Last Updated on September 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Boston Celtics > Roster & Statistics
The Boston Celtics 1996-97 were led by Antoine Walker, whose scoring, rebounding, and playmaking made him the team’s primary all-around contributor as a rookie. Dino Radja provided efficient interior scoring and rebounding, while David Wesley added steady perimeter scoring and primary ball-handling. The statistics reflect a team that relied on versatile frontcourt production, balanced offensive contributions, and complementary guard play, but lacked consistent defensive impact.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DATE OF BIRTH | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | David Wesley | PG | 6-0 | 190 | November 14, 1970 | Baylor |
| 5 | Michael Hawkins | PG | 6-0 | 178 | October 28, 1972 | Xavier |
| 7 | Dee Brown | PG | 6-2 | 205 | November 29, 1968 | Jacksonville University |
| 8 | Antoine Walker | PF | 6-9 | 224 | August 12, 1976 | Kentucky |
| 9 | Greg Minor | SF | 6-6 | 210 | September 18, 1971 | Louisville |
| 11 | Dana Barros | PG | 5-11 | 163 | April 13, 1967 | Boston College |
| 13 | Todd Day | SG | 6-6 | 188 | January 7, 1970 | Arkansas |
| 27 | Nate Driggers | SG | 6-5 | 215 | October 12, 1973 | University of Montevallo |
| 29 | Pervis Ellison | PF | 6-9 | 210 | April 3, 1967 | Louisville |
| 30 | Marty Conlon | C | 6-10 | 224 | January 19, 1968 | Providence |
| 34 | Frank Brickowski | PF | 6-9 | 240 | August 14, 1959 | Penn State |
| 40 | Dino Radja | C | 6-11 | 225 | April 24, 1967 | |
| 41 | Stacey King | C | 6-11 | 230 | January 29, 1967 | Oklahoma |
| 42 | Steve Hamer | C | 7-0 | 245 | November 13, 1973 | Tennessee |
| 43 | Brett Szabo | C | 6-11 | 230 | February 1, 1968 | Augustana College (SD) |
| 44 | Rick Fox | SF | 6-7 | 230 | July 24, 1969 | UNC |
| 53 | Alton Lister | C | 7-0 | 240 | October 1, 1958 | Arizona State |
| 55 | Eric Williams | SG | 6-8 | 220 | July 17, 1972 | Vincennes University, Providence |
Regular Season Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antoine Walker | PF | 20 | 82 | 68 | 36.2 | 17.5 | 9.0 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 16.5 | 7.0 | .425 | 1.9 | 0.6 | .327 | 4.5 | 2.8 | .631 |
| David Wesley | PG | 26 | 74 | 73 | 40.4 | 16.8 | 3.6 | 7.3 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 2.9 | 13.2 | 6.2 | .468 | 3.9 | 1.4 | .360 | 3.9 | 3.0 | .781 |
| Todd Day | SG | 27 | 81 | 27 | 28.1 | 14.5 | 4.1 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 12.3 | 4.9 | .398 | 4.3 | 1.6 | .362 | 4.1 | 3.2 | .773 |
| Rick Fox | SF | 27 | 76 | 75 | 34.9 | 15.4 | 5.2 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 12.5 | 5.7 | .456 | 3.7 | 1.3 | .363 | 3.5 | 2.7 | .787 |
| Eric Williams | SG | 24 | 72 | 67 | 33.8 | 15.0 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 11.4 | 5.2 | .456 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .250 | 6.1 | 4.6 | .752 |
| Marty Conlon | C | 29 | 74 | 15 | 21.8 | 7.8 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 6.1 | 2.9 | .471 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .200 | 2.3 | 1.9 | .842 |
| Dino Radja | C | 29 | 25 | 25 | 35.0 | 14.0 | 8.4 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 13.6 | 6.0 | .440 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.8 | 2.0 | .718 |
| Dana Barros | PG | 29 | 24 | 8 | 29.5 | 12.5 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 10.5 | 4.6 | .435 | 4.4 | 1.8 | .410 | 1.8 | 1.5 | .860 |
| Greg Minor | SF | 25 | 23 | 15 | 23.8 | 9.6 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 8.5 | 4.1 | .480 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .125 | 1.6 | 1.3 | .861 |
| Dee Brown | PG | 28 | 21 | 2 | 24.9 | 7.6 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 7.9 | 2.9 | .367 | 3.1 | 1.0 | .308 | 1.0 | 0.9 | .818 |
| Brett Szabo | C | 28 | 70 | 24 | 9.5 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0.8 | .446 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.9 | 0.6 | .738 |
| Alton Lister | C | 38 | 53 | 2 | 9.7 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.6 | .416 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | .742 | |
