The Legends of Tacko Fall

lovegtm

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Tbh I'm pretty bored of the Tacko Experience, and will happy when the developmental slot can go to some potentially promising wing or guard.
 

shoelace

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Tbh I'm pretty bored of the Tacko Experience, and will happy when the developmental slot can go to some potentially promising wing or guard.
Yeah, I've had the same mindset for a while. At one point I was amused by how much the other dudes seem to love him, but as time goes on, I'd prefer to use the roster spot on someone with a real chance at being an NBA player and not a guy who is literally a bit for the actual players on the roster.
 

Kliq

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Tacko is great. I know the Port Cellar has sort of devolved into a group of miserable bastards this season, but I won't stand for this slander.
 

lovegtm

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Tacko is great. I know the Port Cellar has sort of devolved into a group of miserable bastards this season, but I won't stand for this slander.
My mom is great, but I don't want the Celtics using a roster slot on her.
 

benhogan

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I imagine a rebuilder like Orlando will offer him a min deal next season. Local kid, sells tickets, the kind of novelty Disney drools over. I actually think he could add on-court value in small minutes

No G-League really hurt a lot of 1st and 2nd-year players especially someone like Tacko. He looked gassed last night after a few minutes.
 

Jimbodandy

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My mom is great, but I don't want the Celtics using a roster slot on her.
You're a brave man for posting this in here.

I honestly don't care who they use the 2ways on, but I'm with you on filling a 15man spot with Tacko. They should be able to find a lottery ticket guy for that spot, maybe Madar.
 

Cellar-Door

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Can he even sign another 2 way deal? Dude is old and not good but most 2 way players aren't. That's why they are 2 way players.
Age doesn't matter, it's less than 4 years NBA experience, so he can sign another year if he/the team want to.
 

sonofgodcf

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I lack a lot of the wisdom of this board, but I actually like watching Tacko when it's not garbage time. There are some teams/bigs (thinking Embiid specifically) that his presence really disrupts to my eyes. I think he could be a useful end of the bench guy for specific matchups and plays.

He's also tremendously fun and his teammates all seem to love him. I don't think the importance of chemistry on a basketball team can be overstated, and he looks to be a big plus on that front.
 

Koufax

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I'm still on team Tacko. The last seat on the bench is not precious and he still offers something unique and promising.
 

joe dokes

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He's also tremendously fun and his teammates all seem to love him. I don't think the importance of chemistry on a basketball team can be overstated, and he looks to be a big plus on that front.
Especially on the youngest(?) team likely to be in the playoffs. He seems like he might be a little older than his years.

I honestly don't care who they use the 2ways on, but I'm with you on filling a 15man spot with Tacko. They should be able to find a lottery ticket guy for that spot, maybe Madar.
Chuck Nevitt had a 10 year NBA career on 12-man rosters.


Yeah, I've had the same mindset for a while. At one point I was amused by how much the other dudes seem to love him, but as time goes on, I'd prefer to use the roster spot on someone with a real chance at being an NBA player and not a guy who is literally a bit for the actual players on the roster.
Does the 15th guy on *any* NBA roster have a "real chance at being an NBA player?" The stars have been wigging out when the scrubs score forever.
 

shoelace

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Does the 15th guy on *any* NBA roster have a "real chance at being an NBA player?" The stars have been wigging out when the scrubs score forever.
I mean, if the Celtics could have had like Max Strus (who has played like 500 minutes this year) on a two way instead of Tacko, he probably would have seen actual minutes with the Celtics this season. I definitely think there are two way guys out there who have a higher likelihood of being useful than Tacko, who might not even be in the NBA next year. Luke Kornet, who isn't good, has already played more minutes this season for Boston than Tacko has in his entire career. Tacko sucks, it's fine. He seems like a nice person, but I hope they move on after this year.
 
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ZMart100

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I'd replace Waters' 2-way with the fictitious developmental wing before Tacko's. A break-glass-in-case-of-emergency big is nice to have and we have plenty of pint sized guards on the 15 man.
 

Eddie Jurak

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I mean, if the Celtics could have had like Max Strus (who has played like 500 minutes this year) on a two way instead of Tacko, he probably would have seen actual minutes with the Celtics this season. I definitely think there are two way guys out there who have a higher likelihood of being useful than Tacko, who might not even be in the NBA next year. Luke Kornet, who isn't good, has already played more minutes this season for Boston than Tacko has in his entire career. He sucks, it's fine. He seems like a nice person, but I hope they move on after this year.
As an aside, I don't get the Kornet hate. He seems like a perfectly functional 3rd center, for those times when you need a 3rd center and can't go small.
 

shoelace

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As an aside, I don't get the Kornet hate. He seems like a perfectly functional 3rd center, for those times when you need a 3rd center and can't go small.
I'm not hating on Kornet, I totally agree with your assessment. I'd be fine with him coming back next year as the third big. I'm just saying, the fact that Tacko is considerably worse than Kornet, who is a 3rd center and was a trade deadline throw in, is pretty damning of Tacko. Tacko is aspiring to have Luke Kornet's career.
 

