Jordan Walsh had two goals as he prepared for his third season with the Celtics.

One was simple: improve his jump shot.

A lack of consistency there was one of the reasons why he only appeared in 52 games last season (after playing in nine as a rookie) and has yet to crack head coach Joe Mazzulla’s core rotation. The early returns on that front were positive — Walsh shot an encouraging 38.9% from three at NBA Summer League — but he’ll need to carry over that improvement once the real games begin later this month.

Walsh’s second priority was less visible and harder to quantify, but similarly important to both his development and the Celtics’ depth this season.

The 21-year-old worked to improve what he called his “role-player IQ.”

“For example, if I’m in the slot and (Jaylen Brown) is in

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