| Frank Brickowski | PF | 37 | 17 | 2 | 15.0 | 4.8 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 4.3 | 1.9 | .438 | 1.2 | 0.4 | .350 | 0.8 | 0.6 | .714 |
| Michael Hawkins | PG | 24 | 29 | 0 | 11.2 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.0 | .426 | 1.1 | 0.3 | .323 | 0.5 | 0.4 | .800 |
| Steve Hamer | C | 23 | 35 | 3 | 7.7 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 0.9 | .526 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.8 | 0.5 | .552 |
| Nate Driggers | SG | 23 | 15 | 0 | 8.8 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 0.9 | .302 | 0.6 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.9 | 0.7 | .714 |
| Pervis Ellison | PF | 29 | 6 | 4 | 20.8 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 1.0 | .375 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | .600 | |
| Stacey King | C | 30 | 5 | 0 | 6.6 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 1.0 | .714 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | .667 | |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 242.7 | 100.6 | 40.0 | 21.9 | 9.9 | 3.8 | 16.4 | 85.0 | 37.4 | .440 | 16.2 | 5.7 | .351 | 26.8 | 20.1 | .750 |
Regular Season Per 36 Mins
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Day | SG | 27 | 81 | 27 | 2277 | 18.6 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 15.8 | 6.3 | .398 | 5.5 | 2.0 | .362 | 5.2 | 4.0 | .773 |
| Antoine Walker | PF | 20 | 82 | 68 | 2970 | 17.4 | 9.0 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 16.4 | 7.0 | .425 | 1.9 | 0.6 | .327 | 4.4 | 2.8 | .631 |
| Rick Fox | SF | 27 | 76 | 75 | 2650 | 15.9 | 5.4 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 12.9 | 5.9 | .456 | 3.8 | 1.4 | .363 | 3.6 | 2.8 | .787 |
| Eric Williams | SG | 24 | 72 | 67 | 2435 | 15.9 | 4.9 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 12.1 | 5.5 | .456 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .250 | 6.4 | 4.8 | .752 |
| David Wesley | PG | 26 | 74 | 73 | 2991 | 14.9 | 3.2 | 6.5 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 11.7 | 5.5 | .468 | 3.4 | 1.2 | .360 | 3.5 | 2.7 | .781 |
| Marty Conlon | C | 29 | 74 | 15 | 1614 | 12.8 | 7.2 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 10.1 | 4.8 | .471 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .200 | 3.8 | 3.2 | .842 |
| Brett Szabo | C | 28 | 70 | 24 | 662 | 8.3 | 9.0 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 6.6 | 2.9 | .446 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.3 | 2.4 | .738 |
| Dana Barros | PG | 29 | 24 | 8 | 708 | 15.3 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 12.9 | 5.6 | .435 | 5.3 | 2.2 | .410 | 2.2 | 1.9 | .860 |
| Dino Radja | C | 29 | 25 | 25 | 874 | 14.4 | 8.7 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 14.0 | 6.1 | .440 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.9 | 2.1 | .718 |
| Steve Hamer | C | 23 | 35 | 3 | 268 | 10.2 | 8.1 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 7.7 | 4.0 | .526 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.9 | 2.1 | .552 |
| Greg Minor | SF | 25 | 23 | 15 | 547 | 14.5 | 5.3 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 12.9 | 6.2 | .480 | 0.5 | 0.1 | .125 | 2.4 | 2.0 | .861 |
| Alton Lister | C | 38 | 53 | 2 | 516 | 6.1 | 11.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 5.4 | 2.2 | .416 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 1.6 | .742 | |
| Michael Hawkins | PG | 24 | 29 | 0 | 326 | 8.8 | 3.4 | 7.1 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 3.1 | 7.5 | 3.2 | .426 | 3.4 | 1.1 | .323 | 1.7 | 1.3 | .800 |
| Dee Brown | PG | 28 | 21 | 2 | 522 | 11.0 | 3.3 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 11.4 | 4.2 | .367 | 4.5 | 1.4 | .308 | 1.5 | 1.2 | .818 |
| Frank Brickowski | PF | 37 | 17 | 2 | 255 | 11.4 | 4.8 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 10.3 | 4.5 | .438 | 2.8 | 1.0 | .350 | 2.0 | 1.4 | .714 |
| Nate Driggers | SG | 23 | 15 | 0 | 132 | 9.8 | 6.0 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 11.7 | 3.5 | .302 | 2.5 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.8 | 2.7 | .714 |
| Stacey King | C | 30 | 5 | 0 | 33 | 13.1 | 9.8 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 7.6 | 5.5 | .714 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 2.2 | .667 | |
