Did we make the wrong choice between Robert Williams and Mitchell Robinson?

[RodyTur10]

Going back to the draft from last year. We didn't get the Lakers pick as it fell within his protected interval, so we only had our own #27 Boston pick. Which was rather a downgrade in comparison to other years. With a very deep guard and wing rotation, we needed a center/big to develop behind Horford and Baynes, who both were getting older.

After the highly regarded bigs that were drafted at the top of the draft (Ayton, Bagley, Jackson, Bamba, Carter) it was remarkable how every team chose a guard or a wing. Many NBA fans were envious how the Celtics got so lucky again to be able to get their guy with just the #27 pick.

Perhaps just as interesting we could even choose between two prototype superathletic rim-protecting centers with huge wingspans, Robert Williams and Mitchell Robinson. Where Williams was formerly mocked as a potential lottery pick, Robinson was more an unknown, since he didn't go to college.

At the time I was fine with either one, they looked so similar. I don't know what was the deciding factor that the Celtics drafted Williams at #27 and the Knicks got Robinson at #36, but right now it kind of looks like we made the wrong choice. 

This is not a topic/poll to just criticize the pick of Williams, since I thought it was really a toss-up between him and Robinson. I'm just curious how much faith everybody (still) has in Robert Williams and whether we should take the impressive defensive numbers of Robinson seriously or that it's just a result of getting more opportunities in comparison to Williams? And did we in hindsight pick the wrong player or is it too early to make any conclusions?

Please vote and give your opinion below.

[Birdman]

I wanted Robinson badly..think he could be a Tyson Chandler type player

[saltlover]

I think Robinson would have looked similar on the Celtics as Williams does, and vice versa.  The Knicks were going nowhere last year, and so Robinson got his minutes, allowing him to produce highlights, but at the same time no one would pay attention to all the things he does wrong, as would happen on a contending team.  Williams could produce the same on the Knicks.

The Knicks then went and got multiple guys in free agency who can play center in Randle and Portis (yes those two can also play PF, but they also got Taj Gibson and are after Marcus Morris, so Randle and Portis will see a lot of time at center).  This indicates that they aren’t ready to give Robinson the keys yet, and may never be.  While no one may have cared about Robinson’s shortcomings last year, it doesn’t mean the Knicks aren’t aware of them.

[philr13]

Robinson got a lot of minutes on the worst team in the league last season.
Williams got very few minutes on a playoff team with a deep bench.
I don't see how anyone can make a legitimate comparison at this point.
Of course, Robert Williams bashing is all the rage this week.

[jambr380]

Way too early to make any conclusions. The Knicks essentially relegated Kanter to the bench in favor of Robinson, which - regardless of how you feel about Kanter - says a lot more about the direction the Knicks were aiming than it does about Kanter (who proved his worth with Portland).

I agree with SL that if you switch the two players, we might be talking about Williams making All-Rookie 2nd Team and Robinson as a low-motor, low IQ project. Only time will solve this argument, but I am certainly not unhappy with Williams. I would rather he get as much structure up front so he can build better habits than be allowed to just 'play his game'.

[Diggles]

Minutes mean a lot.  Experience means a lot....   

[gpap]

Time will tell.

[gpap]

Robinson got a lot of minutes on the worst team in the league last season.
Williams got very few minutes on a playoff team with a deep bench.
I don't see how anyone can make a legitimate comparison at this point.
Of course, Robert Williams bashing is all the rage this week.

It is?

I haven't seen one person bash him on this site. All I've read is some suggesting he should be the starting center (which is kinda crazy, but to each his own)

[Geo123]

Robinson got a lot of minutes on the worst team in the league last season.
Williams got very few minutes on a playoff team with a deep bench.
I don't see how anyone can make a legitimate comparison at this point.
Of course, Robert Williams bashing is all the rage this week.

+1

[footey]

I think Robinson would have looked similar on the Celtics as Williams does, and vice versa.  The Knicks were going nowhere last year, and so Robinson got his minutes, allowing him to produce highlights, but at the same time no one would pay attention to all the things he does wrong, as would happen on a contending team.  Williams could produce the same on the Knicks.

