Yeah. I have no idea how an athletic 7 footer doesn't block more shots. He basically doesn't commit many fouls either (3.7 per 36 minutes). Does he just wander out of the paint and not challenge anyone?Fair point. What a weird player.
Of those, I like Mejri or - and I know this is going to strike some people as a bad idea - Noel. The latter had a sneaky decent season for OKC this year and is really pretty good on both ends of the floor. Mejri gives you a bit more of a body down low but will get torched on the perimeter whereas Noel can, at least in spurts, hang with smaller players away from the paint.If we're looking for a shot blocker (not sure we will be Ainge often goes more for all-around defenders) the reasonable options given our budget are: Holmes, Mejri, Udoh and Noel.
In your heart you know it's just a matter of when, not if.Noel had an efficient season in limited minutes w/OKC. Celtics would be a great chance at a high profile starting gig.
Noel, Theis, Poirier, TL would be serviceable to start the season.
I'll be skeptical if Brad gets cute and starts playing Grant Williams at the 5
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/noelne01.html
Poirier and Noel are likely either/or options, neither is coming for the minimum.Noel had an efficient season in limited minutes w/OKC. Celtics would be a great chance at a high profile starting gig.
Noel, Theis, Poirier, TL would be serviceable to start the season.
I'll be skeptical if Brad gets cute and starts playing Grant Williams at the 5
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/noelne01.html
We don’t have the MLE right?whatever BIG the Celtics land with the MLE can be upgraded ~ Dec.15th (I think that's the date)
Poirier averaged 9.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.7 steals per game in 21.2 minutes per game in 2018-19 while shooting 61.4 percent from the field.Poirier and Noel are likely either/or options, neither is coming for the minimum.
Of note, that's Euroleague so those numbers are very good, in fact he was the best rebounder in Euroleague.Poirier averaged 9.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.7 steals per game in 21.2 minutes per game in 2018-19 while shooting 61.4 percent from the field.
I'd rather have Noel, if that's the case.
Our recent Euro additions: Theis, Larkin, Wannamaker all came cheap
We'll be able to find a BIG at the minimum. Richaun Holmes?
I'm a huge fan of Noel's talent--I imagine if the team doesn't sign him (and he goes cheap somewhere) it means they think he's too much of a headcase. I could definitely get on board though.Of those, I like Mejri or - and I know this is going to strike some people as a bad idea - Noel. The latter had a sneaky decent season for OKC this year and is really pretty good on both ends of the floor. Mejri gives you a bit more of a body down low but will get torched on the perimeter whereas Noel can, at least in spurts, hang with smaller players away from the paint.
Neither of these guys will can shoot FTs all that well and they clearly have their warts (hence the price tag) but the Celtics could do far worse than one or the other.
Do you have any feelings about Williams, one way or another? Obviously young raw bigs are generally projects regardless.Noel hasn't changed much, but they're bargain basement hunting here. The benefit of course is that the center market is extremely saturated, so you can probably get a quality player for the room exception, in a way you really cannot at any other position.
The starting center for the next contending Celtics team is not someone they're going to acquire for the room exception obviously. It's a patchwork until Robert Williams shows he's ready, or someone else is else is acquired.
Now we're talking. But why stop there? Indiana kids. Langford, Edwards, Hayward. Draft picks.I know that cheap bigs will be easy to find once FA frenzy dies down, and I know relying on rookies to produce is a fools' errand, but I do wonder if the draft plays out any differently if it's held post free agency. Bitazde just turned 19, but he did lead the Adriatic League in blocks, playing against grown men, and he played well in Euroleague as well. Then there's the cluster of late firsts/early second bigs like Fernando, Kabengele (they're physically ready, at least), Gafford, and Claxton. I wonder if Ainge gives them a look over Carsen if he knows he has Kemba. I don't really have a problem with swinging on Romeo's upside, just a nagging worry that if he doesn't get his shot right, his arc is closer to James Young than Jaylen Brown while Bitazde's doing Nurkic impressions.
Unless Danny's master plan all along with Romeo was to bet that a certain big-laden Eastern Conference team run by his buddy wouldn't be able to resist an offer centered around the homegrown kid. (I kid, but hey, the last IU guy with questions about his shot that they traded for worked out pretty well for them, until the injury)
If Indy is super into Hayward, lots of good stuff becomes possible. I’m a bit skeptical, but I can see them wondering where else they get good value for Sabonis.Now we're talking. But why stop there? Indiana kids. Langford, Edwards, Hayward. Draft picks.
Everything Pacer Nation needs: Scoring, distribution, wings, bench, some cap used on a former All-Star, future picks/trade currency, cap room left to fill out the roster, ticket price/sales increase.
Oladipo, Hayward, Thad Young, Sabonis & Rubio.
bench: Warren, McDermott, Leaf, Bitazde, Langford, Edwards
Maybe the Pacers feel that Oladipo, Turner, & Hayward could be their Big 3? That turns into the ultimate deal (Hayward for Sabonis) because at that point Danny is bringing Al Horford back. And the Celtics turn into EC favorites.