| Pervis Ellison | PF | 29 | 6 | 4 | 125 | 4.3 | 7.5 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 4.6 | 1.7 | .375 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 0.9 | .600 |
Regular Season Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antoine Walker | PF | 20 | 82 | 68 | 2970 | 1435 | 741 | 262 | 105 | 53 | 230 | 1354 | 576 | .425 | 159 | 52 | .327 | 366 | 231 | .631 |
| David Wesley | PG | 26 | 74 | 73 | 2991 | 1240 | 264 | 537 | 162 | 13 | 211 | 974 | 456 | .468 | 286 | 103 | .360 | 288 | 225 | .781 |
| Todd Day | SG | 27 | 81 | 27 | 2277 | 1178 | 330 | 117 | 108 | 48 | 127 | 999 | 398 | .398 | 348 | 126 | .362 | 331 | 256 | .773 |
| Rick Fox | SF | 27 | 76 | 75 | 2650 | 1174 | 394 | 286 | 167 | 40 | 178 | 950 | 433 | .456 | 278 | 101 | .363 | 263 | 207 | .787 |
| Eric Williams | SG | 24 | 72 | 67 | 2435 | 1078 | 329 | 129 | 72 | 13 | 139 | 820 | 374 | .456 | 8 | 2 | .250 | 436 | 328 | .752 |
| Marty Conlon | C | 29 | 74 | 15 | 1614 | 574 | 323 | 104 | 46 | 18 | 109 | 454 | 214 | .471 | 10 | 2 | .200 | 171 | 144 | .842 |
| Dino Radja | C | 29 | 25 | 25 | 874 | 349 | 211 | 48 | 23 | 48 | 70 | 339 | 149 | .440 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 71 | 51 | .718 |
| Dana Barros | PG | 29 | 24 | 8 | 708 | 300 | 48 | 81 | 26 | 6 | 39 | 253 | 110 | .435 | 105 | 43 | .410 | 43 | 37 | .860 |
| Greg Minor | SF | 25 | 23 | 15 | 547 | 220 | 80 | 34 | 15 | 2 | 22 | 196 | 94 | .480 | 8 | 1 | .125 | 36 | 31 | .861 |
| Dee Brown | PG | 28 | 21 | 2 | 522 | 160 | 48 | 67 | 31 | 7 | 24 | 166 | 61 | .367 | 65 | 20 | .308 | 22 | 18 | .818 |
| Brett Szabo | C | 28 | 70 | 24 | 662 | 153 | 165 | 17 | 16 | 32 | 41 | 121 | 54 | .446 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 61 | 45 | .738 |
| Alton Lister | C | 38 | 53 | 2 | 516 | 87 | 168 | 13 | 8 | 14 | 30 | 77 | 32 | .416 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 23 | .742 | |
| Frank Brickowski | PF | 37 | 17 | 2 | 255 | 81 | 34 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 73 | 32 | .438 | 20 | 7 | .350 | 14 | 10 | .714 |
| Michael Hawkins | PG | 24 | 29 | 0 | 326 | 80 | 31 | 64 | 16 | 1 | 28 | 68 | 29 | .426 | 31 | 10 | .323 | 15 | 12 | .800 |
| Steve Hamer | C | 23 | 35 | 3 | 268 | 76 | 60 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 57 | 30 | .526 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 29 | 16 | .552 |
| Nate Driggers | SG | 23 | 15 | 0 | 132 | 36 | 22 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 43 | 13 | .302 | 9 | 0 | .000 | 14 | 10 | .714 |
| Pervis Ellison | PF | 29 | 6 | 4 | 125 | 15 | 26 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 6 | .375 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | .600 | |
| Stacey King | C | 30 | 5 | 0 | 33 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | .714 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | .667 | |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 19905 | 8248 | 3283 | 1792 | 810 | 315 | 1294 | 6967 | 3066 | .440 | 1331 | 467 | .351 | 2199 | 1649 | .750 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antoine Walker | Primary Frontcourt Creator (1.1) | 36.2 | High (1.2) | 17.5 | 9.0 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 83.42 | Walker was already being asked to create offense from the power-forward spot, attacking mismatches while also functioning as a major rebounder. His rookie season was particularly notable for the confidence of his perimeter game; contemporary coverage highlighted his ability to make big shots despite Boston’s broader offensive instability. (Deseret News) | Rookie of the Year voting: 4th; All-Rookie First Team |
| David Wesley | Franchise Floor General (1.1) | 40.4 | High (1.2) | 16.8 | 3.6 | 7.3 | 2.4 | 79.46 | Wesley was the Celtics’ pressure-release guard and primary organizer, playing enormous minutes while carrying a heavy shot-creation burden. M.L. Carr later recalled deliberately removing him from one game after Wesley began piling up jumpers and threes, an extraordinary admission that illustrates just how much offensive responsibility he carried. (Sports Illustrated) | None |
