In his one start for Boston this preseason, he tallied a 13-rebound performance, and outside of Griffin (who has only played in one game), he leads the team in rebounds thus far. The first thing that jumps off the page is his rebounding. Obviously, that efficiency isn’t sustainable, but his play has proven that he’s fully prepared to play minutes in Boston’s rotation this year when needed (even if the minutes are minimal). Through three preseason games, Vonleh has averaged 7.7 points and 8.3 rebounds in 15.6 minutes of action per game (on 83.3% shooting from the field). And so far in training camp, he’s done exactly what the Celtics have needed. The 27-year-old isn’t perfect, but he’s hungry for another shot in the NBA.
He’s ready to be the third string (or fourth string) center on a championship-caliber team, which in reality, isn’t asking much. Blake Griffin is in town now, too, so that’s another option. Luke Kornet was supposed to step in, but a sprained ankle in training camp has forced him to miss all of the preseason so far. Sam Hauser looks ready to step into a larger role similar to Gallinari’s, but the Celtics still need help at the five. There was nobody on the market who would have been able to replace what Williams brings to the table. And as soon as Danilo Gallinari and Robert Williams went down, that need increased tenfold. For the majority of the offseason, a pressing storyline around the Boston Celtics (outside of the Ime Udoka situation) has been the search for extra frontcourt help.
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