The Knicks then went and got multiple guys in free agency who can play center in Randle and Portis (yes those two can also play PF, but they also got Taj Gibson and are after Marcus Morris, so Randle and Portis will see a lot of time at center).  This indicates that they aren’t ready to give Robinson the keys yet, and may never be.  While no one may have cared about Robinson’s shortcomings last year, it doesn’t mean the Knicks aren’t aware of them.

I agree with Saltlover, although Robinson did have a more developed offensive game coming into the draft.  He dropped because he didn't play in college, and the circumstances seemed flakey.  Williams was two time defensive player of the year in SEC, so had that body of work to review.

I was an early proponent for drafting Robinson, as I had watched him play in HS all star games, and was so impressed with his energy and physical talent.  But I don't regret the Williams pick, and think that he just needs more time to develop. I actually think he will be getting some decent back up minutes this season.

[nickagneta]

This is definitely a case of two similar talents playing in two different situations, as salty stated. One player was on a dumpster fire team trying to actively tank and the other with an extremely deep team trying to contend.

The tanking team just threw an extremely raw and flawed player out there in the hopes of developing him under fire while losing while the contending team forced an extremely raw and flawed played to attempt to earn minutes.

The results were predictable. Robinson put up some counting stats while getting a regular 20 minutes a game while Timelord barely played. It doesn't mean Robinson is a better talent, a better prospect or a better player. He just got more opportunity on a really terrible team.

I think Timelord will at least have an opportunity to get into the rotation this year, something he didn't have last year because he just wasn't ready. It's all up to him, now. The opportunity is there for the taking. If he isn't playing this year it's nobody's fault but his own.

[Moranis]

Yes.  I think Robinson has clearly shown he is the better talent with a higher peak.  Minutes matter of course, but I don't think all of the minutes in the world last year and Williams performs like Robinson did.  Robinson was an absolute monster.  The Knicks had 17 wins, Robinson had 6.1 win shares.  That is incredible for someone that played around 20 mpg in the mid-60's games.   The on/off differential per 100 possessions was +4.6.  Robinson was a net positive every time he was in the game.  I just don't see Williams having that kind of impact at all.

[Tr1boy]

Going back to the draft from last year. We didn't get the Lakers pick as it fell within his protected interval, so we only had our own #27 Boston pick. Which was rather a downgrade in comparison to other years. With a very deep guard and wing rotation, we needed a center/big to develop behind Horford and Baynes, who both were getting older.

After the highly regarded bigs that were drafted at the top of the draft (Ayton, Bagley, Jackson, Bamba, Carter) it was remarkable how every team chose a guard or a wing. Many NBA fans were envious how the Celtics got so lucky again to be able to get their guy with just the #27 pick.

Perhaps just as interesting we could even choose between two prototype superathletic rim-protecting centers with huge wingspans, Robert Williams and Mitchell Robinson. Where Williams was formerly mocked as a potential lottery pick, Robinson was more an unknown, since he didn't go to college.

At the time I was fine with either one, they looked so similar. I don't know what was the deciding factor that the Celtics drafted Williams at #27 and the Knicks got Robinson at #36, but right now it kind of looks like we made the wrong choice. 

This is not a topic/poll to just criticize the pick of Williams, since I thought it was really a toss-up between him and Robinson. I'm just curious how much faith everybody (still) has in Robert Williams and whether we should take the impressive defensive numbers of Robinson seriously or that it's just a result of getting more opportunities in comparison to Williams? And did we in hindsight pick the wrong player or is it too early to make any conclusions?

Please vote and give your opinion below.

If you noticed how Ainge operates via draft

he doesn't take risks

Mitchell was bypassed by many teams due to question marks

but Knicks took the chance and look like lucked out

This said, I'm still a fan of Robert Williams and see a bright future ahead for him

[BMark]

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/20743631/five-star-recruit-mitchell-robinson-leaves-western-kentucky-hilltoppers-focus-nba-draft

I remember hearing last year about the so-called "red flags" around Mitchell Robinson because he was unhappy with WKU etc.  Had Robinson spurned college this year it would not have seemed so concerning given the number of top recruits who have turn pro. This had to have figured into DA's thinking

[NKY fan]

If Danny has made that choice in that potion of the draft it’s quite possible he made the wrong choice