On Wednesday (Feb. 7) the Boston Celtics acquired Xavier Tillman from the Memphis Grizzlies. Lamar Stevens was sent in the opposite direction as Boston looked to retain an open roster spot heading into the February 8 trade deadline. Tillman’s arrival has cemented the Celtics big man rotation, giving them multiple different options in the middle of the court.
Tillman’s arrival has given Joe Mazzulla a small-ball option. He has also improved the physicality on the Celtics bench and gives the coaching staff another reliable passing big man to work with at the top of the perimeter.
During a live stream from the “Green With Envy” podcast, the hosts discussed the potential rotation changes Tillman’s arrival could cause. Specifically, how Neemias Queta’s run with the main team has likely taken a significant hit and how Luke Kornet will now be forced into a dogfight for playing time.
Nevertheless, the Celtics have clearly added depth and talent to their roster and solved an area of need. You can watch the full episode by clicking on the embedded link above.
Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ
