Juhann Begarin pick #45

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The competition in Isreal is awful it's hard to take anything away from it. PP averaged over 5 assists a game in college. I guess we will see if it translates to the NBA game.
I'm not suggesting Yam is going to take Pritchard's spot.
 

Cellar-Door

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I hope he moves to a better team in Europe. He seems too far away to want to start his clock.
 

Cesar Crespo

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Is he on the team next year? G league? Does he stay overseas instead of G league?

I'd guess there's a small chance Yam fills a spot too.
 

TripleOT

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He looks less robotic.
As you mentioned upthread, Begarin is similar in body and athleticism as young Jaylen Brown. He looked good launching threes in the last video. With his athleticism, length, and motor, he would an intriguing add as an apprentice wing, but he’s probably still a year or two away.
 

nighthob

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Is he on the team next year? G league? Does he stay overseas instead of G league?

I'd guess there's a small chance Yam fills a spot too.
My guess is that they bring in Begarin to begin working with Celtics staff in Portland next year. They definitely need more guard depth.
 

HomeRunBaker

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As you mentioned upthread, Begarin is similar in body and athleticism as young Jaylen Brown. He looked good launching threes in the last video. With his athleticism, length, and motor, he would an intriguing add as an apprentice wing, but he’s probably still a year or two away.
Is he on the team next year? G league? Does he stay overseas instead of G league?

I'd guess there's a small chance Yam fills a spot too.
Since Begarin wasn’t locked into an international contract when he was drafted and available to sign immediately the Celtics would likely have to sign him using one of our 15 roster spots this summer or lose his rights. My hope would be that he could provide a rookie contract second unit contributor to some degree by his second year, the ‘23-‘24 season which shouldn’t be that difficult considering how limited/specific his role would be on a title contender.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Interesting Glob article on how the Cs have been coaching JB remotely this last season: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/11/sports/film-sessions-have-kept-celtics-connected-french-prospect-juhann-begarin/. Two bits:

They found that Begarin tended to careen out of control on drives, sometimes even trying to ignite one-on-three fast-breaks rather than slowing down and finding a more suitable option. And when he reached the paint, he often jumped off of one foot rather than two, a common hiccup for young, athletic players.

and

On defense, the Celtics wanted the 6-foot-5-inch, 215-pound Begarin to see clips of players with similar body types. And on their own roster they had to look no further than Smart, the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year.
They highlighted how Smart fought through and around screens with such tenacity, and how he remained relentlessly active on help defense and close-outs.
“We were just showing him, ‘Hey you have the physical tools to do this, but you’re going to have to do this if you want to play,” Barlow said. “That’s going to kind of be your calling card.’”
 

HomeRunBaker

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Begarin showing again this summer that he has the athletic tools to play in this league but lacks the polish to be there anytime soon….at least for a non-tanking team. I would have liked to see his game a little more developed than last summer but he looks like the same player to me. That’s not a good sign for a kid his age who you’d expect to make some type of leap.
 

benhogan

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Begarin showing again this summer that he has the athletic tools to play in this league but lacks the polish to be there anytime soon….at least for a non-tanking team. I would have liked to see his game a little more developed than last summer but he looks like the same player to me. That’s not a good sign for a kid his age who you’d expect to make some type of leap.
Agreed, expect another year in Europe for the 19yr old.

The C's don't want to start the clock, or guarantee money at the end of the roster.
 

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Begarin might be better served to play for another team in Europe. This, from the recent Globe article on how the C's have stayed connected with him, was interesting:

The Celtics also remained in frequent contact with their 2020 second-round pick, Israeli point guard Yam Madar. But he plays for the Serbian power Partizan, which is guided by the legendary coach Željko Obradović, who has won eight EuroLeague titles in his career, so there was less urgency. Begarin’s league in France, meanwhile, is more of a developmental program.
 

Smokey Joe

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Agreed, expect another year in Europe for the 19yr old.

The C's don't want to start the clock, or guarantee money at the end of the roster.
I find it interesting that people feel that he hasn’t developed much in the last year and therefore he should go back to where he didn’t develop rather then stay here where they could supervise him more closely. I realize that there are a lot of variables to this decision, including maturity and fit. But I would be thinking long and hard about keeping him around.
 

