> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.playoffrondo.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Training Camp Battles Part 2: Celtics’ Starting SG Competition - URL: https://www.playoffrondo.com/training-camp-battles-part-2-celtics-starting-sg-competition/ - Published: 2026-10-05T21:04:37.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T17:38:48.000Z - Author: Playoff Rondo Reports of the Celtics’ death have been greatly exaggerated. If you believed the reaction to Boston’s decision to trade Jaylen Brown this summer, the Celtics should have arrived at training camp somewhere between rebuilding and hospice care. The sky was falling. The championship window had slammed shut. Jayson Tatum’s prime was being wasted. The Celtics had gone from legitimate contender to cautionary tale overnight. And yet, here we are. Training camp has arrived, and Boston still has Jayson Tatum, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Paul George, and a roster full of intriguing young wings fighting for minutes. More importantly, the first days of camp are beginning to answer one of the biggest questions hanging over the team since the Brown trade: ## Who is going to start at shooting guard? Baylor Scheierman? Hugo González? Sam Hauser? Could Ron Harper Jr. force his way into the conversation? Apparently, the Celtics are not quite dead yet. The Brown trade may ultimately prove to be the wrong move. I don’t think so, though. There are legitimate questions about whether Boston sacrificed too much of its present for its future. But the notion that the Celtics were destined for immediate irrelevance always seemed premature. Now they get a chance to prove it. ## Shouldn’t Payton Pritchard be in the opening lineup? The most obvious starter next to Derrick White in the Celtics’ backcourt is Payton Pritchard, the diminutive guard who averaged career highs of 17.0 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game last season. But with Mike Conley the only other ballhandler off the bench, Pritchard will most likely be the sixth man again, where he can run the offense for long stretches and serve as a vital shot creator at the end of games. ## It will likely come down to Hauser, Scheierman, and Gonzalez The case for Sam Hauser starting is strong. He’s an elite three-point sniper and off-ball threat who can step into the starting lineup without disrupting the offense, making him the safest choice if Mazzulla wants the fifth starter to maximize spacing around Tatum and George. And then there’s the part of Hauser’s game that tends to get lost behind all those three-pointers: he’s become a genuinely useful defender. He’s never going to be mistaken for an elite wing defender, but Hauser’s positioning, size, discipline, and understanding of opposing tendencies have turned what was once a potential liability into a legitimate plus. ## Baylor Scheierman might be best suited for the starting lineup One of the reasons the Celtics were so successful in the regular season last year was their depth. That’s also one of the reasons Brad Stevens made the Jaylen Brown trade: to preserve that depth. Baylor Scheierman seems to embody why that versatility is so important. The former high school quarterback is a knock-down shooter from deep, makes the right reads as a connective passer, and has a willingness to crash the boards and keep possessions alive. His versatility seems tailor-made for Coach Mazzulla’s system. ## Hugo Gonzalez’s future is bright whatever happens this year Last season was supposed to be a development year for Hugo González, but the two-way wing drafted in the late first round had other ideas. The 6-foot-6 guard/forward brought size, physicality, energy, and defensive versatility to the perimeter while gaining valuable experience during his first season in the NBA. González’s calling card is defense, and he’s a literal maniac on that end of the floor. His motor never stops running. He blows up screens, gets into passing lanes for steals, and is an outstanding shot blocker for his position. Opponents shot 3.6% below expectation against him last season, which ranked in the 94th percentile among wings, helping earn the trust of Coach Joe Mazzulla. Of course, offense is still a major work in progress, but González flashed his all-around potential when given extended opportunities last year. He has legitimate playmaking instincts, he’s already a willing passer and cutter, and he can finish at the rim, particularly when he gets out on the fast break. If his three-point shot becomes more consistent, defenses will have to respect him, which could open up the lane for attacking closeouts. If Hauser has the résumé and Scheierman the basketball IQ, **González has the ceiling.** ## Ron Harper Jr. might be the wild card Most experts don’t expect him to start, and I don’t either, but you shouldn’t dismiss Harper’s game. Coach Mazzulla certainly didn’t when he started Harper in Game 7 of the playoffs against Philadelphia. Harper spent most of last year with the Maine Celtics, where he averaged 25.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, showcasing a versatile two-way game and the ability to contribute in multiple areas. Perseverance and maturity are two things Harper has in spades. Now armed with more stability and familiarity after inking a three-year guaranteed contract, he’ll look to continue carving out a role with his physicality, shooting, and basketball IQ. ## Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla isn’t afraid to mix things up The Celtics have some interesting choices to make this season, and it’s safe to say Mazzulla will experiment with lineups. Last year, the Celtics used 23 different starting combinations during the regular season, and this season should be no different. Mazzulla will pull players if they give up an offensive rebound or don’t hustle back on defense. He’ll start guys one game and then glue them to the bench the next. And, as the old adage goes, it’s more important who’s closing games than who starts them.