Training Camp Report: Week One In The Books

As opening night of the 2023-24 NBA G League season approaches, head coach Blaine Mueller and the Maine Celtics are in the process of ironing out the fine details of the on-court product fans will see on Friday evening at Capital City. 

Following a full week of thorough, energetic training camp practices – during which every player on the roster executed and made plays in critical moments – the Celtics held an intrasquad scrimmage at the Expo over the weekend, the culmination of a week of hard work and high effort. While a training camp as intense as Maine’s can offer plenty of settings for players to stand out amongst the crowd, no setting allows a player to show out quite like 5-on-5. 

Two-Way players JD Davison and Nathan Knight led the charge in the scrimmage, demonstrating the potential that the Celtics front office sees in each of them. Boston Celtics assignment player Jordan Walsh, who is expected to be with Maine at times throughout his rookie year, has spent training camp with Maine and flashed that defensive potential and feel for the game we saw from him in his lone college season at Arkansas. Two-Way center Neemias Queta remains in Boston, sidelined for all of camp with a foot injury. Once he’s healthy, all four of the Boston Celtics players on Maine’s roster will be primed to make an impact. 

 It was apparent after the weekend scrimmage that one of Maine’s calling cards this season will be its size advantage. With three 7-footers in Queta, Kylor Kelley, and James Banks III, plus a pair of potential small-ball center options in Knight and Jaiden Delaire, the Celtics will be able to match up physically with most teams in the G League. The lob threat provided by the centers and Knight’s floor-spacing open the offense for Davison, and DJ Steward has developed palpable chemistry with the bigs in ball-screens and hand-offs. Steward, an Affiliate Player that signed an Exhibit 10 contract and the preseason with Boston, has settled in now that he’s spent some time living and working in Portland. Steward’s versatility playing on and off the ball and some impressive off-the-dribble 3-point shooting make for a fun watch when he’s in rhythm – Celtics fans at the Expo could be in for some explosive performances this season. 

Jordan Schakel spoke at Maine Celtics Media Day about developing his pick-and-roll craft, court vision and improving overall as a ball-handler and playmaker. The emphasis on growth in that area was clear during camp and gives the Celtics halfcourt offense a security blanket in coupled with his deep shooting range. Steadily becoming a greater threat as an on-ball creator would put the sharp-shooting Schakel in great position to work himself back onto a Two-Way contract, and he appears well on his way to doing so. 

Veteran and second-year Celtic Tony Snell has established himself as the team’s most reliable player on both sides of the floor early on. The 6-foot-6 forward is one of the best shooters on the roster and can slide across positions 2-4, giving coach Mueller a reliable option for a variety of lineups. At 31 years old and with a whopping 601 NBA games played in his career, Snell sets an example of professionalism off the court, and on the court does all the “little things” needed from modern wings to be successful in the league. 

The Celtics hit the court for a second week of training camp practice on Monday, with a three-day week ahead of them before Thursday’s travel day for the season opener. The C’s will get in road games in Capital City on Nov. 10 and Westchester on Nov. 12 before returning home for the Nov. 17 home opener vs. Long Island. 

Maine Celtics fans, start counting down the days – on Friday at 7:00 PM, the 2023-24 season finally kicks off.