CB article: Rakeem Christmas may have what the Celtics are looking for

[Eddie20]

Mickey - rotational player - Versatile defender, shot blocker.

Christmas - rotational player -  offense

Won't get consistent min, but will get mins here and there and more in the 2nd half after getting their feet wet.  Unlike Alexander who is going to be in the Dleague next season, both of these guys have good bbiq and have at least 2 years college experience under their belt

If either of these guys are part of a rotation next year we're in SERIOUS trouble. This means that one of these guys will have taken the Bass minutes, so we downgrade significantly at that position. This also means that we struck out during free agency and will instead go with a big man rotation of Sullinger, Olynyk, Zeller, and Christmas/Mickey (2nd round talent).

Sully, KO, Zeller, Christmas for example.  Try to sign Jerebko also. Good feeling we have a legit chance at signing Aldridge also

you start somewhere. What you can't have is Sully, KO, Zeller and Bass again.  Need to add an above the rim presence, size, length

But that's exactly what I mean. This would mean that Christmas, as per your example, would be the 6th big and in Maine all year long.

[LooseCannon]

Christmas seems to have superficial similarities to Gorgui Dieng when it comes to age, height, and length.  How does Christmas look compared to how Dieng looked going into the 2013 draft where he was taken 21st overall?

[hwangjini_1]

I dont think Christmas will be available at 33.  Maybe not even 28. Would you trade up a little to grab him?  If Christmas did what he did last season as a 2nd year college player, how high would he project to be drafted?

http://www.celticsblog.com/2015/6/9/8747231/rakeem-christmas-nba-draft-2015-syracuse-celtics

"He's probably the best center in the country. That's all I can say. Based on the numbers, what he's been doing, they're tremendous. They're doubling him every time. They're fouling him on every play and he just keeps playing unbelievably. It's the biggest improvement that I've seen in a player in either our program or any other program since I've been here." -Jim Boeheim

"Christmas is just outstanding. He's one of the top 10 players in America. He's having a fabulous, fabulous year offensively and defensively."- Mike Krzyzewski

and of course jim boeheim knows what he is talking about. and as proof, here he is talking about our very own fab melo:

Coach Jim Boeheim recently raved about him (fab melo), saying he has possible "National Rookie of the Year potential"... I think in his freshman year we'll see him play a similar role as to what Hasheem Thabeet played a UConn, a defensive, shotblocking presence who once in a while will surprise you on the offensive end ...

and... "I think he's a very good kid, and I think he has worked very hard."

and... "He's a decent shooter..."

and...(on melo and waiters) "We are a better team because these two guys have improved tremendously."

and in the interest of equal time, here is an interesting article that takes SU and boeheim to task on how Boeheim's zone hides a number of player's flaws. (and i dont blame boehim for this since his job is to win college games, not produce nba players. but it means many SU players have trouble in the nba where their flaws are exposed.)

"The guys Syracuse tends to get usually come with a few more flaws. The reason that Boeheim has been so successful is that he recruits guys whose flaws will be minimized by the system he runs. He recruits guys who don't fit positional archetypes - guards stuck between the 1 and 2, forwards stuck between the 3 and 4, big men stuck between the 4 and 5. The pitch is simple. Come play at Syracuse for a few seasons, rack up a whole bunch of statistics, win a whole bunch of games and then get drafted into the NBA.... Boeheim and his players have been systematically defrauding NBA teams that can't see the difference between a player's statistical averages and his skill-set. Does Dion Waiters get drafted at No. 4 overall if he's forced to play man defense in college? More importantly, if Waiters is forced to play man defense for 40 minutes, is his team one of the top teams in the country? "

http://patternofbasketball.blogspot.com/2015/03/jim-boeheim.html

i am not convinced christmas is what the celtics are looking for. even if taken in the first round, i dont expect him to be more than a bench/rotation player in the nba. i wish him luck though since i too attended SU, though i didnt play bball. 

[bballdog384]

His upside is the next Ibaka - with better post moves and not quite as much range. Definitely worth the risk late in the first round.

He was the second rated Center on ESPN coming out of high school, just took a few years to develop.

Nonsense.

Ibaka is only 2 years older and has how many years of experience?

Upside is called upside for a reason. Players break out at different ages.

Based on his last year at Cuse, he has the potential to be rim protector who also has a decent offensive game. At #28 or #33, you can't go wrong with a gamble like Christmas.

[JohnBoy65]

Didn't read all the way though this thread, but let me share some information. I just graduated from school in Syracuse, NY. Went to about 10 SU home games. I got to watch Rak play up close and personal.

I think he's a bit overrated, and I think he is not what the Celtics need. Another undersized PF that really doesn't have a jumpshot? What's that going to accomplish? How's he going to fair guarding Anthony Davis, Chris Bosh, or Kevin Love? I don't think very good. Sure his offensive numbers were good, but that's because they tried to go to him every possession. If he's available at 45, maybe I take him, otherwise I stay away.