Smokey Joe

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Begarin might be better served to play for another team in Europe. This, from the recent Globe article on how the C's have stayed connected with him, was interesting:

The Celtics also remained in frequent contact with their 2020 second-round pick, Israeli point guard Yam Madar. But he plays for the Serbian power Partizan, which is guided by the legendary coach Željko Obradović, who has won eight EuroLeague titles in his career, so there was less urgency. Begarin’s league in France, meanwhile, is more of a developmental program.
He signed with Paris Basketball last year. I have no idea if they retain his rights. PB jumped up to the A league last year and is eligible for the Eurocup this season.
Fun fact (or warning sign). Paris Basketball is run by David Kahn.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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I haven't watched the entirety of the last game, but I think Begarin has made strides from last year. I just think it's hard to show it in these types of games where the PG runs everything. But Begarin has done a pretty good job on defense (will be interested in watch the second half against GSW particularly against Moody and Kuminga). He's run the PnR a few times, which is more than he did last year, and after the first game, seems more assertive on the offensive end. His shooting stroke seems a bit smoother as well (hitting 16-20 FTs is good). Obviously still needs development and will need to take more than an incremental step right now but I think he is developing.

Brodric Thomas is a guy who intrigues me. He's 6-5, has shot 38% from 3P over his G-League career; looks like he can defend a bit. He's 10-19 from 3P in Las Vegas this year. Loved the JJ Reddick story about playing with him. Plus, he did this:

View: https://twitter.com/NBASummerLeague/status/1547035208116948992
 

Cesar Crespo

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I find it interesting that people feel that he hasn’t developed much in the last year and therefore he should go back to where he didn’t develop rather then stay here where they could supervise him more closely. I realize that there are a lot of variables to this decision, including maturity and fit. But I would be thinking long and hard about keeping him around.
Yeah, I agree with this. Though a player his age should pretty much show some development regardless of where he's playing. It's not a good sign to show little to no growth in your age 19 season.
 

Jimbodandy

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Yeah, I agree with this. Though a player his age should pretty much show some development regardless of where he's playing. It's not a good sign to show little to no growth in your age 19 season.
I felt this way after games 1 and 2. After game 3, I feel better. Agree with wbcd that he looked better on defense. I was pretty psyched with how he played against GS.
 

brendan f

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I haven't watched the entirety of the last game, but I think Begarin has made strides from last year.
I think he has as well; the problem is he was dreadful last year and this year I would say the improvement, while seemingly real, doesn't catapult him to a legit NBA prospect. The positives are he's still only 19 and he's a good athlete. The negatives are that he doesn't seem to have any defined NBA skills. He's not a very good shooter, not a very good three point shooter, not great with the ball in his hands, not a very good playmaker. He's okay at some of these things, but it's hard to find anything where he's above average or even average. The people who are calling for him to make the team are out of their minds.
 

HomeRunBaker

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I think he has as well; the problem is he was dreadful last year and this year I would say the improvement, while seemingly real, doesn't catapult him to a legit NBA prospect. The positives are he's still only 19 and he's a good athlete. The negatives are that he doesn't seem to have any defined NBA skills. He's not a very good shooter, not a very good three point shooter, not great with the ball in his hands, not a very good playmaker. He's okay at some of these things, but it's hard to find anything where he's above average or even average. The people who are calling for him to make the team are out of their minds.
I agree with much of this although he “should” be a good 3-pt shooter with solid mechanics, release and little wasted motion. This is one area he should definitely begin to see results. Any marginal improvements people saw since last year are just that and not what I was hoping for this summer. The most discouraging part to me was how inactive he is without the ball and defensively almost in a Romeo-like trance of disinterest much of the time.
 

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I agree with much of this although he “should” be a good 3-pt shooter with solid mechanics, release and little wasted motion. This is one area he should definitely begin to see results. Any marginal improvements people saw since last year are just that and not what I was hoping for this summer. The most discouraging part to me was how inactive he is without the ball and defensively almost in a Romeo-like trance of disinterest much of the time.
He struggled early in Vegas, especially in the opener, but there was little "discouraging" about Begarin's play in the C's final two games, IMO. That doesn't mean he's ready to play on the varsity, but he absolutely improved from last summer.
 

HomeRunBaker

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He struggled early in Vegas, especially in the opener, but there was little "discouraging" about Begarin's play in the C's final two games, IMO. That doesn't mean he's ready to play on the varsity, but he absolutely improved from last summer.
Yeah he was “better”, which is a low bar for a higher upside prospect, but not the leap I was hoping for from an athletic wing going from 18 to 19 years old.
 

