NBA Playoffs 2020: Could Romeo Langford be Boston Celtics' contingency plan?

Some experts believe the Boston Celtics are legitimate contenders for the NBA championship. They point to the quantum leap Jayson Tatum made after the All-Star game and quality depth on the roster.

But there are two “ifs” hanging over the Celtics’ head. The first is if Kemba Walker is healthy enough to play. Walker dealt with left knee soreness initially when Boston began practicing in Orlando. Losing Walker for any time, particularly during the playoffs, would be a huge loss for Boston Celtics to make up for.

Then it’s if Gordon Hayward remains with the team through the completion of the season. Hayward’s wife, Robyn, is due to give birth to their fourth child in September, which would be during the NBA Playoffs.

Gordon said it’s an easy decision to be there for his wife since he was there for the birth of his three girls. If Gordon Hayward leaves the team and comes back, he will have to go through a protocol upon his return before rejoining the team.

Boston Celtics could miss Hayward's services in the second round of the playoffs

Either loss, even if only temporary, would be tough for the Boston Celtics to shoulder. But can you imagine losing both at the same time? That depth the analysts love would certainly take a hit.

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Could Romeo Langford turn up for the Boston Celtics if needed?

But if Romeo Langford is capable of playing productive, consistent minutes for the Celtics, he could soften the blow of those losses.

At this point, there are no excuses for Langford. Yes, this is his rookie season, but he had four months off. If he was going to hit the rookie wall, he had plenty of time to rest up for the return to action.

He’s had plenty of time for his surgically repaired thumb to heal and more than enough time to drill his improved shooting form to become second nature to him. Now he has to live up to being the Boston Celtics’ 2019 first-round draft pick.

Boston Celtics selected Romeo Langford with the 14th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft

The start of Langford’s career might not have been very promising. Through the first 25 games of the season, Langford played just 14 seconds of garbage time in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

To get some playing time, Langford was optioned to the Maine Red Claws, Boston Celtics’ G-League affiliate, for seven games. While with the Red Claws, Langford injured his ankle.

But before the season came to a stop, Langford was seeing the court. He played in 16 of the last 18 games with the Boston Celtics. That includes 28 minutes against Orlando, 28:45 against Atlanta (scoring a career-high 16 points), 19 minutes against Minnesota, and 19:51 against Oklahoma City.

Romeo Langford needs to win Brad Stevens' trust

Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has given Romeo Langford quite a few chances this season

Whether it was being pressed into action due to injuries or to see if he was up for the challenge, head coach Brad Stevens gave Langford a chance to earn his trust.

We’ll soon see how much trust Langford gained. If Stevens believes he can count on Romeo, his addition to the rotation would allow Stevens to give the likes of Walker, Tatum, Brown, Hayward, and so on much-needed rest during this condensed season. And if any player becomes unavailable for any reason, Stevens being able to turn to Langford would be a valuable lifeline for the Boston Celtics.

Maybe the expectations for Langford is just to provide defense and energy, but Boston wouldn’t mind Langford sinking any open shots as well.

Boston’s season won’t be decided by Langford’s ability to contribute. But if he can make a contribution when his number is called, he will make the Celtics’ “ifs” smaller.

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