The Celtics have signed a crucial rotation player away from the Lakers.
The Boston Celtics have officially entered the troll era.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Sunday that veteran big man Wenyen Gabriel is nearing a deal with the Celtics. Gabriel will compete for a reserve berth in Boston’s frontcourt, according to Charania.
Last offseason, Gabriel, 26, was a vital piece of the rival Los Angeles Lakers’ rotation. He appeared in 68 games for the purple and gold, leading all eligible Lakers with a 59.6 field goal percentage. While Gabriel’s scoring figures (5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game) weren’t particularly outstanding, he provided contagious enthusiasm and defensive prowess to the second unit, which helped shift the tempo at the conclusion of quarters.
The Celtics are suddenly short on frontcourt depth, especially after giving up some size in their huge trade for Jrue Holiday this week. Behind Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, Gabriel should see significant playing time down low for Boston.
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Jayson Tatum considered offseason wrist surgery but declined.
The Celtics star has a history of non-shooting wrist issues.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne stated on NBA Today that Jayson Tatum considered having wrist surgery this summer but eventually decided against it, instead obtaining a cortisone shot.
Before making his selection, the Boston Celtics superstar spoke with “a bunch of specialists” and assured Shelbourne that he “feels really good.”
Tatum’s non-shooting wrist problem dates back to the end of the 2021-22 season, when he stated that he played through a fracture during the Celtics’ run to the NBA Finals in 2022.
“It was small, but it was still like a non-displaced chip,” Tatum explained in an August 2022 interview with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks. “I chipped a bone, but it didn’t leave the surface, but it showed that the bone grew over it, so it healed.” But I was still in pain because I kept falling or being smacked by it. So I guess I played with a fracture for around two months.”
He also mentioned a game versus the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022 in which he dunked on Giannis Antetokounmpo and tumbled into the crowd. “That was the most painful it’s been since that day that I hurt it,” Tatum stated.
The issue remained into the 2022-23 season. Tatum stated in November 2022 that he and the Celtics were “managing” the situation. Tatum stated that it was “nothing I needed surgery for,” but that the problem was still “bothering” him.
Tatum is set to start another season after one season, no surgery, and a cortisone shot, hoping the wrist concerns go away.
