What the Boston Celtics Can Expect From Baylor Scheierman

He might be the most well-rounded of the reserve wings, but he still needs to improve a lot if he's going to grab hold of a regular rotation spot.

Apr 9, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics guard Baylor Scheierman (55) reacts after hitting a three pointer during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is the next installment in a series of pieces examining what the Boston Celtics can expect from each of their players this season. Others in the series: The Rookies, Mike Conley, Paul George, and Jordan Walsh. Monday: Hugo Gonzalez.

This is a season of opportunity for Boston's reserve wings. Paul George is going to miss a fair amount of time by design, and probably more by circumstance. Jayson Tatum will also have to start giving in to load management as he begins life in a post-Achilles injury reality. 

Minutes will be there on the wing. Baylor Scheierman is one of the guys hoping to take them. 

The triumvirate of Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Hugo Gonazalez come into this season as a combined key to Boston's success in the wake of the Jaylen Brown trade. At least one, and more likely two, of these wings need to make noticeable leaps for the Celtics to overachieve this season, and also feel good about how they're re-shaping their future. 

Walsh is a high-energy wildcard. Gonzalez is a tantalizing young talent. Scheierman is, currently, the most well-rounded and mature of them all as a basketball player, probably because he's as old as a lot of guys going into their second contracts while still only heading into his third year in the NBA.

Scheierman carries a joie de vivre onto the court with his floppy mullet, propensity for trash-talking, and the ability to find celebrations in the wake of injuries. It's hard to find a player with more confidence when he steps onto the floor. 

And, as it usually goes, that great strength can be a great weakness from time to time. 

Scheierman has been known to ride the emotional wave of a game. If there's a momentum shot to be taken, you can bet Scheierman will want to fire it. He will not shrink in the moment, though it's still yet to be seen if he can meet it as often as he thinks he can.

It's always easier to dial someone back than drag something out of him, so it’s fine that this has been the case so far. It’s also fine to ask Scheierman to be a little more aware of the moment. No one wants to stifle the joy with which he plays basketball, but reading the game a little better is a reasonable expectation.

When the game's emotions are below feverish, Scheierman brings a nice balance of shooting and playmaking, which is why he earned 20 starts last regular season. The winner of the wing minutes will be the most consistent shooter and the smartest with the ball in his hands. Scheierman has a chance to be both. 

“[I want to improve] my ability to create for others and read the game, and be a secondary or third playmaker, coming off a screen or coming off a pin-down, things like that,” Scheierman said in his exit interview back in May. “And then continue to work on finishing at the rim … Floaters, and slow steps, and finding angles.” 

His finishing at the rim is definitely a weakness. His 77.3% within three feet of the rim last season was 11th on the team, 10 percentage points behind Sam Hauser. He shot 45.2% between three and 10 feet away, 13% behind Payton Pritchard. 

But he was the team’s second-best three-point shooter, behind Luka Garza, at 39.9%. His 49.4% from the corner was second only to Pritchard’s 52.4%. Everything else, like his rebounding, passing, and defense, all qualifies as somewhere between above average to adequate, but with definite room for improvement.

In reality, the true competition is between Scheierman and Walsh. Gonzalez still has time to grow into himself as an NBA player. If we assume that Gonzalez is a big a part of Boston's future as Brad Stevens has said, then Scheierman can be the wing of the moment. Walsh's NBA skill is his defense. Scheierman has a more natural feel for the offense, but he ticks more boxes than Walsh at the moment.

“I've always prided myself in being able to impact the game in about every area,” he said. “I think that's who I am and who I want to be in this league; is just being able to impact the game in whatever way necessary.”

Scheierman has been okay defensively, but he can very easily get better. That starts with getting quicker laterally, and one of his stated goals is being able to change direction quicker and more effectively. It’s one of many improvements that can come to fruition and make him an important part of the rotation, or just fall short and leave Boston playing rock, paper, scissors to figure out which wing gets minutes on a given night. We can expect some good shooting, the occasional highlight pass, some decent rebounding, and passable defense. How much he moves those sliders will determine how big a part of a rotation he becomes.

“I have a long ways to go,” Scheierman said before heading into the summer. “I'm excited to get after it this offseason.”