Terry Rozier

Rozier's offseason move from Boston to Charlotte prior to the 2019-20 campaign turned out to be a major boon for him and the Hornets alike. Handed a full-time starting role for the first time in his five NBA seasons, Rozier responded with a major breakout, doubling his scoring average from the year before to 18.0 points per game along with 2.7 threes, 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.0 steals. Perhaps most remarkably, he shot 40.7 percent from long range -- a figure that was not only a career high in that category, but was in fact higher than any field-goal percentage he'd ever posted before last season. He ultimately made 172 threes, tying for 20th in the league. Rozier's free-throw percentage also spiked to a shiny 87.4 to accompany a 42.3 field-goal percentage, reflecting an all-around improvement in his shooting ability. However, it's possible he'll remain stagnant this season or take a step back. The Hornets selected guard LaMelo Ball with the third overall pick in the draft, and the team also signed Gordon Hayward to a huge contract. That could mean fewer minutes and less usage for Rozier overall. He'll still be safe to draft inside the top 100, but fantasy managers need to be weary of the situation.

Rozier saw his workload decrease last season as the Celtics were healthier compared to 2017-18. Still, he drew 14 starts and garnered a solid 22.7 minutes per contest. But Boston was not ready to commit to Rozier as their point guard of the future and instead acquired Kemba Walker in a sign-and-trade that sent Rozier to Charlotte. With the Hornets, Rozier figures to be the focal point of the rebuilding franchise. In 30 career games as a starter, the 25-year-old has averaged 14.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.4 steals. His 40.1 FG% in those starts leaves something to be desired, but he managed an impressive 39.6 3P% on 192 attempts. It's reasonable to think Rozier could play above those numbers, as he'll have less talent surrounding him on the Hornets than he did with the Celtics. While he likely won't turn into a great passer or dynamic scorer overnight, fantasy owners can look toward Rozier as an above-average rebounder at the point guard spot, plus a solid source of threes and steals.

Rozier proved in 2018 that he’s a more than capable NBA starting point guard. When Kyrie Irving went down with a knee injury in March, Rozier responded with 15 points, five assists and five rebounds per game over 34 regular season and playoff contests. Unfortunately, Rozier’s end-of-season run was marred by a dud performance in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The silver lining of that miserable Game 7 is it reminded everyone that Rozier is still a far cry from a star of Irving's caliber, who is expected to return, fully healthy for the 2018-19 season. That means Rozier will sink back into his reserve role, though he’s leapfrogged fellow-reserve Marcus Smart on the point guard depth chart. Assuming Irving can stay healthy, expect Rozier’s workload to hover in the 20-25 minutes per game range as Boston’s first guard off the bench. Between the Celtics' championship aspirations and Rozier’s upcoming restricted free agency next summer, the 2018-19 campaign will be one that holds major implications for Rozier's future in the league.

Rozier showed nice, steady improvement during his sophomore season in Boston, increasing his playing time from 8.0 minutes per game his rookie season to 17.0 minutes per game last year. Rozier’s tight defense and combo-guard skills also earned him key minutes during the Celtics’ playoff run, proving that coach Brad Stevens trusts Rozier. And now that long time Celtic Avery Bradley has been dealt to Detroit, the door is open for Rozier to see even more minutes in 2017-18. Expect Rozier to see key minutes backing up Kyrie Irving at the point and the combination of Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown at shooting guard. Considering Irving’s lack of defensive skills, Rozier will certainly be called on to slow down opposing star point guards. Rozier’s name was mentioned in a few trade rumors last year, in particular as part of a package that might have landed Boston a second-half rental of Serge Ibaka. The fact that GM Danny Ainge wouldn’t part with Rozier demonstrates that Boston is committed to further developing their 2015 first-round pick. Expect continued improvement and minutes for Rozier during his third year in Celtic green.

Rozier, a first-round pick out of Louisville, appeared in only 39 games for the Celtics last season, spending much of his rookie year glued to the bench behind Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart and Evan Turner. He also made 14 appearances for the Maine Red Claws of the D-League, averaging 19.4 points, 8.0 assists, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals in just under 34 minutes per game. It's difficult to draw any conclusions from his modest per-game averages with the Celtics -- 1.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.9 rebounds -- but the most glaring takeaway is that Rozier, already an excellent defender, must improve as a shooter. The 22-year-old converted only 27.4 percent of his field-goal and 22.2 percent of his three-point attempts last season. His D-League percentages were more respectable, but he still failed to reach 40 percent shooting, while converting less than 34 percent of his 5.3 three-point attempts per game. Looking ahead, Rozier remains on more of a long-term development trajectory, though he'll likely see a slightly increased role as the Celtics' third point guard in 2016-17.

Some were surprised when Boston selected Rozier with the 16th overall pick in the 2015 draft. The diminutive 6-2 guard seems to be entering a backcourt logjam, entrenched behind 2014 first-round pick Marcus Smart and offensive sparkplug Isaiah Thomas. One must wonder how many minutes at point guard will be available for Rozier, barring injuries to Smart or Thomas. As occurred last year with James Young, Rozier seems destined for a year of lots of bench time in Boston while occasionally playing with the D-League Red Claws. That said, Rozier held his own in summer league, starting all five matches for the Celtics with averages of 12.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.0 steal over 28 minutes per game. Those numbers don't leap of the screen but do offer hope for the future. Rozier will most likely begin the season buried on the depth chart.