With the Summer League winding down, allow yourself to dream a little bit. We\u2019re heading into a stretch of the summer where actual basketball is few and far between. We\u2019ll get glimpses of offseason workouts, maybe a Pro-Am here and there, but for the most part, sneaker-squealing and rock-pounding will be mirages in this basketball desert from late-July to mid-September.<\/p>\n
But after a relatively successful stint out in Sin City, we\u2019ve got enough actual tape to do some prognosticating with our young players. Sure, the Summer Cs didn\u2019t make the Summer League playoffs, but we can dream a little and maybe, just maybe, project a more meaningful championship in their future.<\/p>\n
In addition to Hugo Gonzalez\u2019s strong showing in three games, it\u2019s been rookie Chris Cenac Jr.\u2019s game that has really opened the eyes of Celtics fans. The numbers don\u2019t exactly jump off the page \u2014 10.5 points and 8 rebounds per game \u2014 but you can see how given a little more time to develop, his physical skills and talent will translate quickly to the NBA game.<\/p>\n
Already, he\u2019s an excellent rim protector (2.8 blocks per game) and he\u2019s tried to catch a body on several dunk attempts over the last week. He feels like a mix of Chris Bosh, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Shawn Kemp. What will make him a consistent contributor in the modern NBA is moving his mid-range game past the three-point line and being able to defend quicker players on the switch.<\/p>\n