What young players/potential pieces are you interested in?

The X Man Cometh

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Simple question - who do you want?
 
If I'm the C's I'm trying to pry the following guys away from their teams:
 
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Meyers Leonard
 
Giannis is grabbing 18.4% of available defensive rebounds, despite being a guy who can play shooting guard for long stretches. He contests shots at a very high level. On the other hand, he can't really shoot right now. His early success shooting 3s is a mirage, and he's getting exposed as an inconsistent shooter, which limits his usefulness in the present, especially on a team that has fringe-to-average shooting everywhere on the floor. But he's only 19.  Milwaukee needs guards in the worst way. I'm sure they like the kid, but.... 1) they're also the Bucks, and 2) they are reportedly having problems financing a new arena. So a package of players who can play now and not 3-4 years in the future would be appetizing. I'd give up a future 1st and Crawford to snag Giannis, plus sweetening.
 
Leonard is buried on the bench for Portland who in contention right now. They need contributors, something which Leonard is not. We need bigs with upside, something Leonard is. He's athletic as hell and has some measure of skill, but considering he isn't even in rotation for the Blazers, the asking price for him can't be too high.
 
To me both of these players are interesting, not only because they have talent, but because they have more athleticism than skill, and I believe that such players will be value-added buys in the world of Stevensball.
 
Who do you see around the league that you want to get in on?
 

bowiac

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I find it pretty implausible that Antetokounmpo can be had, but I bet Meyers Leonard is eminently gettable, although I'm not sure for whom. They might plausibly be interested in Bradley, which I'd jump at.
 

The X Man Cometh

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bowiac said:
I find it pretty implausible that Antetokounmpo can be had, but I bet Meyers Leonard is eminently gettable, although I'm not sure for whom. They might plausibly be interested in Bradley, which I'd jump at.
Every man has his price. I'd think the Celtics' 2014 pick (in this much ballyhooed draft) plus Crawford and something to sweeten the deal would be tough to pass up.
 

Cellar-Door

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In terms of guys who might actually be available I like:
Lamb in OKC
Fournier in Denver
Motiejunas in Houston
 

Cellar-Door

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The X Man Cometh said:
Every man has his price. I'd think the Celtics' 2014 pick (in this much ballyhooed draft) plus Crawford and something to sweeten the deal would be tough to pass up.
No chance of getting him for that. A mid 1st and an expiring to the worst team in the league?
 

TroyOLeary

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Portland is absurdly weak at backup big, and Leonard still can't get any playing time.  They're playing Joel Freeland twice as many minutes.
 
Bass for Thomas Robinson and Leonard works, but I'm not sure if I even like that for the Celtics.
 

The X Man Cometh

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Cellar-Door said:
In terms of guys who might actually be available I like:
Lamb in OKC
Fournier in Denver
Motiejunas in Houston
 
 
Cellar-Door said:
No chance of getting him for that. A mid 1st and an expiring to the worst team in the league?
 
Perhaps. I'd think a team that's in the organizational straits Milwaukee is in has other priorities that would change the equation. As for  your list... good choices. From what I understand, Motiejunas needs a change of scenery.
 
I did see a rumor somewhere that OKC was looking for veteran shooting guards, but they also aren't the type to take on salary (which Courtney Lee has), and aren't going to make a panicky move like the Bucks have on many occasions. A Bradley and Lamb exchange could be a possibility. Not sure if Westbrook defends shooting guards, and Bradley is no longer cost controlled like Lamb, but Bradley would fit well on their team at both ends of the court.
 

Cellar-Door

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TroyOLeary said:
Portland is absurdly weak at backup big, and Leonard still can't get any playing time.  They're playing Joel Freeland twice as many minutes.
 
Bass for Thomas Robinson and Leonard works, but I'm not sure if I even like that for the Celtics.
I like that deal. I'm higher on bass than most here but he is what he is. A rebuilding Celtics team is probably better off gambling on one of those young guys panning out.
 

The X Man Cometh

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Cellar-Door said:
I like that deal. I'm higher on bass than most here but he is what he is. A rebuilding Celtics team is probably better off gambling on one of those young guys panning out.
 
I like that a lot as well.
 