| Rick Fox | Starting Two-Way Wing (1.05) | 34.9 | High (1.2) | 15.4 | 5.2 | 3.8 | 2.7 | 68.29 | Fox operated as more than a scoring wing, combining secondary playmaking with aggressive perimeter defense. His 2.2 steals per game reflected the disruptive side of his game, and later reporting identified 1996-97 as his statistical peak in Boston before the franchise’s direction eventually pushed him toward a different opportunity. (Deseret News) | Defensive Player of the Year voting: 6th |
| Dino Radja | Low-Post Offensive Hub (1.05) | 35.0 | Medium (1.1) | 14.0 | 8.4 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 62.60 | Radja’s season was defined by a dominant interior role interrupted by a serious knee problem. Before the injury, he remained Boston’s leading rebounder and shot blocker, while January surgery effectively ended his season and exposed how thin the Celtics became without their most established interior scorer. (The Washington Post) | None |
| Eric Williams | Starting Scoring Wing (1.05) | 33.8 | High (1.2) | 15.0 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 56.95 | Williams supplied physical wing scoring on a roster that constantly needed another reliable offensive option. His season also began under an unusual cloud after a cardiac abnormality appeared during a routine physical, although subsequent testing cleared him to return; that interruption was part of an injury-plagued Celtics campaign that repeatedly disrupted the rotation. (The Washington Post) | None |
| Todd Day | Microwave Wing Scorer (1.05) | 28.1 | High (1.2) | 14.5 | 4.1 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 55.19 | Day’s value came from his willingness to attack offensively rather than simply occupy a spot on the perimeter. He produced several explosive stretches, including a fourth quarter in Washington when he scored 23 of his 28 points, showing why Boston repeatedly turned to him when its offense stalled. (Los Angeles Times) | None |
| Dana Barros | Change-of-Pace Lead Guard (1.05) | 29.5 | Medium (1.1) | 12.5 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 44.58 | Barros had shifted from the starring offensive role he had enjoyed in Philadelphia into a more complicated Boston rotation, often providing scoring and shooting in bursts. The Celtics’ uneven deployment of him became a recurring talking point, with reporting noting that the former All-Star was coming off the bench despite his substantial offensive ability. (Los Angeles Times) | None |
| Greg Minor | Athletic Wing Reserve (1.05) | 23.8 | Medium (1.1) | 9.6 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 35.57 | Minor remained one of Boston’s more useful athletic outlets when healthy, capable of injecting pace and attacking space from the wing. His season was severely fragmented by injury, though earlier Celtics coverage showed the coaching staff trusted him for meaningful scoring bursts when the rotation needed another aggressive perimeter option. (Hoops Habit) | None |
| Dee Brown | Veteran Table-Setter (1.0) | 24.9 | Medium (1.1) | 7.6 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 32.78 | Brown’s role had become much more situational, with Boston using him as a veteran organizer rather than the featured scorer of earlier seasons. The instability around him was obvious: injuries and rotation changes repeatedly altered his responsibilities, leaving the former captain working in a fragmented backcourt rather than a settled lead-guard role. (Los Angeles Times) | None |
| Marty Conlon | Journeyman Starting Center (1.0) | 21.8 | Medium (1.1) | 7.8 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 31.68 | Conlon became an unlikely interior stabilizer as injuries stripped Boston of established big men. Thomas Boswell’s season-ending assessment captured his function particularly well: Conlon was setting hard screens, battling much bigger opponents and even stepping outside for jumpers despite being thrust into a starting-center role far beyond the expectations of a typical reserve. (The Washington Post) | None |
| Pervis Ellison | Injury-Limited Interior Defender (1.0) | 20.8 | Low (1.0) | 2.5 | 4.3 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 19.60 | Ellison’s season was essentially a case study in Boston’s lost depth. His interior defense and rebounding were supposed to give the frontcourt some backbone, but injuries repeatedly removed him from the lineup; contemporary coverage repeatedly listed him among the missing pieces as the Celtics’ rotation deteriorated. Reddit Basketball Community Archive | None |
