Boston Celtics Add Semi Ojeleye and Abdel Nader to a Talented Bench
The Celtics overhaul their bench with young talent after recent signings.
Fresh off the free agency acquisition of star wing Gordon Hayward, the Celtics are working to fill out their bench. Over the last 72 hours they have added both Abdel Nader and Semi Ojeleye to the squad woth 4-year contracts. The signings provide the team with versatile wing depth in a league increasingly dependent upon it.
Nader was drafted with the 58th overall pick in 2016, accepted a developmental contract and played his season out in Maine. He came away with D-League Rookie of the Year honors, while averaging 21 points per game and shooting a respectable 35% from 3-point range.
With a lack of depth at point guard in Summer League, the Celtics often employed Nader, a 6'8" wing, as a primary ball handler — a role he likely will not resume with the big club this season. But even the ability to drive on closeouts will be valuable to a team which often taxes opposing defenses by attacking the paint. A versatile wing that can occupy multiple roles is of great importance to Brad Stevens.
Brad Stevens’s ability to deploy different lineup combinations while always maintaining size and skill on the wing is crucial. In the Eastern Conference, a player’s value can often be determined by his potential in being matched up with LeBron James. Success in that endeavor is determined only by the amount of time you can stay in front of him by yourself before he inevitably shakes you. Having size and athleticism gives you a good place to start from.
Semi Ojeleye fits that mold as well. At 6'6", 235 lbs, Ojeleye already has an NBA body, which can be a benefit of drafting older college players(Ojeleye is 22). Matched up on 4s and 5s in summer league, the 37th overall pick more than held his own.
This added versatility is something Stevens seeks out and makes regular use of during the season. So, of course Ojeleye’s skill set had not escaped his attention. He commented in Vegas, “His flexibility defensively is going to be enormous. I think that he will compete to be one of our better defenders right out the gate.”
While this is great value for the Celtics at the back of their bench, much of this praise is hyperbole until they earn minutes in the Celtics rotation. Two rookies on their first contracts will be hard pressed to find minutes on a team as deep as the Celtics, especially with so many higher draft picks in front of them.
One player who will not be in front of them will be Demetrius Jackson. Jackson was waived Friday before the remaining $750,000 on his contract became guaranteed. The savings were used to facilitate the recent signings.
The contracts agreed to by Nader and Ojeleye, while seemingly long, are not fully guaranteed. Nader has only his first year guaranteed. Ojeleye reportedly has the first two seasons to prove he belongs.
This contractual versatility is essential for Ainge as he decides what to do with both the draft picks he’s made and the ones he still has up his sleeve. Should an opposing GM surmise Ainge has nowhere to put these draft picks, his leverage in trading them will be negatively affected.
With a capped-out team, the back of a bench can be a balancing act. The ability to pivot off late draft picks that don’t work out is a necessity for Ainge. Conversely, being able to lock valuable rotation players to long-term deals is extremely lucrative. These deals walk this tightrope beautifully, checking both boxes along the way.
For the negative impact of long-term contracts on contending teams, one would have to look no further than Cleveland, Ohio. After re-signing many of their players to lucrative contracts spanning multiple years, their options in free agency are extremely limited. Ainge is looking to avoid this fate.
The impact of the two signings may remain in question for much of the season, barring injury. Having two more versatile wings on the bench who can guard multiple positions can only help Brad Stevens if and when he feels the need to deploy them.
