The disappearance of Aaron Nesmith hadn't really been a priority. Celtics fans had another first-round pick Payton Pritchard, which was plenty.
Pritchard was the one who would be supplying the unexpected dose of hope for the 2020-21 Celtics.
But then that dynamic started trending the other way, first with a pair of back-to-back three-point games from the rookie guard and then a knee injury that has put Pritchard not the sidelines.
All of a sudden, the Celtics needed something else. It turns out the 2020 NBA Draft may be the gift that keeps on giving.
Nesmith -- the sharp-shooting No. 14 overall pick -- has suddenly emerged as a viable option for Brad Stevens. The latest example came in the form of a nine-point effort in the Celtics' 119-103 win over the Bulls. (For more on the C's second straight victory, click here.)
In 19 minutes Nesmith looked like he belonged, duplicating his 3-for-5 three-point shooting performance from the night before (when he scored 11 points in the blowout over Cleveland).
Prior to the last two games the narrative was a somewhat depressing one, with the Draft Night anticipation pushed the side, replaced by the urging of patience.
Now Celtics' fans are getting a taste of what they were craving.
“I think the game is slowing down a little bit on the (offensive end), so that’s a good thing,” Stevens said. “But it’s not fair to assess a guy or to judge a guy based on limited game reps from the outside. You know, obviously, we get a chance to see guys every day, but it’s hard to get a rhythm or for the game to slow down when you’re not playing lots of minutes in a row or you’re not getting those opportunities. So I think that it helps that he’s had a couple of games here where he’s played a little bit more."
“It's been a journey,” Nesmith said. “It's been tough at times for sure, but just trying to expedite my learning curve and make sure I'm always locked in. Always making sure I’m taking advantage of every opportunity. And so even in the games where I don’t play or don’t play as much, just making sure that I’m mentally locked into the things that we’re doing as a team so whenever I come in, it’s like I haven’t sat out at all.”