Chris Forsberg: It’s Refreshing That Celtics Superstars Spurn Joel Embiid, Don’t Take Games Off

On Wednesday's edition of Toucher & Hardy, Chris Forsberg who covers the Celtics for NBC Sports Boston, joined the show. The guys discussed the recent report that NBA superstar Joel Embiid will load manage his body this season, and not play in back to back games in hopes to be healthy for the post-season. Forsberg makes the point that it's refreshing that's the Celtics superstars reject the idea of taking days off, which is counter to the tactics team's use today in the NBA.

Toucher: Chris, what does this mean? I know resting star players isn't new. I mean it's been around before this season. It's not new resting, guys, obviously, but before the season, just making this kind of announcement. What do you think it means for the league?

Chris Forsberg: So, for the league, it's not great. Obviously there's going to be nights, especially when there's marquee games, that they're going to want him out there. So I wonder how that will play itself out. You know, it makes me appreciate that Jayson Tatum is out there. Every other superstar is like," I need to take this night off, that night off." Tatum's like, "I want to play Monday nights in Charlotte. People are buying tickets to come see me." I don't think we appreciate it enough ,that the superstars on the Celtics want to play. They literally have to fight him to take a night off. It's refreshing that your superstars want to do that. I'm so mad at myself that I talked myself into the Sixers being a legitimate team before the season based on their roster moves. Already I'm like, what was I thinking? They can't even get through the regular season. Like, what is Embiid going to do in the playoffs when he's going up and down the court for 40 minutes a night? I just don't know if that's possible. You know like nothing about his history in the NBA suggest he can endure that sort of rigor of the postseason. To me, that's what it hinges on. (Tyrese) Maxey can be great, and Paul George can be much better than Tobias Harris. But if Embiid can't get himself up and down the court, and give you 40 good minutes a night in the playoffs, then you're toast. It's just not a good situation, and that's why I'm further emboldened that the Celtics are just that much different than the rest of the East.

The defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics have made waves all offseason with GM Brad Stevens resigning just about the entire title winning team over the summer. Stevens struck again on Wednesday night with the signing of 25-year old Lonnie Walker IV. Walker is a 6'4 shooting guard who can play the 3 when asked, last season Walker averaged 9.7 points and shot 38% on three-pointers in 58 games for the Brooklyn Nets.

While some casual NBA fans will say, so what the NBA Champs added Lonnie Walker the roster was loaded already this isn't really a major move. I would agree with the sentiment but when you factor in just how much basketball this group has played over the last few seasons. Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown making deep playoff runs every year the deeper the bench the better for Boston's chances of repeating.

The Celtics were able to retain just about all of their players from last season but did lose Oshae Brissett and I believe Walker to be an upgrade over Brissett. Walker is a better shooter which we know Joe Mazzulla loves. His ability to spread the floor and be a consistent threat from outside is an upgrade over Brissett who was a .273 shooter from beyond the arc last season.

So while on the surface this is a very marginal move for the Celtics. Any move that bolsters the roster for a team looking to repeat as NBA champions is welcomed. The more rest they can give their stars throughout the season the more well rested they should be for another deep playoff run.

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