By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

We're profiling every player on the Celtics roster before the season begins. Today it's Chris Wilcox.

Chris Wilcox
Reserve forward/center
6-feet-10-inches, 221 pounds, 30-years-old
2012/13 salary: $1.3 million

Strengths: Wilcox gives the Celtics an athletic big man off the bench. Before he was diagnosed with an aortic aneurism last season, Wilcox was a capable running mate for Rajon Rondo, finishing several fast breaks with dunks. A mobile big man is a rarity in the NBA, and Wilcox possesses the athleticism to help the Celtics as a backup to Kevin Garnett.

Room to improve: Wilcox is an inconsistent rebounder. In three seasons in Seattle Wilcox averaged 8.2, 7.7, and 7.0 rebounds per game. In his other seven seasons he's averaged more than five rebounds only twice. He is yet another Celtics big man who doesn't list rebounding as his best asset, and yet Doc Rivers may or may not care about that.

Projections for 2012/13: 60 games, 5.8 points, 4.3 rebounds

Outlook:Wilcox said at media day Friday that he was about 90 percent of where he thought he would be following heart surgery in March. Conditioning remains an obstacle for him, a problem that is highlighted by the fact that before the surgery, he liked to get out and run. It's going to take him some time to get back into basketball shape, and he may not play as much early in the season as later on. When at full strength, Wilcox is Garnett's No. 1 backup.