Now that the 2020-21 Boston Celtics season is firmly in the rear-view mirror, it’s possible to spend some time taking stock of how each player did with the opportunity he had.
To that end, we are grading every player who put in time on the basketball court for the Celtics this season, including all 15 members of the regular roster, both two-way players and the players the team cut or traded away. That’s 21 players altogether, and today’s focus is second-year guard Carsen Edwards. In what was a critical year for his future with little opportunity to play with the parent club and zero opportunities to hone skills in the G League with a canceled Maine Red Claws (now, Maine Celtics) season, Edwards had his work cut out for him.
With that in mind, let’s grade the Texan’s play last season in the context of the difficult situation that it was.
Offense
One of Edwards’ most nagging problems at the NBA level was being brought in as a volume shooter who had trouble getting the ball through the hoop against longer, more talented opponents than he faced in college. That trend continued in his second season in the league, and while much of his problems shooting the rock from deep stuck with him, he managed to become a more efficient player from 2-point range and from the line. Grade: C- https://twitter.com/TheCelticsWire/status/1403439813915729929?s=20
Defense
As a shorter guard at 5-foot-11, Edwards often struggled to defend his own position at times, never mind up a position. But he also demonstrated a greater awareness of the team’s schema, and where he was supposed to be on the court. There’s a limit how good of a defender a player his size can be, but Edwards did take a very small step forward on that end of the ball. Grade: C- https://twitter.com/TheCelticsWire/status/1403440687459209216?s=20
Intangibles
As has been the case with many of the players buried in the rotation, the Atascocita native didn’t see much floor time on a consistent basis for Boston, but still managed to seem ready to play when he did most nights. Other than an embarrassing hack of his Twitter account, Edwards spent most of the 2020-21 season out of the public eye, which is probably not a bad thing given how little he was playing. Grade: C https://twitter.com/TheCelticsWire/status/1403445989508358153?s=20
Overall
For a lot of the players nearer to the end of the rotation, this was something of a lost season, and just being able to stay on the floor a bit while developing their game is more or less a win for such players. For Edwards, there was some minor progress in his second season with the team, but it seems likely he’ll be among the first to go should the team need a roster spot or trade ballast. He might do better on a rebuilding team or overseas, but earned himself a respectable grade for 2020-21 for the present. Grade: C- This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook! [lawrence-related id=51883,51870,51867,51861] [listicle id=51866]
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