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Yeah he was “better”, which is a low bar for a higher upside prospect, but not the leap I was hoping for from an athletic wing going from 18 to 19 years old.
With the caveat—a big one—that it's only summer league, Begarin finished with 25 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals (and 3 turnovers) in the C's finale. He was 9 for 17 from the floor, 3 for 6 from beyond the arc, and 4 for 4 from the line. He scored 18 points (on 9-for-18 shooting) in the C's penultimate game.

Last summer, he occasionally flashed his athleticism, but that's about it. He scored 31 points, total, in five games in Vegas last year.
 

HomeRunBaker

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With the caveat—a big one—that it's only summer league, Begarin finished with 25 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals (and 3 turnovers) in the C's finale. He was 9 for 17 from the floor, 3 for 6 from beyond the arc, and 4 for 4 from the line. He scored 18 points (on 9-for-18 shooting) in the C's penultimate game.

Last summer, he occasionally flashed his athleticism, but that's about it. He scored 31 points, total, in five games in Vegas last year.
Much of this was due to lack of playing time on that loaded SL roster last year. He was an offensive afterthought when he was on the court but showed well when he did have opportunities. I disagree that all he did was show some athleticism last year.
 

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Much of this was due to lack of playing time on that loaded SL roster last year. He was an offensive afterthought when he was on the court but showed well when he did have opportunities. I disagree that all he did was show some athleticism last year.
He showed some flashes of offense, defense, etc., but clearly he had a long way to go before being deemed an NBA player. He still does, but you can see it taking shape a little more.

Is France the best place for him to develop? I have no idea. Sounds like Yam, who's not as intriguing a prospect, is getting superb coaching in Europe.
 
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lexrageorge

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He showed some flashes of offense, defense, etc., but clearly he had a long way to go before being deemed an NBA player. He still does, but you can see it taking shape a little more..

Is France the best place for him to develop? I have no idea. Sounds like Yam, who's not as intriguing a prospect, is getting superb coaching in Europe.
The European leagues are professional leagues with professional coaching staffs. Maybe not quite as fully staffed as NBA teams, but Begarin will still receive more and better coaching than from a hypothetical NCAA team, and probably equivalent to what he would get playing in Maine.
 

ManicCompression

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The European leagues are professional leagues with professional coaching staffs. Maybe not quite as fully staffed as NBA teams, but Begarin will still receive more and better coaching than from a hypothetical NCAA team, and probably equivalent to what he would get playing in Maine.
How much of a priority is it for Euro teams to develop players? On the one hand, why would they care what a 19 year old becomes in the NBA - like colleges, they want to win now so the payoff for giving a young guy PT/coaching isn't super high. On the other, I'm sure becoming a pipeline for NBA talent and showing that the team can improve your draft status might act as a draw for special talents who need a pit stop on the way to the NBA.

Genuinely curious as I don't know anything about Euro league and what incentives a team has to play Begarin over a 30 year old who's better in the present.
 

Euclis20

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How much of a priority is it for Euro teams to develop players? On the one hand, why would they care what a 19 year old becomes in the NBA - like colleges, they want to win now so the payoff for giving a young guy PT/coaching isn't super high. On the other, I'm sure becoming a pipeline for NBA talent and showing that the team can improve your draft status might act as a draw for special talents who need a pit stop on the way to the NBA.

Genuinely curious as I don't know anything about Euro league and what incentives a team has to play Begarin over a 30 year old who's better in the present.
That's a good general question (that I don't have the answer too), but I don't think it is relevant in this case. Begarin was 3rd on his team in both minutes and shots per game this past year, he's certainly not riding the bench in Paris.
 

Jimbodandy

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That's a good general question (that I don't have the answer too), but I don't think it is relevant in this case. Begarin was 3rd on his team in both minutes and shots per game this past year, he's certainly not riding the bench in Paris.
Yeah he's not riding the bench anywhere but the NBA. There aren’t G League teams or international teams with 5 players who deserve more time than Begarin. He's close enough to an NBA player that he's gonna play.

Question is really where is best for him. Is he going to develop the skills that he needs for NBA success better in Euro or in the G. I'm inclined to believe the former, since the G seems to be pretty hard-core chuck and duck. I think that he'll benefit from getting shots, cuts, and handles in game situations where the other team is playing real defense. But folks who can speak better to euro ball might disagree.
 

Cellar-Door

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My feel on the pros/cons are:

In Maine you get to control all the coaching he gets, and he plays against some real bouncy 2/3 guys which is good.
On the other hand, the skill level is bad, and the quality of games is garbage.

