WALTHAM, Mass. – Tyler Zeller has been in the NBA long enough for teams to have a feel for what he can do on the floor.
He runs the floor. He scores in transition. He’s not a banger, but isn’t afraid to mix it up inside.
All those qualities will be on display next season.
But will he be doing them for the Celtics?
As a restricted free agent, Zeller has no idea what lies ahead for him in the NBA.
While he plans to keep an open mind about the free agent process, Zeller made it clear in his exit interview on Friday that he would not have a problem returning to the Celtics next season.
“It’s a great organization, a great place to be,” Zeller said. “So we’ll see what happens.”
Zeller, who came to the Celtics via trade in the summer of 2014 from Cleveland, has had a roller coaster of a time in Boston.
He has been in every conceivable positon with the team, from starter to key rotation player to reserve to an end-of-the-bench player.
And through it all, Zeller was able to not allow his up-and-down status affect his ability to stay ready when his number was called.
Boston’s 104-92 Game 6 loss to Atlanta was one of the many examples of Zeller being prepared to play when his opportunity presented itself.
In Game 6, the 7-foot center came off the bench and scored eight points to go along with five rebounds in just less than 12 minutes of court time.
As far as whether the Celtics want him back, Zeller said, “I would hope so. You always hope a team wants you back. I would think they would. But at the same time, when July comes around, we’ll really see. When those negotiations start. Until then, you can say whatever you want. Until then, we’ll see what happens.”