Besides Tatum, who will be the Celtics best rookie?(Poll)

[nickagneta]

So who do you think and why? I honestly am not sure. Convince me of someone.

[CelticsElite]

Semi best 3pt shooter - shot 43% from 3 in Las Vegas summer league
Will be challenged by theis who was himself a 40% 3pt shooter, and maybe bird if he gets the call up from d league

Zizic - best rebounder. He had something like 32 rebounds in the last 60 minutes played  in summer league.

[BitterJim]

Zizic, but mostly because I think he has the easiest path to earning minutes.  Nader/Ojeleye/Yabu have way more people ahead of them on the depth chart, and I don;t expect much (if anything) out of Theis

[saltlover]

Zizic, but mostly because I think he has the easiest path to earning minutes.  Nader/Ojeleye/Yabu have way more people ahead of them on the depth chart, and I don;t expect much (if anything) out of Theis

Yeah, and even with that, I think his impact will be limited.  Last year there was a huge gap in minutes between Jerebko (10th most minutes at 1,232) and Green (11th with 538 minutes).  It seems highly likely that the non-Tatum rookies will be 11th through 15th in minutes, and get mostly garbage time and situational minutes when there are injuries, and a lot of DNPs.

I think the bigger question is who gets sent to Maine most nights.  I think Yabusele and Nader, myself.

[Tr1boy]

So who do you think and why? I honestly am not sure. Convince me of someone.

The dancing bear

unique combination of strength and perimeter skills....  reading his reading 3 pt shooting has improved .   

But honestly when was the last time anyone has seen a guy with Yabus heft + mobility before ?? Maybe Danny Forston.... but he was a classic undersized PF 

I predict Yabu  =  what  we all hoped Sullinger would become after a few season in the league

[Tr1boy]

Semi best 3pt shooter - shot 43% from 3 in Las Vegas summer league
Will be challenged by theis who was himself a 40% 3pt shooter, and maybe bird if he gets the call up from d league

Zizic - best rebounder. He had something like 32 rebounds in the last 60 minutes played  in summer league.

how many min are both of these guys going to play for next season though?

Semi is buried in the charts and Zizic has Horford, Baynes in front of him. Plus we will see Morris play some 5 when CBS elects to go small.    I think Theis is being overlooked. The guy is more mobile, explosive than Zizic.  Better shooter.  Better ability to spread the floor

[JHTruth]

Semi best 3pt shooter - shot 43% from 3 in Las Vegas summer league
Will be challenged by theis who was himself a 40% 3pt shooter, and maybe bird if he gets the call up from d league

Zizic - best rebounder. He had something like 32 rebounds in the last 60 minutes played  in summer league.

how many min are both of these guys going to play for next season though?

Semi is buried in the charts and Zizic has Horford, Baynes in front of him. Plus we will see Morris play some 5 when CBS elects to go small.    I think Theis is being overlooked. The guy is more mobile, explosive than Zizic.  Better shooter.  Better ability to spread the floor

I think Zizic will be starting by year end if his improvement and production continue along the same trajectory as they did in Euroleague. Baynes is solid but nothing spectacular and Zizic produced at frankly elite levels for his age and experience in EL. Theis was brought in as insurance, Ante was a first-rounder.

Zizic is not a typical rookie, he's been playing as a pro against grown men for a year now. He will be much farther along than a Tatum..

[Celtics4ever]

I think Zizic will be starting by year end if his improvement and production continue along the same trajectory as they did in Euroleague. Baynes is solid but nothing spectacular and Zizic produced at frankly elite levels for his age and experience in EL. Theis was brought in as insurance, Ante was a first-rounder.

It is where our guys sometimes go when they are washed up.   Recall this guy?

 Shelden Williams, 6’9”, PF/C, 1983, Team: Chalon (France), College: Duke

After struggling initially to find his spots in his first season of European competition, Williams has proven to be a very efficient player who can be a big time producer, averaging 15.5 points and 9.8 rebounds. He may never live down being selected over Rudy Gay, but his basketball IQ on both ends of the floor make him a very effective player.

