Terry Rozier became the Celtics' focal point when they lost superstar Kyrie Irving last season. During that stretch, he led Boston to a postseason appearance where the 6'1" point guard averaged a career-best 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and close to 6 assists per game. While these numbers might have been enough for him to elevate his career to new heights, this season isn't particularly generous to Rozier now that "Uncle Drew" is once again in the limelight.
Rozier let out his frustrations during a recent interview, saying that he can't "wait for this year to be over." This honest statement is clearly evident now that Irving is back and Rozier found himself on the bench. At this point, his stats went down to a meager 9 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists while playing around 22 minutes per game.
Fans really can't question why Rozier feels this way. They know that Brad Stevens will pick Irving over him considering that Kyrie is the face of the franchise. Irving on the other hand also had a piece of the issue. He said on a separate account that he and Rozier have a "natural competition" that no one really wants to say. Both are in their prime, and it is the same challenge both players face as Boston heads to the Playoffs.
As described by Irving, Rozier is part of the Celtics' "young guns." The team is also revolving around the performance of longtime big man Al Horford, Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum. The Celtics is a formidable team and, just like last year when Rozier blossomed, they can make one tough opponent.
Rozier's name will be among those who will highlight the free agency list after this season is over. Although a restricted free agent, he should be under the radar for teams who are looking for a legitimate playmaker. One website said that should the Celtics want to retain Rozier, all they have to do is to match the offers other teams will make.
On the other hand, they see this scenario is "highly unlikely". The Celtics will be reluctant to shed a considerable amount of their cap space to sign Rozier again. Boston already offered Marcus Smart a "long-term deal" last summer and at the same time, looks to offer Irving a max deal.
The next few months will be tough for Rozier. On the one hand, he will have to help the Celtics in their Playoffs berth. On the other, he will have to make a good impression for him to climb the free agent roster since "half the players in the league are eligible." Still, Rozier admitted that he's happy for what they've accomplished so far.
