The Celtics’ wing room is suddenly crowded enough to make Sam Hauser’s future worth watching.
Hauser has been a reliable piece in Boston from the start, and nothing about this is about him falling off or being overpaid. The reality is simpler: if Brad Stevens needed to trim costs this summer, Hauser was the kind of player who could wind up in the conversation. That possibility changed once the Jaylen Brown trade happened, but it didn’t wipe away the larger question around him.
What makes this interesting is the wave of younger wings behind him. Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr., and Jordan Walsh all play the same spot, and all four are expected to have bigger roles this season after the Brown trade. Boston’s confidence in that group has already shown up in the way it handled them: the Celtics refused to include Gonzalez or Scheierman in trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, then brought Harper and Walsh back on long-term, team-friendly extensions.
That kind of commitment matters. If those four keep trending up, Hauser’s place in the rotation becomes easier to question.
And there’s a path where that happens quickly. With Brown gone and Paul George likely to miss time, those wings should get real chances to prove they can take a step forward.
If one or more of them develops into a consistent elite three-point shooter, Boston could have enough reason to move Hauser. But that would have to be for an upgrade or to fill another need.
There’s no point in dealing him just to deal him.
That’s the other side of the equation: Hauser is still useful even if the young wings don’t pop. He’s a dependable fallback, and he makes sense as a starter when the Celtics inevitably rest George this season.
For now, Boston has every reason to keep him. He’s done what the team has asked, and unless those younger wings clearly prove they’re better options, the safer move is to leave Hauser where he is.
In Other News...
Hugo Gonzalezs FIBA Rise Comes With An Awkward Celtics Twist
The Celtics international contingent has added another layer of interest this summer, with several players in the FIBA Basketball World Cup spotlight for their home countries. For Boston, Hugo Gonzalezs run with Spain stands out not just because of the stage, but because he is sharing the floor with Juancho Hernangomez, a former Celtic who spent part of the 2021-22 season in Boston before moving on.
That connection gives Gonzalezs tournament a little extra edge for Celtics followers, even if it comes with some awkward history attached. Hernangomez once drew attention for critical remarks about the teams chemistry before later walking those comments back, so seeing him and Gonzalez linked in Spain is a reminder that these overseas games can carry Boston storylines well beyond the box score. [Read more 🡒]
Mitchell Robinson Just Added A New Edge To The Celtics Rivalry
Jalen Brunson didnt hide the oddness of watching a former teammate land with a longtime rival, even if the move makes plenty of basketball sense on Bostons side. Mitchell Robinson, a seven-foot center with a reputation for shot-blocking and offensive rebounding, has signed a three-year contract with the Celtics, giving them a different kind of interior presence as they try to keep building around size and physicality.
For now, Robinson is expected to come off the bench behind starter Neemias Queta, but that doesnt make the fit any less interesting for a Celtics team that values rim protection and second-chance opportunities. Brunson said he had mixed feelings about the deal while still wishing Robinson well, which is about as close as players usually get to admitting a rivalry has gained a little extra edge. [Read more 🡒]
Payton Pritchards Celtics Role Could Decide Bostons Best Award Shot
Payton Pritchards place in Bostons rotation is shaping up to be one of the more interesting early-season subplots, not just for the Celtics, but for how it might shape their best individual award path. With the team weighing its options and other names around the league entering the Sixth Man of the Year conversation, Pritchard stands out as a familiar fit if he stays in that bench role and keeps producing the way Boston has come to expect.
The wider field is forming quickly, with Dylan Harper, Ajay Mitchell, Anfernee Simons and Ayo Dosunmu among the other players drawing attention for the same award. Boston also has Jayson Tatum in the broader MVP discussion, though that race comes with plenty of heavyweight competition, which is why Pritchards path may end up looking more realistic if the Celtics want a serious shot at hardware this season. [Read more 🡒]