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/11/06/mitnick-top-50-american-players-in-euroleague/

Then we have this case

McAdoo was a luxury veteran who landed in Europe at 35 years of age after a great NBA career. When he joined Olimpia Milan in 1986, he had two NBA titles, an MVP and five All-Star appearances under his belt, plus the Rookie of the Year award from 1973. He scored 18,787 points (22.1 ppg.) and pulled in 8,048 rebounds (9.4 rpg.) over 14 NBA seasons with seven clubs. In the 1987 EuroLeague final in Lausanne against Maccabi, McAdoo contributed 21 points and 9 rebounds to win the title. He averaged 26.1 points and 10.2 boards for the season. A year later, he led Milan to another final against Maccabi and scored 25 points in the championship game for another title. He's one of the few players that have won both the EuroLeague and NBA titles. McAdoo played until he was 42 years old.

http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/7qqdoaklfvvyfe7u/vladimir-stankovic-s-list-top-10-usa-players-in-europe

These guys were out of the NBA and went overseas and played well.   This may not translate the opposite way.   I hope it does but I am skeptical.

As for producing at an elite level.  6.7 RPG is not elite, it shows some promise and I think he will improve and he is young.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/euro/players/ante-zizic-1.html

Zizic is not a typical rookie, he's been playing as a pro against grown men for a year now. He will be much farther along than a Tatum..

I will take that bet any day of the week, that Tatum will be better.  Zizic showed a lot of improvement during the games.   

For playing against men, he was not a top rebounder playing against guys just out of college.   Our boys won the Olympics for years against those men.   

http://www.nba.com/summerleague/2017/stats

This ought to show the fallacy of your logic.   Matt Costelle, ever heard of him?   He led Vegas Summer league with 12 RPG to Zivic's  8.5 rpg.   8.5 is good but not even elite against a bunch of guys who won't make it to the league.

I like Ante, but leave the hyperbole home,  he shows promise, but has a ways to go.

[JHTruth]

I think Zizic will be starting by year end if his improvement and production continue along the same trajectory as they did in Euroleague. Baynes is solid but nothing spectacular and Zizic produced at frankly elite levels for his age and experience in EL. Theis was brought in as insurance, Ante was a first-rounder.

It is where our guys sometimes go when they are washed up.   Recall this guy?

 Shelden Williams, 6’9”, PF/C, 1983, Team: Chalon (France), College: Duke

After struggling initially to find his spots in his first season of European competition, Williams has proven to be a very efficient player who can be a big time producer, averaging 15.5 points and 9.8 rebounds. He may never live down being selected over Rudy Gay, but his basketball IQ on both ends of the floor make him a very effective player.

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/11/06/mitnick-top-50-american-players-in-euroleague/

Then we have this case

McAdoo was a luxury veteran who landed in Europe at 35 years of age after a great NBA career. When he joined Olimpia Milan in 1986, he had two NBA titles, an MVP and five All-Star appearances under his belt, plus the Rookie of the Year award from 1973. He scored 18,787 points (22.1 ppg.) and pulled in 8,048 rebounds (9.4 rpg.) over 14 NBA seasons with seven clubs. In the 1987 EuroLeague final in Lausanne against Maccabi, McAdoo contributed 21 points and 9 rebounds to win the title. He averaged 26.1 points and 10.2 boards for the season. A year later, he led Milan to another final against Maccabi and scored 25 points in the championship game for another title. He's one of the few players that have won both the EuroLeague and NBA titles. McAdoo played until he was 42 years old.

http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/7qqdoaklfvvyfe7u/vladimir-stankovic-s-list-top-10-usa-players-in-europe

These guys were out of the NBA and went overseas and played well.   This may not translate the opposite way.   I hope it does but I am skeptical.