Bass is obviously a considerable upgrade over Thomas Robinson. Leonard isn't in rotation, so losing bodies in a 2 for 1 exchange probably isn't something the Blazers lose sleep over. 
 
For Boston, Robinson fits the "Stevensball" bill - runs the court well and has been a liability in the half court.
 

Brickowski

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In no particular order (and skipping players like Kenneth Faried, whom I love but who would be too expensive):

Tony Wroten. 6-6 with point guard skills. I realize he can't shoot. He should have stayed in college for another year.

Giannis Adetokunbo (or however you spell it). I would have drafted him instead of Olynick. Probably too expensive. Huge upside.

Shelvin Mack. Tenacious player, and we know he was well coached.

Nikola Mirotic-- may be the best player in Europe right now. The Bulls own his draft rights

Kawhi Leonard. Very high upside.

Jose Juan Barea. Plays better than some guys who cost twice as much.

Steven Adams. Probably the best first-year center in the league right now.

C.J. McCollum. If he can ever get healthy, he's going to be very good.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Brick I am assuming that you simply like Kawhi Leonard...and who doesn't? But I cannot imagine he is available for anything other than a kings ransom right now.
 

Cellar-Door

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Yeah I think guys who are in this threa who are basically impossible for the Celtics to reasonably get are:
 
Leonard (already exactly what his team needs)
Giannis (rebuilding team, his value has gone up since he was rafted)
Wroten (another rebuilding team and has performed well)
 

Devizier

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Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Probably not going to be anything more than Tony Allen minus the headaches, but that's worth something.
 
Not too enamored with many of the young guys that could be had.
 

ifmanis5

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Despite their injuries this year I still like Larry Sanders (25) and Tobias Harris (21). They play like Celtics players should play.
 

Brickowski

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Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Probably not going to be anything more than Tony Allen minus the headaches, but that's worth something.
 
Not too enamored with many of the young guys that could be had.
Well, the players you really want are always those that other teams don't want to trade.
 

bowiac

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I imagine he will develop decent 3 point range sooner rather than later. He's not going to have a career if he doesn't. He's one of the youngest sophomore players in the league. Plenty of time.
 

radsoxfan

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bowiac said:
I imagine he will develop decent 3 point range sooner rather than later. He's not going to have a career if he doesn't. He's one of the youngest sophomore players in the league. Plenty of time.
 
Have you seen him shoot?
 
I agree with you that he is young, but his shot is REALLY ugly, and he's already been working with Mark Price as his shooting coach. Good form isn't required to be a good shooter, but if your shot is as ugly as MKG's, and it doesn't go in from outside 15 feet, tough to be too optimistic.
 
I think he can probably be an NBA player without a 3 point shot, though it limits his ceiling for sure.   
 

Kliq

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I don't it. If we are doing building blocks, then I like Anthony Davis, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard etc.
 
If we are doing attainable guys, or potentially attainable guys I like:
 
Harrison Barnes
Greg Monroe
Markieff Morris
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Chandler Parsons
 

The X Man Cometh

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Kliq said:
I don't it. If we are doing building blocks, then I like Anthony Davis, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard etc.
 
If we are doing attainable guys, or potentially attainable guys I like:
 
Harrison Barnes
Greg Monroe
Markieff Morris
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Chandler Parsons
 
Chandler Parsons and Asik for Bass and Green, or something along those lines, would be a beautiful pipe dream.
 

bowiac

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BigSoxFan said:
The same could be said for Rondo and he never improved his long distance shooting. I don't ever see MKG developing even passable 3pt shooting nor do I imagine he'll ever play for a coach who'll permit it. Tony Parker's 3pt shooting attempts have gone down drastically since his first couple of years (high of 243 in his 2nd season compared to 9 straight seasons of 70 or less). MKG is a good defender and energy guy but he's not a guy I'd give up real assets for.
While I think Rondo is a really problematic player because he hasn't improved his long distance shooting, his future in the NBA clearly doesn't depend on it. MKG on the other hand, I'm not sure what role he fills if he doesn't develop a three point shot. That's why I think he's more likely to do it. His career depends on it more.
 
