Projecting Potential Celtics Regular Season Roster

The Boston Celtics kick off the 2015-2016 season on Wednesday night, as they Welcome the Philadelphia 76ers to town. As the preseason wraps up here's a look at how the team's 15-man roster might look like by the opening tip off.

Back Court (7)- Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Evan Turner, RJ Hunter, James Young

Note: The first five of these guys seem to be locks to make the roster. Smart and Rozier appear to be the team's two top options at point guard. Isaiah Thomas is also another lock, as he provides the most scoring potential of anyone on the roster. It appears that he will reprise his off the bench role this season as it worked well down the stretch last year. Bradley and Turner are both solid options at the guard position as well. Bradley adds good shooting from the two guard position and strong defense on the perimeter, while Turner has experience handling the ball, can potentially score, rebound and assist at double digit clips and can play a bit as a forward at least defensively. Young spent most of his rookie season last year in the developmental league or on the team's bench though he has advanced his level of play over the off season. The fact that he's a former first round pick and that he has great size and natural skill makes it likely that he'll make the roster. Hunter is a first round pick from this year's draft, who like Young, adds great size to the back court. his ability to shoot on the perimeter and his high draft status probably lands him a spot on the roster.

Front Court (8)- Amir Johnson, Jae Crowder, Jonas Jerebko, David Lee, Tyler Zeller, Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, Jordan Mickey

Note: Both Johnson and Lee came over this season in off season deals made by president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. Both add a sense of veteran leadership to the front court. Johnson's athleticism and hustle have been impressive in the preseason, while Lee adds a strong ability to score from the paint as long as he stays healthy. Crowder is a spark plug, who brings a lot of energy and passion to the team. He's a high motor guy who doesn't excel in any one area buts chips in all over the stat sheet. Zeller adds the most height of anyone in what is a small front court for Boston. He hustles well and had a solid season last year with the team. Jerebko has a decent amount of experience in the league and has played well this preseason. He can add a bit of outside shooting to the club as well. Sullinger is a guy that has all the talent in the world but has dealt with a rash of injuries since his time at Ohio State. If he can stay in shape and stay healthy, he can be a huge scoring threat for this team and a big presence in the paint. Olynyk had a bit of an up and down rookie year last season but showed an ability to score and shoot from the outside. He needs to become more of a presence down low, especially on the defensive side of the ball as his 7'0" height makes him one of the tallest guys on the roster. Mickey is another member of the team's most recent draft class. He showed an ability to be a major presence down low while at LSU and has the potential to turn into a serious threat in the paint.

On The Bubble (1)- Perry Jones

Note: Jones is another player that came over to the Celtics in an off season trade made by Ainge. He has the natural skill to make the roster but he's been inconsistent in limited minutes so far in his NBA career. He also hasn't played that much this preseason, leading many to believe he becomes the odd man out.

Of the 15 players listed on the final active roster, 13 will be allowed to dress each game. The Celtics are a team that is youthful and a bit undersized, especially in the front court. They should definitely challenge for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, as the league is weak overall. They ma not be a top three team but they could finish in the top five.