I wonder how much of his early problems were injury related rust compounded by getting used to the pace of the game. I think a lot of people underestimate just how valuable traveling with the team and sitting on the bench watching is. It's not playing, but in some circumstances, I'd say it's far better than the G league.
If he continues to play more like the Aaron Nesmith many of us over bearishly predicted him to be out of the gate, that will be a huge get. Him and PP being rotation players from year 1 adds tremendous value to the roster and in potential trades.
Rookies are interesting and it's hard not to readjust your opinion on a player after a handful of games unless it's in the positive direction (PP). Even if they look completely lost, it probably doesn't mean much. While I didn't really readjust my stance (I liked the pick, still do), I sorta forgot why I liked the pick. Great shooter, hard worker, constantly in motion on O. Good BBIQ, buys into/understands team defense, positions himself well and he's alert. The effort should be there.
If he does have deceptive athleticism and is actually very good at where to position himself on defense and has decent defensive awareness, he could actually become a pretty good defensive player. From what I saw in videos and in scouting reports, he lacked some lateral and vertical athleticism. If that's not really the case or he's been working to address the issue, it changes his entire ceiling, although it probably doesn't change his offensive game much. We saw it first hand with Tatum, who was supposed to be close to a finished product because scouts were off on his athleticism. Not everyone is Jaylen Brown, it doesn't mean they aren't athletic.
Granted, I just watched videos of him. I'm not a college guru at all and I generally stay away from judging draft picks until I see them play for a year unless they look like they don't belong (Carsen) or far exceed expectations (PP) in the early going. To Edwards credit, he's looked somewhat better this year. Watching Nesmith, I didn't get the Carsen or PP vibe. I've thought all along he should be playing around 10 minutes a game but I think in the long term, it's irrelevant. It also could have hurt his progress. Putting him in to fail won't help.
I think the C's have handled his development fine even if it's not what I'd have done. There's also a reason I'm not an NBA GM or head coach. Hopefully now/soon he'll start to be rewarded with consistent minutes.
I know many of us are impatient and want someone to pair with the Jays now but if Nesmith pans out, he'd be a great fit. He can't really create his own shot though, so that somewhat limits his ceiling. Where you would want one of Tatum/Brown/Kemba on the floor at all times... Nesmith is not that guy. It could create rotation problems long term unless the C's get a bench scorer. You can't always have one of Tatum or Brown on the court. I think Romeo has the higher ceiling but is less likely to reach it. It really depends on how his shot develops but he can get to the rim and create his own shots. They just aren't very good, and may never be. He would be the more traditional 3rd guy.
I think Nesmith is far more likely to add value on his rookie deal, be retained and be the better player but I wouldn't bet on any of it. They are also only 9 days apart in age. I also wouldn't be surprised by the time Romeo gets back, Nesmith will have just as much game experience. It'll be fun to watch them progress. Nesmith and Langford playing well changes the entire landscape for the C's in so many ways, opens so many possibilities.