In Europe... you don't have as much control over his coaching, probably sees less super-bouncy wings which is a con.
On the pro-side... he'll face a lot of veteran pros with real skill, the teams care a lot about winning so bad habits don't set in, and there are benefits/consequences for good/bad play.

I'd send him back to Europe personally. You can send guys and zoom to help him out with training, but he isn't a guy I worry about needing to see freak athletes, I need to see him deal with tricky guys, learn to pass, hit shots off good passes, etc.
 

ManicCompression

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That's a good general question (that I don't have the answer too), but I don't think it is relevant in this case. Begarin was 3rd on his team in both minutes and shots per game this past year, he's certainly not riding the bench in Paris.
Yeah, PT is a bad example. But let's say the Celtics want him to work more on ball handling and decision making. In Maine, they can tell the coaches, "Hey, Begarin is our number one priority, so get him as many reps with the ball as possible" whereas the Paris folks might just choose to let him be a wrecking ball because he's so athletic, which is fine, but not necessarily the best way to get him to improve the things he's bad at.
 

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My feel on the pros/cons are:

In Maine you get to control all the coaching he gets, and he plays against some real bouncy 2/3 guys which is good.
On the other hand, the skill level is bad, and the quality of games is garbage.

In Europe... you don't have as much control over his coaching, probably sees less super-bouncy wings which is a con.
On the pro-side... he'll face a lot of veteran pros with real skill, the teams care a lot about winning so bad habits don't set in, and there are benefits/consequences for good/bad play.

I'd send him back to Europe personally. You can send guys and zoom to help him out with training, but he isn't a guy I worry about needing to see freak athletes, I need to see him deal with tricky guys, learn to pass, hit shots off good passes, etc.
That all makes sense. I'm guessing the C's goal is to add Begarin to the 2023-24 roster.
 

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End of the day hes a 19yo KID. I am surprised we are forgetting that. Its one thing for a 19-20 yo kid who grew up used to american culture and likely the spotlight. Also many have some kind of experience with the larger type cities NBA teams inhabit.

Taking a 19yo from the country side of France......moving him to america....having him figure out Boston/chi/Den/Atl all while expecting him to learn to play NBA level Basketball, is to me, a stretch.

I get that he (now) has some experience with A metropolis like Paris. But its still HIS culture and seems like a much easier adjustment.

Am I saying a guy needs to be 30? No. But waiting till the kid can legally drink (in the US) is not a tragedy.
Also (and I dont know...) how is his english? Good? outstanding? passable? or does it need serious work?
 

JakeRae

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Yeah, PT is a bad example. But let's say the Celtics want him to work more on ball handling and decision making. In Maine, they can tell the coaches, "Hey, Begarin is our number one priority, so get him as many reps with the ball as possible" whereas the Paris folks might just choose to let him be a wrecking ball because he's so athletic, which is fine, but not necessarily the best way to get him to improve the things he's bad at.
I’m not sure I understand your alternative to working on ball handling. Paris has an incentive to help him improve skills that he can translate into superior play this year. Paris might not care about coaching toward longer term development, but if improving his handle will help him be better this year, why wouldn’t they work on it?

The types of skills I could see getting neglected are more transformational than fundamental. If we want him developed as a point forward, but currently he’s better as an off-ball scorer, he’s unlikely to get used as a point forward in Europe but we could use him that way in the G League. But if we just want him developed as a secondary scorer (likely his natural role), there’s really no reason that would work better in the G League. In many ways it might be counterproductive since guard play trends toward selfish in the G League, but also likely not a huge concern this year since JD will be working on playmaking there. Paris has every incentive to coach him on things like making the right cuts, the right passes, the right reads, tightening his shooting mechanics, improving his handle on dribble-drives, etc. because all of those are things they will be asking him to do and where if he improves, they will be a better team. They, on the other hand, probably aren’t going to try to teach him a step-back three since even if that’s something he could develop, it’s going to be a long term project.

Given Begarin’s profile as a player and how much work he still needs on improving his core skills, I don’t see any reason to think Europe won’t develop him at least as well as we would here for now. If he gets good enough you start worrying about the stuff Paris isn’t incented to work on with him, he’s probably already made it to his 90th percentile projection and will be delivering great value to Boston.
 

lexrageorge

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Having Begarin work with the Paris coaches at age 19, the Maine coaching staff at 20, and the Boston staff at 21 would be a pretty good ride for him. I doubt it will hurt him very much being overseas this year. That decision was probably also made last spring after watching film and reading the scouting reports.
 