PC Drunken Friar

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I just want him to get some contract that will set him up for life. His NBA career isn't going to be long. I don't think any NBA championships were lost based on the 15th man.
 

Light-Tower-Power

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As an aside, I don't get the Kornet hate. He seems like a perfectly functional 3rd center, for those times when you need a 3rd center and can't go small.
Shoelace's evaluation of Kornet is spot on. He isn't good and his one NBA skill is being 7'2'' tall. That's perfectly fine for an end of the bench, third string center. I think it's more reality than hate. If Kornet is getting any meaningful minutes in the playoffs we're completely SOL.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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I mean, if the Celtics could have had like Max Strus (who has played like 500 minutes this year) on a two way instead of Tacko, he probably would have seen actual minutes with the Celtics this season. I definitely think there are two way guys out there who have a higher likelihood of being useful than Tacko, who might not even be in the NBA next year. Luke Kornet, who isn't good, has already played more minutes this season for Boston than Tacko has in his entire career. He sucks, it's fine. He seems like a nice person, but I hope they move on after this year.
Max Strus wasn't going to agree on a two-way with BOS. He was in the running for the last Cs roster spot; the Cs picked Green (I wanted Strus but whatever); Strus got bought out (with a nice payday); and then promptly got hurt.

The problem is that most promising wings are not signing a two-way with BOS as they would behind more wings than just about any other team in the NBA. Unless the Cs sign someone who is super super raw, which just starts the development cycle again.

One thing about Tacko is that he's definitely gotten better. Not better enough to get real minutes on a NBA team that is supposed to be contending but he's really a lot better than when he came in.
 

shoelace

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Max Strus wasn't going to agree on a two-way with BOS. He was in the running for the last Cs roster spot; the Cs picked Green (I wanted Strus but whatever); Strus got bought out (with a nice payday); and then promptly got hurt.

The problem is that most promising wings are not signing a two-way with BOS as they would behind more wings than just about any other team in the NBA. Unless the Cs sign someone who is super super raw, which just starts the development cycle again.
This may be contextually true, but my point was more that there are guys like Strus on two way contracts right now who are better than Tacko and who have more upside. We have folks acting like every 15th man/two way player is just as bad as Tacko and it isn't true.

One thing about Tacko is that he's definitely gotten better. Not better enough to get real minutes on a NBA team that is supposed to be contending but he's really a lot better than when he came in.
I haven't seen this, but I'm open to being wrong. I feel like there's no way to tell how meaningful his improvement is because other than the Washington game earlier this season all of his minutes come in garbage time.

Sharp posters like you wade and benhogan whose judgment I trust will admit that Tacko's best case scenario is to essentially be a matchup or zone defense big who can easily be played off the floor in the playoffs. His likely best case scenario carries no value that couldn't be replaced by a scrap heap player on a ten day contract. Even if you think a guy like Strus or some other two way player profiles as a 9th or 10th man at best, that's still likely a better outcome than what Tacko will ever give you. I mean, look at Kornet, he was a two player who earned a two year, $4,500,000 deal after his first two years in the league. Does anyone think Tacko would sign a two year deal anywhere after this year?
 

lexrageorge

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There was really no reason for the Celtics to change from last year's 2-way players this season given the unique circumstances. Waters and Fall are not even the 15th man on the bench; they are the 16th and 17th

I put Fall's chance on coming back on a 2-way at about 50/50; he could help draw some excitement in Portland. Otherwise, he probably goes to Europe.

I put Waters' chance of returning at exactly 0%.
 

Jimbodandy

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This may be contextually true, but my point was more that there are guys like Strus on two way contracts right now who are better than Tacko and who have more upside. We have folks acting like every 15th man/two way player is just as bad as Tacko and it isn't true.



I haven't seen this, but I'm open to being wrong. I feel like there's no way to tell how meaningful his improvement is because other than the Washington game earlier this season all of his minutes come in garbage time.

Sharp posters like you wade and benhogan whose judgment I trust will admit that Tacko's best case scenario is to essentially be a matchup or zone defense big who can easily be played off the floor in the playoffs. His likely best case scenario carries no value that couldn't be replaced by a scrap heap player on a ten day contract. Even if you think a guy like Strus or some other two way player profiles as a 9th or 10th man at best, that's still likely a better outcome than what Tacko will ever give you. I mean, look at Kornet, he was a two player who earned a two year, $4,500,000 deal after his first two years in the league. Does anyone think Tacko would sign a two year deal anywhere after this year?
No way to measure with analytics with so few minutes, but Tacko's footwork and overall athleticism is light years better than it was when he arrived. He's still not good, but he has moved up the mobility scale.
 