I think I read in the Lakers thread that Noel is a Klutch client. Maybe his hometown team has some pull but much more likely he plays in purple and gold next year I would think.Noel is a decent pick but has he really changed much since the early days? He thrived as a bench guy, I'm guessing a return to starter's minutes will mean a return to starter's performance.
I have basically talked myself into Williams being Draymond Green, but realistically he seems too small to play even a smallball five I think. He has great length for his height (6'11" wingspan), but that ends up being a couple inches short of like Green. The more I read about him, the more I think he has real upside rather than being a Jared Sullinger 2.0 guy however. Much like Green, he needs to work on his body a lot to get there, but he has basketball IQ you can't teach, and a lot of statistical indicators too.Do you have any feelings about Williams, one way or another? Obviously young raw bigs are generally projects regardless.
Unless Klutch is gonna top out at like 12 clients they're going to have to sign with other teams sooner or later.I think I read in the Lakers thread that Noel is a Klutch client. Maybe his hometown team has some pull but much more likely he plays in purple and gold next year I would think.
My impression was that his body is way further along than Green’s was? Williams was off the charts relative to other prospects in terms of strength, iirc.I have basically talked myself into Williams being Draymond Green, but realistically he seems too small to play even a smallball five I think. He has great length for his height (6'11" wingspan), but that ends up being a couple inches short of like Green. The more I read about him, the more I think he has real upside rather than being a Jared Sullinger 2.0 guy however. Much like Green, he needs to work on his body a lot to get there, but he has basketball IQ you can't teach, and a lot of statistical indicators too.
But probably not a long-run center.
He'd get a few dollars more in RE ($4.8M vs $1.8M vet min) from the Celtics and a starting gig. He'd go from 13-14mpg to 18-20mpg with the CelticsI think I read in the Lakers thread that Noel is a Klutch client. Maybe his hometown team has some pull but much more likely he plays in purple and gold next year I would think.
Lakers are apparently getting a meeting with D'Angelo Russell.Can Lakers offer a starting spot, they need a PG and shooter around Kuzma/AD/LBJ, right?
He's apparently super strong, but has some excess weight on him still from what I've seen. I suspect he needs to lose that to get the mobility he's going to need.My impression was that his body is way further along than Green’s was? Williams was off the charts relative to other prospects in terms of strength, iirc.
Yeah, he can’t start for the Lakers. They already have 3 guys who play 4/5 as it is.He'd get a few dollars more in RE ($4.8M vs $1.8M vet min) from the Celtics and a starting gig. He'd go from 13-14mpg to 18-20mpg with the Celtics
Can Lakers offer a starting spot, they need a PG and shooter around Kuzma/AD/LBJ, right?
it appears Grant has the work ethic and intelligence to get that done.He's apparently super strong, but has some excess weight on him still from what I've seen. I suspect he needs to lose that to get the mobility he's going to need.
I've always liked O'Quinn. Another guy, who could get left behind, looking for a starting gig: DeAndre Jordan.What about someone like Kyle O'Quinn? He's been rumored before, and I would think the exception we have is in the neighborhood.
So basically you're bullish on anyone over 6'10".I've always liked O'Quinn. Another guy, who could get left behind, looking for a starting gig: DeAndre Jordan.
for vet min and 5 depth old friend, Tyler Zeller could be available
i like him as a backup - where his strength helps him keep backup bigs from getting too close to the rim. I suspect they will still need to pick and choose his spots, scatter bug type backup ball handlers will pick him apart on the PNR until he increases his lateral mobilityit appears Grant has the work ethic and intelligence to get that done.
I see Williams near term future as a bench, lunchpail 4 next to a 5 that can efficiently launch 3s (Theis, Kornet, Turner )
His FT shooting leads me to believe he can start eventually hitting 3s
Player | POS | Body Fat | Hand L | Hand W | Heigh w/o | Height w. | Reach | Weight | Wingspan | Lane Agil | Shuttle | 3/4 sprint | vert. Stand | Max Vert | Bench |
Grant Williams | PF | 5.40% | 9 | 10.5 | 6' 5.75'' | 6' 7.5'' | 8' 8.5'' | 240.2 | 6' 9.75'' | 10.83 | 3.27 | 3.33 | 26 | 31.5 | 20 |
Draymond Green | PF-SF | 11.30% | 9 | 9.5 | 6' 5.75'' | 6' 7.5'' | 8' 9'' | 235.6 | 7' 1.25'' | 11.01 | - | 3.4 | 28 | 33 | 9 |
Kenneth Faried | PF | 6.30% | 8.5 | 10.25 | 6' 6'' | 6' 7.5'' | 9' 0'' | 224.6 | 7' 0'' | 11.35 | - | 3.26 | 30.5 | 35 | 16 |
Tobias Harris | SF-PF | 8.40% | 8.75 | 9 | 6' 6.5'' | 6' 7.75'' | 8' 7.5'' | 222.8 | 6' 11'' | 10.96 | - | 3.17 | 31.5 | 37.5 | 12 |
Trevor Booker | PF | 7.30% | 9 | 9.5 | 6' 6.25'' | 6' 7.5'' | 8' 10'' | 235.8 | 6' 9.75'' | 11.15 | - | 3.1 | 31 | 36 | 22 |
This is a less impressive wingspan than I'd seen reported elsewhere, although probably more reliable. This probably limits his upside materially. I remain bullish on him as a prospect however.General takeaway, Williams has an unimpressive wingspan and his vertical isn't great. He's in way better shape than Draymond (good and bad, Draymond probably gained some agility in losing bodyfat), and he's the most agile of the bunch and 2nd strongest.