HomeRunBaker

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That's a good general question (that I don't have the answer too), but I don't think it is relevant in this case. Begarin was 3rd on his team in both minutes and shots per game this past year, he's certainly not riding the bench in Paris.
In Begarin’s case this is true. He’s in a decent league but unless the NBA team has some type of arrangement where they provide the team with an Asst coach or cash money these teams only care about their short term results. We see players signed one month and released the next all the time. If Begarin was playing in a top league in say Turkey or Spain he’d likely be buried like many young players are on those squads.
 

JakeRae

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In Begarin’s case this is true. He’s in a decent league but unless the NBA team has some type of arrangement where they provide the team with an Asst coach or cash money these teams only care about their short term results. We see players signed one month and released the next all the time. If Begarin was playing in a top league in say Turkey or Spain he’d likely be buried like many young players are on those squads.
I assume given Begarin’s clear focus on making it to the NBA that he picked his team in consultation with Celtics management. There are obviously situations where playing abroad is a development problem, it’s just hard to see that being the case here (or with Madar, but that is much less significant since Madar’s path to the NBA is a lot more attenuated than is Begarin’s).
 

brendan f

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I think we need to take a step back and realize that he was a second round pick. He was a worthy "gamble" because of his age, size, athleticism, and potential, but we aren't talking about an international sensation. The Celtics are invested in him, but they aren't going to be eating brioche if he doesn't pan out. Likewise, Begarin himself needs to look out for his own career and staying close to home makes sense as there is a very reasonable chance he never has the skills to make it to the NBA.
 
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I think we need to take a step back and realize that he was a second round pick. He was a worthy "gamble" because of his age, size, athleticism, and potential, but we aren't talking about an international sensation. The Celtics are invested in him, but they aren't going to be eating brioche if he doesn't pan out. Likewise, Begarin himself needs to look out for his own career and staying close to home makes sense as there is a very reasonable chance he never has the skills to make it to the NBA.
Why wouldn't Begarin do everything he can to pursue an NBA career? He's in a win-win situation. Europe will always be a well-paying Plan B for him if he doesn't stick in the NBA.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Himmelsbach from the Glob on Begarin:
Begarin often appeared to be the most athletic player on the floor, and the fact that he is still just 19 years old makes his potential even more enticing. The 6-foot-5 wing from France, who the Celtics selected in the second round of the 2021 drat, was able to overpower opponents while displaying an improved jump-shot.
He averaged 18.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists, but his inexperience sometimes showed, as evidenced by his 4.2 turnovers. Begarin saved his best for last, erupting for 25 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals against Brooklyn.
“The kid has been, to me, pretty special,” Sullivan said. “He can do so many different things. He’s knocked down threes, he’s gotten to the basket, he’s defended, he’s passed it. He’s got to tighten up his handle a little bit, a couple of turnovers here and there. If he improves in that area, the sky is the limit.”
The team conducted twice-monthly film sessions with Begarin last season. In addition to going over his own clips, they encouraged him to emulate Jaylen Brown’s offensive package and Marcus Smart’s defensive tenacity. With both two-way slots filled, it seems most likely that Begarin will remain overseas for one more season. He wouldn’t be able to contribute on Boston’s loaded roster, anyway. The Celtics may consider it valuable for Begarin to practice against their top players for a season, but that would also start his contract clock at an age when he is not ready to have an impact.

Thought that Begarin played some pretty decent defense against NBA-caliber players like Moody and was as good as anyone on the court in the first-half against BRK, which also had multiple NBA players (Thomas, Duke, and Edwards). He's still a work in progress but he has a chance, which (as noted above) is more than we can say for most 2nd rounders.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Long scouting report from Bobby Manning (CLNS) with film clips here: Did Juhann Begarin Prove Ready to Join Celtics at Summer League? - CLNS Media. Final takeaway here:

Begarin might’ve made the strongest case possible for coming over. Given Boston’s front court needs, wing depth and array of playmakers that didn’t seem feasible entering Summer League. It’s a credit to how well he played that we’re even having this conversation.
Right now, his production painted a picture of a young player who needs to learn, grow and play against heavy competition. His 29-game picture from France’s top league told a more complete story than five games in Vegas. There’s NBA talent here, that seems clear, which is encouraging given where they selected him and the extremely raw package of tools at his disposal one year ago. You can imagine him playing and maybe even starring in his role in Boston eventually, but both he and the Celtics have plenty of time to get there.
They shouldn’t rush him to the league, start a contract and already subtract one year off of it where he’d rarely play. The shuffle back-and-forth between Boston and Maine probably isn’t one he’d want to take toward development either, despite the occasional pitfalls overseas can have in terms of style of play. It’s worth one more year at the highest level of French basketball, or wherever he lands. The Celtics will maintain his rights indefinitely until he forces the issue.
“I think you can just tell that he’s matured,” Hauser told CLNS. “He’s only 19, so it’s weird even saying that, but he’s definitely matured. He’s got more savvy in his game now and his English actually has gotten really well. He’s been really, really good, obviously (in the Milwaukee game) he was awesome, but he’s going to keep working. He knows he can still get better at certain things, but overall he’s made a big jump.”
 

benhogan

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Good notes Wade, thanks.

19yr old with an NBA body and more importantly the wherewithal to draw fouls with it is a good sign. He's clearly better than last summer. Another year of Euro hoops is what he needs. The coaching staff will probably increase their in-season video work with him as he plays more minutes overseas.

Trade value increasing and will go exponential if he starts putting up stats in Europe

Begarin > then a late first-round pick
 

Cesar Crespo

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Begarin > then a late first-round pick
Heh, maybe. Last year when he was drafted, some were saying he'd be a lottery pick if he were drafted a year later. I doubt he has more trade value than a late 1st rounder. Teams want their own guys and there are other athletes available in the 2nd round.
 

Jimbodandy

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Heh, maybe. Last year when he was drafted, some were saying he'd be a lottery pick if he were drafted a year later. I doubt he has more trade value than a late 1st rounder. Teams want their own guys and there are other athletes available in the 2nd round.
FWIW, I didn't interpet bh's post as Begarin's asset value in a trade scenario. More like, by the fact that we got him as a second round stash guy, it's better for us that we can keep stashing him as he develops without a rookie contract clock running. If he were the 27th pick out of Iowa, he'd be entering year 2 of his rookie deal, getting paid, playing mostly in Maine. Now, someone else is paying him, his clock hasn't started, and we get his age 20 year as a more useful player.
 

PedrosRedGlove

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Dec 5, 2005
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benhogan specifically mentioned trade value though...

I think it's a reasonable assessment. Promising 2nd rounder with a year of good development and still super young could easily have the same value as the 27th pick to a team that likes Begarin.

It's definitely also better for us that he's still stashable without a rookie clock running... which would also add some to that theoretical trade value compared to generic future pick X.

It's a small change in value, but is worth noting, and is something to keep track of given the timetable for the current team. Begarin is as likely to be used in a trade to upgrade the roster as he is to ever contribute meaningfully in Boston.
 

Jimbodandy

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Yeah read that too quickly, sorry. He did say that.

I'd rather have Begarin's rights than imaginary 2023 pick #27. I think that most would. But it's not like a huge difference.
 

nighthob

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Jul 15, 2005
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Heh, maybe. Last year when he was drafted, some were saying he'd be a lottery pick if he were drafted a year later. I doubt he has more trade value than a late 1st rounder. Teams want their own guys and there are other athletes available in the 2nd round.
I kept saying that while that was technically true, part of that was that 2022 was just a crappy draft in terms of prime talent.
 

benhogan

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Yeah read that too quickly, sorry. He did say that.

I'd rather have Begarin's rights than imaginary 2023 pick #27. I think that most would. But it's not like a huge difference.
Yea, that's where I'm at after watching '22 Vegas. Clock not started/while developing in Europe adds to his value

Brad seems more than willing to use late firsts to build now, so wouldn't be shocked to see him moved
 
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Jed Zeppelin

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Aug 23, 2008
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If you can get Euros with actual NBA futures it is a great value. I don't expect POBOBS will be able to regularly pull guys like this out of every draft but even the occasional stream of talent from Europe would be an amazing resource. Essentially an extra roster player acquired for next to nothing and costing nothing, without having to deal with any kind of opportunity cost concerns until he actually signs.

Of course there are many many Euros who never sniff the NBA and whose rights are only ever traded as token assets, but even turning 1 into something (be it a player or trade asset) would be a huge win.
 

TripleOT

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Jul 4, 2007
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One of the most eye-opening things this summer from Begarin was his drives to the basket after catching the ball in the corner and driving close outs. Very impressive athleticism. It is probably going to be next season, but this guy will end up on the Celtics’ roster.