More generally, the fact that one young player didn't develop doesn't mean another one doesn't have a decent chance of doing so. Perimeter shooting is one of the skills NBA players really do develop. MKG is a phenomenally gifted athlete and by all accounts an exceptionally hard worker. Given the incentives, I think he has a decent shot.
 

radsoxfan

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bowiac said:
While I think Rondo is a really problematic player because he hasn't improved his long distance shooting, his future in the NBA clearly doesn't depend on it. MKG on the other hand, I'm not sure what role he fills if he doesn't develop a three point shot. That's why I think he's more likely to do it. His career depends on it more.
 
More generally, the fact that one young player didn't develop doesn't mean another one doesn't have a decent chance of doing so. Perimeter shooting is one of the skills NBA players really do develop. MKG is a phenomenally gifted athlete and by all accounts an exceptionally hard worker. Given the incentives, I think he has a decent shot.
 
You don't think if he just develops his current skill set, he could become some sort of Tony Allen/Gerald Wallace type of player?  What's your reasoning that he has to develop a 3 PT shot or he is out of the league? This is clearly not true for plenty of NBA players.
 
I'm not very high on MKG, and don't know I that I expect a big career ahead.  But I'm not sure his general skillset requires 3 point shooting or he's automatically doomed to the D-League.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Kliq said:
I don't it. If we are doing building blocks, then I like Anthony Davis, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard etc.
 
If we are doing attainable guys, or potentially attainable guys I like:
 
Harrison Barnes
Greg Monroe
Markieff Morris
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Chandler Parsons
 
While I wouldn't put him in the same class with Kawhi Leonard, I think the asking price for Harrison Barnes is extremely steep.  Per my posts in the game and Warrior thread, I think he is playing for Golden State long after Klay Thompson has left for elsewhere.  
 
That said, if the C's could somehow pry him loose, I would trade virtually any asset for him.  If I had to rank players on the Warriors whom I love, it would be Steph Curry, followed by Harrison Barnes and then Draymond Green.  I think the Warriors share that view (of their young players) and thus the latter two aren't going to be on the block anytime soon.    
 
And to be clear, that was not to imply that Curry would be either.  I would gut the entire C's roster for him and maybe that's irrational but he is my favorite player in the NBA now that KG and Pierce have retired to the Barclays Center Nursing Home.
 

bowiac

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radsoxfan said:
You don't think if he just develops his current skill set, he could become some sort of Tony Allen/Gerald Wallace type of player?  What's your reasoning that he has to develop a 3 PT shot or he is out of the league? This is clearly not true for plenty of NBA players.
 
The whole comparison started off about how poorly his 3 point shooting compared with Tony Allen's. Gerald Wallace has been an ever better 3 point shooter. My point was that he had a strong shot to develop into someone as strong as Tony Allen. I'm not saying he's gotta become Ray Allen. I'm saying he's gotta become Tony Allen (i.e. someone who shoots a 3 on occasion).
 
But given where the league is headed these days, it's incredibly damaging to have a wing with no three point range at all. 
 

ivanvamp

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I don't think it's realistic, but I'd love to somehow acquire John Henson of Milwaukee.  They're going nowhere, and he's the kind of guy they should NOT get rid of, but nonetheless, I think he'd be a great piece for Boston for years.  6'11", can protect the rim, pretty athletic, just 22 years old and averaging 12.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks.  Makes just $1.9 million.  
 

Devizier

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bowiac said:
 
The whole comparison started off about how poorly his 3 point shooting compared with Tony Allen's. Gerald Wallace has been an ever better 3 point shooter. My point was that he had a strong shot to develop into someone as strong as Tony Allen. I'm not saying he's gotta become Ray Allen. I'm saying he's gotta become Tony Allen (i.e. someone who shoots a 3 on occasion).
 
But given where the league is headed these days, it's incredibly damaging to have a wing with no three point range at all. 
 
Hmm.. not sure I agree. Over the last five seasons (including the current one), Tony Allen has attempted threes on roughly 5% of his shot attempts. And those are his apex years.
 

bowiac

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That's more than double MKG's rate, and MKG has only made 2 in his career.
 

The X Man Cometh

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Ugh. Giannis is so sick. Handles the ball. Passing, shot-blocking, rebounding.
 
Green, Crawford, BOS 1st for Giannis, Caron Butler, Nate Wolters?

EDIT: 2014 Boston 1st. Which is a lottery pick post-trade.