 7-foot-3 center, as Fox is adept at getting downhill to draw attention away from a center who can pop to shoot it or roll to the basket. Fox averaged just 19.7 points in 17 games with San Antonio last season before having season-ending surgery on his left pinkie finger. The Spurs acquired Fox three months before they won the second pick in the draft lottery and selected point guard Dylan Harper out of Rutgers, creating a potential logjam in the backcourt. Now the team has Harper, Fox and rookie of the year Stephon Castle, three downhill attacking guards who don't shoot the ball well. The Harper selection made pivoting off Fox more plausible, as Fox turns 28 in December while Wembanyama, Castle and Harper are all under 21 years old. The Spurs' roster has some veteran leadership from wing Harrison Barnes and offseason acquisitions Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk, while the rest of the supporting cast is in its early to mid-20s. With Fox now under contract for the rest of his prime, the Spurs are in position to compete as early as this season while the young core develops, similar to how the Boston Celtics developed current stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as the supporting cast alongside veterans Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker and Al Horford. Though there have been widespread calls for the Spurs to make more aggressive win-now moves around Wembanyama as soon as possible, the team took a more conservative approach this summer after acquiring Fox in February. With Wembanyama returning from a blood clot that ended his season at the All-Star break, the team may proceed with caution on making any moves that could eliminate long-term flexibility. Extending Fox presents a middle ground, as he is young enough to remain valuable throughout his contract. San Antonio has Fox, Harper, Devin Vassell, Kornet and rookie Carter Bryant signed through the 2028-29 season, with Wembanayma eligible for a max extension before next season and Castle extension-eligible two years from now.
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Max Shulga's Unique Journey To The Celtics Has Prepared Him To Defy The Odds
Max Shulga was doing his best to stay calm. His emotions were in a pretzel. The NBA Draft was nearing its conclusion, and the Atlantic-10 Player of the Year was simultaneously on the verge of his dreams and in the midst of a nightmare. "I couldn't even tell what to feel," said the normally stoic Shulga, reliving that heart-pounding moment. "Everything was moving so fast. My agent -- he was on the phone every minute; walking away, coming back, so it was kind of chaotic. But when I got to know that the Celtics were going to pick me, it was unbelievable. Unreal feeling." Finally, he could exhale. A box he had waited since childhood to check off became reality when Boston utilized the third-to-last pick in the draft, the 57th overall selection, on the six-foot-four guard from Virginia Commonwealth University [VCU]"It's still surreal. Like I said, it hasn't really settled in fully yet," said Shulga days after hearing his name called at the tail end of the draft. "[It's] a little weird, but it's going to take a couple of weeks. It feels like when I walked in the facility, it still felt a little bit like I'm going around and doing workouts and stuff like that. But yeah, it's an unbelievable feeling. [A] once in a lifetime opportunity." As he starts his career on a two-way deal with the Celtics, he told Forbes he takes comfort in the organization's strong track record in player development. Up and down the roster, players ranging from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to those who required seasoning in the G League, like undrafted free agents Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet, have made significant strides during their time with the franchise. "It does give me comfort, knowing the history behind it," voiced Shulga about Boston's ability to help players of all tiers maximize their talent. "My job is to go there and do my best and play hard, and everything will play out." An individual hoping to become one of the next shining examples of the Celtics' player development program is Neemias Queta. The NBA's first player from Portugal is poised to go from the team's extended rotation to its starting center. Shulga and Queta know each other from a time when making it to this level was a dream for both. They teamed together for a season at Utah State in 2020-21. When Boston brought the former in for a pre-draft workout, the two reconnected over dinner. "It's honestly, it's unreal, it's surreal to see now we're together on the team," Shulga told Forbes. "It's crazy. It was great to meet up with him, see him again, looking forward to playing together as well." As Shulga acclimates to the professional ranks, Queta's message to him was blunt. "He said it's going to be hard as a rookie," said the Kyiv, Ukraine native. "Especially, it's going to be a transition period, and just try to learn as much as I can from coaches, players on the team, vets. Just be a sponge and learn about everything as much as I can." Max Shulga's journey through the eyes of a coach Ryan Odom, now the head coach at the University of Virginia, was with Shulga for most of his collegiate career. He arrived at Utah State after the latter had trouble earning playing time as a freshman. While Odom was at the helm, Shulga blossomed into a starter who helped lead the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament. "His development was a credit to Max, right?" Odom told Forbes of the growth he witnessed from Shulga at Utah State. "His ability to not get discouraged. A lot of young players will get discouraged at times when it's not going exactly as planned and you're not playing as much as you want. Eventually, that can sometimes get the best of you and hurt you in terms of reaching your potential, and hurt your progress. Cause you get focused on the wrong things. "And I think Max never really did that. He understood that his time was going to come. He invested in himself and in the team and helped the team win [in] whatever