Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

“Tyler’s a really good player,” Stevens said. “We just have a lot of bigs. I don’t know how else to say it. We haven’t shot it great so you want to play some guys that can stretch the floor and be guarded when the floor is stretched. And that leaves at least one person out.”

The Celtics frontcourt depth always promised that at least one established big man would spend plenty of time watching his teammates play basketball. For now, that’s Zeller.

“And I don’t know that it will always be Tyler,” Stevens said. “In fact, I see him playing a huge role for our team and he knows that. But nonetheless it’s really hard to deal with. But we’ve won three of the last four games and he hasn’t played as much. But he’ll help us win three of four in some other stretch, and he’ll play a lot.”

MassLive: Stevens sees Zeller playing a huge role for Celtics

It feels like an eternity… but it was only a few weeks ago that Tyler Zeller was the Celtics starting center for an undefeated-in-the-preseason squad. Just one month ago today, the Celtics were 3-0 after beating the Brooklyn UnprotectedDraftPicks… a game in which Zeller was OK, finishing with 2 blocks, a steal, 6 points, and 3 rebounds in 15 minutes of play.

Seems like forever ago, doesn’t it? And back then, I was getting questions about whether Jared Sullinger was done in Boston, and whether we could get ANYTHING of value for him. Now Sully is playing some of the best basketball of his career and has swapped roles with Zeller.

Tyler is getting the exact treatment we thought Sullinger was going to get. And as I said in Rainin’ J’s Episode 5, if it wasn’t for dumb luck… Olynyk getting suspended for the Kevin Love incident and Jahlil Okafor opening up blistering hot… there might not have been much need for Sullinger to this point. If Okafor could have been slowed down at all in the home opener, and if Olynyk had been available for that game, Sullinger might still be “on the outside looking in” rather than having the highest PER on the team and being its best 3-point shooter.

So what does this all mean for Zeller? It just means he has to bide his time and do his best in practice to stay ready, because in the NBA, opportunities come at weird times. His 6 minutes against Atlanta the other night were a good sign that he’s doing that. Stevens knows he can throw Zeller in when he needs to and he’ll at least be ready and play hard. He’ll probably have a solid game because Zeller is a solid player… but he’s a solid player who’s just waiting for the opportunity to play regular minutes.

Let’s not forget that Zeller was the starting center for the Celtics during their wild run to the playoffs last season. He started four playoff games for the Celtics last year. He had some big games over that stretch, so he’s capable of stepping up if needed. He’s a 25 year-old 7-footer with the ability to hit from 15 feet. You can play pick-and-pop with him and be OK.

So I’ll say the same thing about Zeller that I said about Sullinger… write him off at your own peril. Things can change in an instant… and as we’ve seen from October 15 to November 15… a LOT can happen in a short amount of time. Yeah, Zeller might be in this role all season long… but he might also get a shot tonight against OKC… so let’s not count anyone out just yet.

Related links:  CSNNE: Zeller makes most of return to rotation  |  ESPN Boston: Zeller has set standard for Celtics’ overcrowded frontcourt

Page 2: We’ve had our fun… now let’s just please stop talking about DeMarcus Cousins

First of all, it’s important to note that, contrary to reports over the last year, multiple sources on both sides of the country confirm the Celts have yet to have a single conversation with the Kings regarding the talented but emotional Mr. Cousins.

It’s not that the Celtics, who open a two-game trip to Oklahoma City and Houston today, don’t realize Cousins can really play. It’s evidently more a matter of being wary about his behavioral issues and not wanting to take the risk at Sacramento’s price.

So how do the Celts know the Kings’ asking price if they haven’t had talks? Because, said one league source, they’ve seen what Sacramento has sought for Cousins elsewhere. And because the clubs obviously don’t feel there is room for discussion.

“I still don’t think they really even want to move him unless they can get something ridiculous,” said one league exec. “They’ve got him locked up, and it’s not easy to get good players to go to Sacramento.”

Herald: Hard to see Celtics kissing Cousins

There are very ardent “Boogie to Boston” folks out there. And while I understand their willingness to look past the emotional outbursts and focus on bringing a player who’s probably one of the top 15 best players in the NBA to the Celtics, the push is clearly becoming a waste of time and mental energy.

The Sacramento Kings, despite being the most dysfunctional mess of an organization in the NBA, are in the driver’s seat here. They have Cousins locked up for two more seasons after this one, and can demand a (ahem) King’s ransom (I’m so sorry) for him should they even consider letting him go.

The Celtics have not even inquired about Cousins because they know they’re not going to pay the price.

It’s like a guy who needs a truck talking to his neighbor…

“Hey, I hear Bill’s got an amazing truck… I could really use that for my landscaping business.”
“I don’t think he’s getting rid of it”
“But I hear he’s fighting with his wife over it like every day… and it’s really a great truck. Maybe I’ll go ask him about it.”
“Well Joe asked him about it and he said the only way he’ll give it up would be for like $100k”
“Well screw that. That’s an insane price. I’ll just look somewhere else… but I’ll just keep an eye out because I swear Bill’s gonna get divorced over this truck.”
“He might, but I think he prefers the truck to his wife.”

Cousins is insanely talented. He’s worth keeping an eye on just because you never know what twists and turns will happen in Sacramento. But to debate the merits of pursuing him now is silly. He’s not going anywhere unless the Celtics give up EVERYTHING for him. If they were willing to do that, we’d know it by now. So let’s chill and fantasize about another player for no good reason for a while.

And Finally…

The T-Rozzay era in Maine has begun. I assume this means Avery Bradley is back and RJ Hunter will be the emergency depth at guard. I’ve said from the beginning that Rozier’s style of play is one that needs game minutes and repetition to stay sharp. He’s a high energy guy who needs game-speed to keep his conditioning up. Hunter can keep his shooting sharp in pre-game shoot-arounds and practice… and he’s been used enough for me to wonder if he’ll ever see the D-League.

Related links: MassLive: Celtics assign Rozier to Red Claws for first time  |  Globe: Ainge develops strategy for NBADL assignments

The rest of the links

CSNNE: Despite shooting woes, Turner gives Celtics a boost  |  Globe: NBA’s current draft system is broken

And… be sure to check out the latest Rainin’ J’s Podcast