As for producing at an elite level.  6.7 RPG is not elite, it shows some promise and I think he will improve and he is young.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/euro/players/ante-zizic-1.html

Zizic is not a typical rookie, he's been playing as a pro against grown men for a year now. He will be much farther along than a Tatum..

I will take that bet any day of the week, that Tatum will be better.  Zizic showed a lot of improvement during the games.   

For playing against men, he was not a top rebounder playing against guys just out of college.   Our boys won the Olympics for years against those men.   

http://www.nba.com/summerleague/2017/stats

This ought to show the fallacy of your logic.   Matt Costelle, ever heard of him?   He led Vegas Summer league with 12 RPG to Zivic's  8.5 rpg.   8.5 is good but not even elite against a bunch of guys who won't make it to the league.

I like Ante, but leave the hyperbole home,  he shows promise, but has a ways to go.

Sure. I doubt Tatum gets a ton of minutes this year. He's arguably playing behind our two best players in Haywood and Horford and season vets like Jae and Morris. I doubt he sees much of the floor frankly..

[CelticsElite]

Perk

[moiso]

So who do you think and why? I honestly am not sure. Convince me of someone.

The dancing bear

unique combination of strength and perimeter skills....  reading his reading 3 pt shooting has improved .   

But honestly when was the last time anyone has seen a guy with Yabus heft + mobility before ?? Maybe Danny Forston.... but he was a classic undersized PF 

I predict Yabu  =  what  we all hoped Sullinger would become after a few season in the league

Fortson was an athletic stiff- no mobility or leaping ability.  How about Karl Malone? 

[tstorey_97]

My guess is Semi does time in Maine. He's a new guy.
Zizic needs time in the NBA. He;s rough around the edges...in a good way.

Nader seems readyish but there are few if any minutes at his spot...unless Stevens puts him at the 2. Don't see Nader in Maine again...that card has been played.

Yabusele had his "professional" season last year...SL--China--Maine. At 260, he can play the four and has a nice couple of shots. Honestly, more offensive than defensive, but pushing him outta the way will take some effort...won't it?

I say Yabusele gets a couple of extra minutes and a couple of extra points and runner up for C's ROY.

[KG Living Legend]

 Semi best chance to help this year, but an injury ot two would help his cause to show himself.

 Zizic good spot minutes when the matchup dictates it.

 Yabu has a chance to be the Oh my God where have you been my life Power forward for the Celtics. Need a took of work defensively, interestingly enough Semi, looks very good where Yabu looks bad and that's moving on his feet on switches or just guarding his man.

 I'd say the 35 pound weight advantage for Yabu hurts him on the Switches for sure. Kudos to Ainge for getting Semi. Semi can cover for Yabu there, and Yabu should be explosive and hard to guard going to the paint.

 I don't know if it's going to be with the Celtics but I want to emphasize that Yabu has 20 points per game potential in the NBA. There is a small chance he could go straight beast mode and Danny would be the ultimate genius.

Horford, Yabu, Tatum, Hayward, Thomas

 

[dreamgreen]

Zizic, but mostly because I think he has the easiest path to earning minutes.  Nader/Ojeleye/Yabu have way more people ahead of them on the depth chart, and I don;t expect much (if anything) out of Theis

I agree with this first part I have no idea about Theis so I can't comment on him.

[mmmmm]

I think Zizic has the easiest path to minutes on this roster, given that only he and Baynes are 'true 5s'.

That said, I think that Ojeleye and Theis are the type of players that Brad Stevens will have a very difficult time NOT putting on the floor.  These two guys both check off all the check boxes for Stevens-binkies.  They are very tough & physical.  They can defend a range of positions.  They can hit the 3.  They both tend to scrap and fight for every last bit out of every play.  These two are dive-on-the-floor-to-save-possession players.

The fact that Semi (22) and Theis (25) are both older and more reliable in what they will deliver when put on the floor than the typical rookies also will tend to make them the coach's preferred late bench tools.