role he could. And whatever minutes he was afforded, he tried to make the most of them." Capitalizing on those opportunities started with the work he put in during the offseason. His game grew, his body transformed, and he honed his craft while playing for the Ukrainian national team. It catapulted Shulga into a different caliber of player. "In the summer in between that first year with him and then what ended up being the NCAA tournament year, Max really went to work," explained Odom. "He went to work on his body. His conditioning. His skill set. His consistency. He went to work on his passing and his ability to create for others, and his shot making. His defense really took a step in the right direction. "His time playing with the national team was really important because he needed game reps. And so that summer, he played with the Ukrainian national team and was their best player. One of the best players in the tournament overall. And then that propelled him to where it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that he was going to be a starter for us and going to be counted on heavily. "And so then he just kind of went from there. And eventually, you have to earn your opportunity, and then you have to make the most of the opportunity once you earn it. And so I think Max did both." Max Shulga wasn't ready to lose Ryan Odom's tutelage On the heels of guiding the Aggies to Utah State, Coach Odom received a chance to climb the ladder. He accepted a job to become the head coach at VCU. Shulga came with him. With the Rams, the latter's bench boss entrusted him with more responsibilities as a point guard and a playmaker. The benefits of that were on display at Summer League. They were crucial to Shulga reaching the NBA. "The thing that I was most impressed with was him handling the pressure," Brad Stevens, the Celtics' president of basketball operations, told Forbes after Shulga's Las Vegas debut. "He doesn't get sped up. For a guy that's playing in his first Summer League game, we just talked about, you've got jitters, and you're playing in front of everybody, and you want to make a name. I don't even think he attempted a shot until the second half, right? "So he's not even thinking about all the stuff that doesn't matter. He's just like, 'Okay, I'm going to get us into offense. I'm going to make the right read. I'm going to make the right play, and then, things will open up.'" While discussing the development that led to that point and the growth he saw from Shulga as a lead-guard at VCU, Coach Odom noted, "He went from being the fourth starter on a team, right? And probably not the first, second, or third option a lot of times. He just really committed himself to being an all-around player. "And certainly that's what the NBA wants. They want guys that can fit in with stars. They want guys that understand how to play a role, but have the ability physically and mentally to be able to handle that. And so I think Max is one of those guys that will eventually get there. Hopefully, for the Celtics in the near future. But he certainly is a guy that can play-make. Understands how to play in pick-and-roll. Understands how to play with other really good players." In Shulga's first year with the Rams, he earned a spot on the first-team All-Atlantic-10 and made the All-A10 tournament team. That compelled him to put his name in the transfer portal. Ready to continue his on-court evolution, he committed to Villanova. However, after doing so, he realized the best place for him was at VCU under the head coach who helped him go from sitting on Utah State's bench to becoming a star in the Atlantic-10. "I think it was just his comfort level with our staff, his comfort level with his teammates, feeling like he had unfinished business," explained Odom of Shulga's decision to stay. "It really had nothing to do with Villanova. It was more about VCU and the relationships that had been forged there over the years, and wanting to finish it the right way with us. And Max is a close part of the Odom family and very close with my boys and my wife. And so, we're certainly happy that he decided to do that. "And it happened the way it was meant to happen. We ended up cutting down nets and won a regular-season title. And he was the leader of that team, and a big reason why we were able to do that was that decision he made to stay with the Rams." Max Shulga makes his most significant leap The six-foot-four guard's decision to stay at VCU proved an understanding of self. Appreciating what he had and the environment in which he was growing created clarity when he was on the cusp of the uncertainty that comes with transferring. Remaining in Richmond, Shulga continued his ascent, becoming the Atlantic-10 Player of the Year. What does Coach Odom attribute that to? "The consistency. I think, obviously, in between that first year at VCU and the last season at VCU, he was on draft boards at that point. And all the feedback was pretty similar. It was, 'We need more consistency. We need you to prove you can playmake at a higher level. Continue to shoot at a high level.' "The consistency in his effort and intensity on the court at all times. His ability to step up in key moments, certainly for our team. He was a marked man all year. And for him to be able to prove those things while winning at a high level and being very dominant, and not having to score every game for us to win. Some games, it was nine assists, 10 rebounds. The versatility that comes with Max is something that, I think, is a little bit underrated. "And I think those that don't know him will knock his defense, when I think it's really a strength of his. His physicality, his quickness, his understanding of angles and how to contest, and then his ability to play in transition when you do force a miss. I just thought he did everything he needed to do to put himself in the best position to be drafted by a franchise like the Celtics, and I think it's a great fit for him." Speaking of his defense, Shulga is a bulldog on that end of the floor. He lives in an opponent's airspace. Even screens provide minimal to no reprieve. Playing in Coach Odom's