Looks good to me. But yeah, getting on a professional diet and workout regimen will knock off anything left to knock off.He's apparently super strong, but has some excess weight on him still from what I've seen. I suspect he needs to lose that to get the mobility he's going to need.
I agree he has his flaws and signing back in Boston may not be the best thing for Noel the person. That said, the guy had a good season on both ends of the floor for the Thunder this past season and is just 25 so its possible that he has finally figured some things out like many bigs who can take longer to develop. Some people here are keen on a guy like Dewayne Dedmon and the reality is, adjusting for their usage (so using per 100 possessions for example), Noel had the better season as a rebounder, shot-blocker and in terms of scoring efficiency.Nerlens Noel is not very good at basketball. Want nothing to do with him as a starter for this team.
I've heard meetings with Russell, Kawhi, Seth Curry, Kanter, Danny Green, and Beverley (not to mention the Klutch clients that don't require a Laker meeting)......they are pretty much doing their due diligence to have back up plans to the backup plan to the backup plan. Could their be a better relatively cheap option for the Lakers than Curry? That's a win-win signing as anticipated success in this ideal role could propel him to Redick level contract status down the road.Lakers are apparently getting a meeting with D'Angelo Russell.
Yeah, it looks to my eye like there's room for him to drop weight, with a corresponding bump in quickness, hopefully. He’s really going to have to change his game in the NBA, as undersized low-post PFs aren't really a thing anymore. Fortunately, he does have some of the hallmarks of a guy who can adapt- excellent passer, excellent help defender, good shooting peripherals, decent steal rate, great IQ, strength and work ethic. The improvements he can make with lateral movement on defense, and shooting the three on offense will go a long way towards determining his ceiling. I don't expect him to be a perennial DPOY candidate like Dray, but if he can get 80% there, while being nearly as good a passer and a better shooter who doesn’t kick people in the nuts every couple of weeks, that's a helluva complimentary player. If he shoots, I think he'll eventually thrive playing the screen man (again, like Draymond) with Kemba as our Steph. I'd be very surprised if he defends the rim like Draymond does, but it's interesting that his block rate was better than Dray's in college, at least, despite the substantial wingspan difference.He's apparently super strong, but has some excess weight on him still from what I've seen. I suspect he needs to lose that to get the mobility he's going to need.
Dray and he have about the same standing reach, despite the big wingspan difference, which might be where those blocks are coming from. Not sure how that works relative to wingspan--guess he has a shorter neck than Dray?Yeah, it looks to my eye like there's room for him to drop weight, with a corresponding bump in quickness, hopefully. He’s really going to have to change his game in the NBA, as undersized low-post PFs aren't really a thing anymore. Fortunately, he does have some of the hallmarks of a guy who can adapt- excellent passer, excellent help defender, good shooting peripherals, decent steal rate, great IQ, strength and work ethic. The improvements he can make with lateral movement on defense, and shooting the three on offense will go a long way towards determining his ceiling. I don't expect him to be a perennial DPOY candidate like Dray, but if he can get 80% there, while being nearly as good a passer and a better shooter who doesn’t kick people in the nuts every couple of weeks, that's a helluva complimentary player. If he shoots, I think he'll eventually thrive playing the screen man (again, like Draymond) with Kemba as our Steph. I'd be very surprised if he defends the rim like Draymond does, but it's interesting that his block rate was better than Dray's in college, at least, despite the substantial wingspan difference.
Plus, by all accounts he's an awesome dude who'll use his level 30 charisma to keep his teammates playing Settlers of Catan in their hotel instead of out clubbing in South Beach during those long road trips.
Huh, didn’t notice that, but it’s a good point. Narrower shoulders?Dray and he have about the same standing reach, despite the big wingspan difference, which might be where those blocks are coming from. Not sure how that works relative to wingspan--guess he has a shorter neck than Dray?
Legs could use some work. Grant is said to be a hard worker. I'm guessing he thrives on professional training, dieting, skills training, etc. Looking forward to seeing his rookie year.Looks good to me. But yeah, getting on a professional diet and workout regimen will knock off anything left to knock off.