| Frank Brickowski | Veteran Stretch-Four Reserve (1.0) | 15.0 | Low (1.0) | 4.8 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 16.40 | Brickowski was brought in for veteran frontcourt experience and floor spacing, but his Boston stint never settled. A shoulder injury requiring arthroscopic surgery sidelined him for several weeks, and the interruption further reduced an already depleted frontcourt rotation before his eventual departure. (The Washington Post) | None |
| Michael Hawkins | Emergency Ball-Handling Reserve (1.0) | 11.2 | Low (1.0) | 2.8 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 13.40 | Hawkins was essentially a late-season emergency option in a backcourt that had been repeatedly disrupted. His value was in keeping the offense organized rather than creating large scoring totals, giving Boston another competent ball-handler when injuries and roster churn forced M.L. Carr to reach deeper into the bench. ESPN | None |
| Alton Lister | Veteran Rim-Protection Reserve (1.0) | 9.7 | Low (1.0) | 1.6 | 3.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 11.00 | Lister’s role was almost entirely functional: rebound, protect the paint and absorb center minutes when Boston’s preferred bigs were unavailable. Retrospective coverage of his Celtics stint emphasizes the veteran center’s rebounding and shot-blocking reputation, which explains why he remained useful even with a sharply reduced offensive workload. (Yahoo Sports) | None |
| Brett Szabo | Depth Center and Physical Screen-Setter (1.0) | 9.5 | Low (1.0) | 2.2 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 11.00 | Szabo was a pure depth big who became more relevant because Boston’s frontcourt kept losing players to injury. The Washington Post noted his January release in the same stretch that Radja was lost for the season, illustrating how the Celtics were cycling through centers simply to keep a functional rotation on the floor. (The Washington Post) | None |
| Nate Driggers | Emergency Shooting-Guard Reserve (1.0) | 8.8 | Low (1.0) | 2.4 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 9.20 | Driggers was not part of a conventional developmental rotation; he was one of the inexpensive emergency pieces Boston used during an exceptionally thin season. M.L. Carr later acknowledged that players such as Driggers were deliberately added while the organization tried to avoid improving the roster too much, giving his brief NBA stint an unusual rebuilding context. (ESPN.com) | None |
| Stacey King | End-of-Rotation Interior Veteran (1.0) | 6.6 | Low (1.0) | 2.4 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 9.20 | King’s Boston role came at the very end of an NBA career that had already included three championships in Chicago. He was used sparingly as an experienced interior body, appearing in only a handful of games and providing little offensive responsibility while Boston searched for workable combinations late in a chaotic season. (AP News) | NBA Champion (1991); NBA Champion (1992); NBA Champion (1993) |
| Steve Hamer | Rookie Interior Depth Piece (1.0) | 7.7 | Low (1.0) | 2.2 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 8.60 | Hamer’s opportunity came largely because injuries forced Boston to activate another body at center. When Brickowski went onto the injured list, contemporary reporting specifically noted Hamer’s activation, a useful snapshot of how quickly the Celtics’ depth chart could change from one game to the next. ESPN | None |
| Team Totals | Boston Celtics Team | 242.7 | — | 100.6 | 40.0 | 21.9 | 13.7 | 648.92 | The 1996-97 Celtics were defined by extreme roster instability, injuries and an unusually deep rotation. Independent retrospective reporting has emphasized both the team’s poor defensive performance and the organizational decision-making surrounding the chase for the 1997 draft lottery, providing important context for why so many players were asked to carry responsibilities outside their normal roles. (bleacherreport.com) | 15-67; Missed Playoffs |