aggressive scheme, one that matches where the NBA game appears to be heading, he developed an affinity for applying full-court pressure. "[He] understands how to play defense full court and exhaust himself to play well for his team," Odom told Forbes. "We guarded 94 feet all year last year, and you have to be in tip-top shape in order to do that. And he's always in tip-top shape, so that's a pretty cool characteristic that he has." "That's something we did see from him at VCU as well. I talked to him about some of their rules about backcourt pressure," Celtics assistant coach and Summer League bench boss Matt Reynolds shared with Forbes. "You can tell that's something he gravitates towards, and we're happy to unleash that part of him." Brad Stevens believes that what Shulga provides on that side of the ball, especially when it comes to applying pressure in the backcourt, limiting how much of the shot clock opponents can work with, is essential to the latter's hopes of carving out a place for himself in the NBA. "You've got to be able to do something to separate yourself if you want to make it in this league, and being able to apply pressure and being able to get into the ball is a good thing to be able to do, especially for a guy with his size," the Celtics president of basketball operations told Forbes. "He's a little bit bigger than probably people realize." A microcosm of Max Shulga's competitive character When looking for a moment that captures the competitive spirit of the Kyiv, Ukraine, native, look no further than when it mattered most: the Atlantic-10 title tilt. "The championship game," Coach Odom quickly singled out when asked for an example that highlights that aspect of Shulga's on-court identity. "He wasn't shooting it great, and I don't think we shot it great over the course of the entire tournament. But for us to be able to win, and at a key time, he got the switch, and then bang the shot to give us breathing room there in the Conference Tournament Final to propel us to the NCAA tournament. "His ability to stay true to himself and his team and not get caught up in how he individually was playing at a given time, and the willingness to make it about the team and what our goals were, with a lot of veterans on the team, plus young, promising players, I think speaks to his character," continued Odom. In their four years together, the two have built a bond that will last a lifetime. Their relationship has become familial. Seeing Shulga break out of his shell as he matured on and off the court fills the latter with pride. "Very quiet initially, to then, all of a sudden, becoming a very vocal leader for our team. Probably not as interested as he needed to be academically, initially, to [then becoming] one of the better students on our team and a college graduate at the end, and it meant something to him. One of the biggest things that I'm most proud of is his relationship that he forged with our academic coordinator at VCU," said Odom. "Those two are tight. And if you met Max as a freshman, you would never have said that he would have ended there. But people change and people grow and mature. And Max ended up becoming a shining example of: even if you're not interested in things, that doesn't mean you can't do your best in them. "And so, he certainly did that, and he has a college degree to show for it now, and we're really proud of that. And certainly, he became an all-time VCU great as well. And somebody that the Rams will always be proud of and will always be welcome back there." As Shulga began his NBA journey, Coach Odom was there to support him at Summer League. "It was a lot of fun for me. My wife and my oldest son, who's close to Max, went out there to see him play and support him. And it was fun to be in a crowd just sitting there watching him do it." While passing the baton is bittersweet, Shulga's former bench boss understands that his job is now to lend his advice and support while others take on the role he had with him for the last four years. "You'll be proud of me, too. I wasn't coaching him from the stands, either. I was just letting him be him," said Odom. "He's earned the right to be there now. He'll do well." He also knows that Shulga is excited that the Celtics are the organization taking a chance on him. The franchise reciprocates that sentiment. "He's just a winner," Mike Zarren told Forbes. "Max is a tough guy who can handle and shoot. Elite, elite toughness. He's been all over the world. He moved to Spain when he was 13, I think, to play basketball," noted the team's vice president of basketball operations. Shulga spent time growing up outside of Madrid. Naturally, that led to Spanish becoming one of the five languages he speaks. His time there has helped him quickly bond with Boston's first-round pick, Hugo Gonzalez. The second of the Celtics' second-round selections, with Amari Williams the first, is the yin to Gonzalez's yang. While the former Real Madrid wing is fiery on the court, he describes Shulga as "the guy that is more cool-minded on the team, for sure." The two even shared that they intended to call out plays to each other in Spanish at Summer League. If it happened, Jordan Walsh missed it, but quipped that if he heard instructions arriving in a language he doesn't speak, he would've taken himself to the corner. Where did Max Shulga's game grow the most in college? Shulga's father, Boris, a referee, passed down his love of basketball to his son. His passion for it took him from Ukraine to Torrelodones, Spain. From there, he took his talents to Utah State and then VCU. Coach Odom reflected on that journey. Then, he delivered his take on where the former Atlantic-10 Player of the Year's game had made the most strides. Five years ago, he was riding the pine at Utah State. Now he's someone the Celtics were thrilled was still available at pick No. 57. "The decision-making, I think, is the biggest thing, overall," said Odom. "He improved in so many different areas. You have to over the course of your career to have a chance to be drafted like that. He certainly improved his shooting [and] his passing. His defense really improved over