Call it a contender’s conundrum. A pleasant problem, if there is such a thing. Or maybe a dilemma of depth.
Not quite two full seasons into his tenure as Celtics president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens — who is off to an Auerbachian start when it comes to talent procurement in this savvier era, when no one is trading the rights to elite college prospects for Ice Capades dates — has assembled a roster with more than five players who deserve to be on the court when a game’s outcome is at stake.
Having the trustworthy, talented likes of Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon coming off the bench — at least on the nights when the standard starting five of Robert Williams, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart is intact — is the definition of an NBA first-world problem.