Kliq

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I actually think Tacko should play more, and in the brief periods of time he has played non-blowout minutes (the game against Washington and the time he guarded Embiid) has looked pretty competent. I think in a lot of these random regular season games where the Celtics feel kind of lifeless, Brad should toss him out there just to see what happens. I think he sucks defenders into the paint when he screen-and-rolls to the hoop and on defense the zone with him protecting the paint is a different wrinkle.
 

djbayko

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I'm still on team Tacko. The last seat on the bench is not precious and he still offers something unique and promising.
Yeah, if anything, HE seems like the lottery ticket. And his teammates and fans love him. When is the last time the last guy on the bench was anything to write home about?
I'd replace Waters' 2-way with the fictitious developmental wing before Tacko's. A break-glass-in-case-of-emergency big is nice to have and we have plenty of pint sized guards on the 15 man.
This.
 

RoDaddy

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Man, where did this hornet's nest of Tacko hate come from? He just blocked 4 shots in like a minute, and look at that handle! He's not only real tall but also weighs 310 - I'd give him some decent minutes against Embiid if we ever meet Philly in the playoffs
 

sezwho

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I actually think Tacko should play more, and in the brief periods of time he has played non-blowout minutes (the game against Washington and the time he guarded Embiid) has looked pretty competent. I think in a lot of these random regular season games where the Celtics feel kind of lifeless, Brad should toss him out there just to see what happens. I think he sucks defenders into the paint when he screen-and-rolls to the hoop and on defense the zone with him protecting the paint is a different wrinkle.
I agree. Any metric would be SSS nonsense so it’s just eye testing, but I don’t get the dismissal. He doesn’t embarrass himself and if anything makes a positive impact on both ends.

He does look like he runs out of gas even in shorter minutes, but that’s something you should be able to address in practice too.
 

slamminsammya

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Man, where did this hornet's nest of Tacko hate come from? He just blocked 4 shots in like a minute, and look at that handle! He's not only real tall but also weighs 310 - I'd give him some decent minutes against Embiid if we ever meet Philly in the playoffs
It will take a village of big men against Embiid but I think we'd see Kornet before we see Tacko.
 

joe dokes

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Man, where did this hornet's nest of Tacko hate come from? He just blocked 4 shots in like a minute, and look at that handle! He's not only real tall but also weighs 310 - I'd give him some decent minutes against Embiid if we ever meet Philly in the playoffs
It's not hate. It's disappointment that he's taking up Zion Williamson's roster spot. ;)
 

sezwho

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It will take a village of big men against Embiid but I think we'd see Kornet before we see Tacko.
True, but I think Embid would see Kornet as a green light to the basket so I’m not sure if I like the choice.

In any case, I bet after TT and TL it would be the littlest big man logging the most minutes: Smart.
 

mcpickl

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Max Strus wasn't going to agree on a two-way with BOS. He was in the running for the last Cs roster spot; the Cs picked Green (I wanted Strus but whatever); Strus got bought out (with a nice payday); and then promptly got hurt.

The problem is that most promising wings are not signing a two-way with BOS as they would behind more wings than just about any other team in the NBA. Unless the Cs sign someone who is super super raw, which just starts the development cycle again.

One thing about Tacko is that he's definitely gotten better. Not better enough to get real minutes on a NBA team that is supposed to be contending but he's really a lot better than when he came in.
If the Celtics didn't go for the Tacko experiment, they'd probably have Strus on a two-way this year.

His original contract with the Celtics was a two way. He'd have been an RFA before this season, assuming Boston qualified him, and he'd very likely be here on a two way now.

It's not a big deal, as you kinda said, but Strus is at least a borderline NBA player if you squint real hard. I can't imagine Tacko ever getting there.
 

sezwho

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Nooooooo!

Long live the king of standing reach.

To some he was emblematic of the roster construction issues that plagued the Cs, namely by holding on to young players beyond reason, but I genuinely did think might turn into somethinguseful for at least the end of the bench.

I would at least have given him the second 2 way.
 

Ale Xander

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Is that Kobe?
Because if you are glorifyng Kobe, don't let the door hit you where the good lord split 'ya, Tacko.
 

djbayko

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Is that Kobe?
Because if you are glorifyng Kobe, don't let the door hit you where the good lord split 'ya, Tacko.
Since the IG says "Love always [green shamrock]", 6 Celtics paintings are center frame of the picture, and the lone non-Celtics painting isn't, it's a safe bet that glorifying Kobe Bryant is not the purpose of that post.
 

sezwho

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