The Boston Celtics drafted Baylor Scheierman with the 30th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Creighton product spent most of his rookie season with the Maine Celtics in the G League.
However, toward the end of the regular season, Scheierman produced some impressive performances for Joe Mazzulla’s team.
Scheierman is a multi-talented forward. He’s a wildly underrated passer. Furthermore, he has tremendous upside as a perimeter threat, both off the catch and on the move, and has also shown potential as a weakside rebounder.
As the Celtics prepare for a 2025-26 season in which Jayson Tatum will miss time with an Achilles tendon injury, Scheierman could find himself stepping into a bigger role.
There’s a chance Scheierman could be tasked with replacing the production Mazzulla usually gets from Sam Hauser.
“Another trade candidate to keep an eye on in the eyes of NBA executives around the league is sharpshooter Sam Hauser, a career 42 percent shooter from beyond the arc and has been a consistent rotation player for Boston the past three seasons,” Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported. “When Boston drafted Baylor Scheierman…some NBA talent evaluators pointed to him as an eventual possible replacement for Hauser after he shot 39 percent beyond the arc in five collegiate seasons.”
Hauser, who initially joined Boston as an undrafted rookie, is among the best sharpshooters in the NBA. Unfortunately for the Celtics, he’s also one of the easier players to find willing trade partners for. The nature of the second luxury tax apron means the Celtics will likely be open for business, assuming teams can offer a fair price.
Therefore, Scheierman may be forced into a bigger role far sooner than he expected. There will be limited expectations for next season. As such, he will likely be free to develop his game away from the spotlight. Not many young talents are afforded a whole season to stake their claim for a spot on a potential championship-level roster.
Scheierman must do whatever it takes to secure his position within the rotation. He was drafted to be the successor to Hauser, or at least, high-level competition. After spending a year learning the ropes, his time looks like it will arrive later this year.
As such, Celtics fans are about to learn what Scheierman is made of. Fortunately for him, Scheierman’s long collegiate career has likely prepared him for some of the tests that lie ahead.
