Young wins the final spot
CELTICS NOTEBOOK
James Young survived the final cut yesterday, beating out R.J. Hunter for the 15th — and final — roster spot on the Celtics. The alternative would not have been appetizing for either him or the team, as a No. 17 overall draft pick cut on the eve of his third season.
Danny Ainge, just to make sure the 6-foot-6 guard understood where he stood, dished out some tough love yesterday morning.
“I told him this morning that I think this is the first time he’s earned anything in his life,” said the Celtics president of basketball operations. “He earned this by his play, day in and day out, and he just has to keep earning it. He was given a lot as a young kid, with a lot of promise and a lot of potential and like we talked about earlier this summer, he had to come out and win a spot with some good competition, and he did.
“So he just needs to keep doing what he’s been doing. He’s had a good six weeks of consistent play, hard work and professionalism and that’s what he needs to continue to do.”
Ainge and Celtics coach Brad Stevens have both praised Young for having a strong training camp.
“James won the job. He played well. Day in and day out, the last six weeks, he won the job,” said Ainge.
But this appears to be the year of finally understanding the stakes for Young. As such, he knows precisely what Ainge is talking about.
“I mean, I’ve always been better than a lot of people growing up — high school, college — I was real good. I came here and it was a big shock,” he said. “I feel like this is even better than the draft really, earning this position. Like I said I’m really blessed to be a part of this and not much I can do but keep getting better. People kept telling me, ‘ Hope you have a great season! Hope you make the team.’ I just got tired of hearing that so it motivated me to get into the gym right after summer league, just come here, keep working hard and take no days off.”
Ainge wasn’t the only one with tough words for Young. Jae Crowder had to be convinced of the guard’s worthiness.
“Actually he’s taking stuff a little more serious,” said Crowder. “He’s grown up. What can I say, he’s grown up. He came in a firstround draft pick and he was on the borderline of getting cut. I don’t know what is going to wake you up more so than that. Hopefully he gets it now and turns into a player who can help us win games.”
Young’s age — he started at 19 — was often mentioned as a reason for his slow development. Crowder wasn’t sympathetic.
“How many times you going to keep that up? A lot of people come in here at 19. You’re either ready or you’re not,” he said. “If you didn’t feel you were ready, you should have stayed in school. That’s how I look at it. He was 19 when he first came in, hopefully now he gets it. He saw how a lot of grown men work, and take their job very serious. It’s just not all that people on the outside think. It’s a job. They work every day. But I think he gets it now. I hope he does.”
Hunter waits
Hunter now has a slight to drive him in his career.
“He’s still a young kid, and when someone tells you you’re not good enough, you want to prove them wrong,” said his father, Georgia State coach Ron Hunter.
The news carried the extra sting of coming on the 6-foot-5 guard’s 23rd birthday. Hunter, a pure shooter and 2015 first-round pick, had trouble consistently hitting shots this preseason.
His father didn’t want to discuss whatever reason the Celtics had for keeping Young over his son.
“To be honest, I don’t know if in R.J.’s mind that’s even important right now,” he said. “But he’s going to miss it there. He definitely loves the community. It’s a numbers game, but it’s part of the business. What we know is that he belongs in the NBA, and he’ll be back there sooner or later.”
Hunter hadn’t yet been in contact with other teams.
“Right now we just want to get him hone,” said Ron Hunter. “He can have dinner with his mom and we can talk this over.”
Count Crowder among those who will miss Hunter.
“It’s tough to see a friend go more than a teammate, and R.J. is a friend of mine,” he said. “I told him, beyond this basketball stuff I’m here for you. It’s tough to see anyone get cut, especially on his birthday. Very tough. I don’t know how to put it any other way. We forget that this is a business. We signed up for it. It’s hard for a younger guy like that, I’m sure. I’ve never had to go through something like that but it’s tough. I just want to give him my support.”
Young, who also considers Hunter a friend, was also in the process of making a call to offer support.
Smart iffy
Marcus Smart, recovering from a left ankle sprain, remains questionable for tomorrow night’s season opener against Brooklyn.
“He is improving, so that’s been great,” said Stevens of the guard. “But no update on coming back or anything like that.”