the course of his career." Making it to basketball's highest level also required an understanding of self. Shulga had to accept his role and embrace what his team needed from him before he could earn the right to have more responsibility. "He began to understand the value of being solid, right?" Expressed Odom. "You don't have to hit a home run every time. And I think early in his career, he was a little bit more flashy, would try to hit the home run at times, and that would get him in trouble. And when you're a role player initially, that really gets you in trouble. "And so he began to understand, 'All right, what's going to get me on the court?' And so that maturity level, that understanding of, 'OK, what do I need to do to first get myself on the court and play with others and help our team win and add value?'" It was a lesson spurred by Shulga's maturation. As he evolved off the court, so did his awareness of how to do so on it. "Once he figured that out, then it became, 'Okay, now how do I become one of the best players?'" Voiced Coach Odom. "Being one of the best players, you have to do everything. You have to help your team win in all areas. "It can't just be about scoring. It's got to be about defending your position and being able to switch and guard multiple players, and giving multiple efforts for your team. Giving your body up and setting the tone in practice every single day, and being a consistent leader in practice, which he did. And then you have to deliver at game time, and in big moments, and he certainly did that." The experiences gained along the way give Shulga moments to lean on as he learns what it will take for him to thrive while splitting his time between Boston and the Celtics' G League affiliate. Fans will often find him in Maine during his rookie year. However, he has proven capable of figuring out how to take the next step. He has the tools, the knowledge, and the mindset to do so again as he works toward a standard NBA contract. "Now, he's going back to that young Max, where he's just entering a new world there, and he's the role player, and he's got to fit in, and he's got to add value. And so, he's done both. He's been the best player. He's been a guy that's just trying to work his way in. And I think that that experience is really going to benefit him as he embarks on his professional career. "And I really think he'll always be able to reach back to those moments where it was really hard for him, and he sometimes didn't understand why he wasn't in there. And then he had the emotional intelligence to figure out, 'OK, I can't whine about it. I got to figure out how am I going to make my mark?' And I think he's going to have to do the same thing in the NBA. It's not going to be easy. And he certainly is understanding of that." The keys to Max Shulga making it at the next level Shulga's ability to initiate the offense, take care of the ball, and then be a menace at the other end are displays that pleased the Celtics at Summer League. As the rookie prepares for his first NBA training camp, Matt Reynolds told Forbes, "I think he's going to have a mixed bag of offensive responsibility as a primary or secondary playmaker. I think he had a pretty good, consistent floor game creating for others. "I think most of the shots he took, I love, and I expect him to make at a higher frequency going forward. But I think in a general sense, it was a really good start for him, and we're pretty excited to have him." As Coach Odom noted, if Shulga can showcase his sharpshooting prowess in Maine, it could lead to chances to play off individuals like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White. Those create clean looks he has rarely seen since his move to the Atlantic-10. "I think shot making, certainly, he's going to have to prove that he's an elite shooter; an open shot guy," said Odom of the most important areas for Shulga to improve at to stick at the next level. "He's going to get open shots in the NBA because of the players, the level of the players that he's playing with. And a lot of times, the focus is on the main players, as it should be. "He's got to defend his position like crazy and be able to switch and use his physical size to be able to hold his own. He's got to make multiple efforts. Like some of these guys out there, the hustle plays; he's got to be making those for his team and willing to give his body up. "But initially, it's playmaking. He's got to be able to play in a point guard's role, but at the same time, fit in when he doesn't have the ball, and be able to play off well. He's done both in college. And so I think that should be a seamless transition for him. He's not somebody that had to dominate the ball all the time, but he's got to be good enough to be able to initiate offense at the NBA level when he's being pressured." Max Shulga fits with what the Celtics care deeply about The NBA's original monarchy puts a premium on its culture. It goes to great lengths to cultivate and augment the work environment that it has fostered. As a result, the franchise is selective about who it brings in. That individual, player or otherwise, cannot suck oxygen from the lifeblood of what has helped the Celtics become 18-time champions. When asked about the person Boston is getting, Coach Odom gushed over the player who has become a son to him. "They're getting someone that is the consummate team guy, that wants to win, that's excited to be a part of it, and understands what he's joining there, a storied franchise, a world champion franchise," said Odom. "He realizes how lucky he is to be around the people that are there right now. The coaching staff, Coach [Joe] Mazzulla, obviously, the other players. The veterans there that he'll learn from. He understands that. "They're getting a guy with high character. They're getting somebody that is crazy for basketball. That understands that he's going to have to play a specific role to even be a part of it and work his way into it. But they're getting a guy that is an extremely hard worker and understands the value of fitting in to something that's bigger than him. And I think that's a huge thing."
