Celtics roster remains a work in progress

It will be 12 weeks before players report to training camp to prepare for a season that begins in mid-October.

So the Celtics have plenty of time to make alterations to a roster that filled up rapidly over the last week.

What you see at the present time is what you might not get on opening night.

President of basketball operations Danny Ainge is on the lookout for more help in the frontcourt, which suffered the losses of Al Horford and Aron Baynes to free agency [...]

It will be 12 weeks before players report to training camp to prepare for a season that begins in mid-October.

So the Celtics have plenty of time to make alterations to a roster that filled up rapidly over the last week.

What you see at the present time is what you might not get on opening night.

President of basketball operations Danny Ainge is on the lookout for more help in the frontcourt, which suffered the losses of Al Horford and Aron Baynes to free agency and a trade, respectively.

The Celtics have added NBA veteran Enes Kanter and Vincent Poirier of France to go with little-used second-year center Robert Williams, so there are major holes at the defensive end still to plug.

The team has nine of the 14 players from last season under contract with four draft picks and three free agents, including All-Star guard Kemba Walker to replace Kyrie Irving.

They have lost Horford (Philadelphia 76ers), Irving (Brooklyn Nets) and Terry Rozier (Charlotte Hornets) to free agency. Marcus Morris will be signing a two-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs while Baynes is with the Phoenix Suns in a salary-cap move.

Here’s a look at how the Celtics’ current roster stands while the team is taking part in the Las Vegas Summer League:

Returning players

Gordon Hayward: After an up-and-down return to the NBA last season following a gruesome injury in October 2017, Hayward has been a frequent visitor to the Auerbach Center working on his conditioning and his game.

It was a frustrating 2018-19 season for Hayward, who will enter the third year of a four-year contract, but the Celtics are confident he will be much improved.

“I think Gordon’s going to have a great year,’’ said Ainge. “He’s putting in as much work as anybody and we get to see it. I’m really excited for Gordon.’’

Jayson Tatum: After a strong rookie year, Tatum did not make the expected progress in his sophomore season.

The offense should be changing a bit with Walker in and Irving out, so Tatum’s scoring opportunities should increase. Getting to the basket and drawing more fouls will be a priority for Tatum.

Jaylen Brown: Now entering his fourth season, Brown can sign a contract extension and will be looking for a significant raise. Perhaps the Celtics offer Brown in a trade in their bid to find quality help up front.

Brown got off to a slow start last season adjusting to a new role, but he improved as the year went on.

Marcus Smart: One of the best defenders in the NBA, Smart is going to have to continue to excel at that end of the court since the Celtics don’t have many top-notch defenders.

Robert Williams: He played in less than half of the games as a rookie, sitting behind Horford and Baynes. Williams is getting his chance to play in the summer league and can earn some minutes in the rotation with a good showing.

Daniel Theis: The Celtics brought Theis, a restricted free agent, back on a two-year contract, and he will have a role in the frontcourt as a strong fundamental player.

Semi Ojeleye: There will be a spot in coach Brad Stevens’ rotation for Ojeleye because he can play defense. Ojeleye will help his cause by becoming a better 3-point shooter.

Guerschon Yabusele: The Celtics picked up his contract option for the upcoming season, but he may be running out of opportunities after playing very little the last two seasons.

Brad Wanamaker: He showed some promise in limited playing time as a rookie last season. The Celtics decided to re-sign Wanamaker for the upcoming season.

Free-agent acquisitions

Kemba Walker: The team is expected to formally introduce the University of Connecticut product later this month. Walker is a three-time All-Star who will step right into the spot vacated by the unpopular Irving.

Enes Kanter: The No. 3 pick in the 2011 draft, Kanter has bounced around the NBA. He can rebound and score inside, which will help the Celtics, but interior defense is not one of his strong points.

Vincent Poirier: Little is known about the big man from France, but the Celtics need all the help at center they can get.

Draft picks

Romeo Langford: At the age of 19, Langford will likely be a project. The Celtics are working on his shooting form and his introduction has been slowed by thumb surgery.

Grant Williams: An undersized power forward at Tennessee, Williams brings versatility. He had 12 points and six rebounds in the Summer League opener against the 76ers on Saturday.

Carsen Edwards: The Purdue guard put on a show in the NCAA Tournament and could be an offensive spark off the bench. He had 20 points, hitting five 3-pointers, against the Sixers.

Tremont Waters: The New Haven, Conn., native, who played at LSU, might be headed to the Maine Red Claws on a two-way contract. There are reports that Max Strus of DePaul, who is on the Summer League team, will have a two-way contract.

jfenton@enterprisenews.com

On Twitter at @JFenton_ent.