Trade Deadline News (Celtics get Tillman, Jaden Springer)

[Vermont Green]

Kornet only played 2 min and Brissett 2 min vs. MIA last game.  That would be 4 minutes for Tillman if he takes these minutes.

We are very solid through 8, with 6,7,8 being Horford (1,188 min), Hauser (1,119 min), Pritchard (1,091 min).  Then there is a big drop off to Kornet (548 min) and Brissett (371 min) for the 9th and 10th most minutes.  Queta is 11th at 270 min.  He would probably have more if he was in the mix right from the start.

So yes, top 8 is set and then Kornet, Tillman, and Brissett (and maybe Queta) will all be options for a few remaining minutes.

[ozgod]

Kornet only played 2 min and Brissett 2 min vs. MIA last game.  That would be 4 minutes for Tillman if he takes these minutes.

We are very solid through 8, with 6,7,8 being Horford (1,188 min), Hauser (1,119 min), Pritchard (1,091 min).  Then there is a big drop off to Kornet (548 min) and Brissett (371 min) for the 9th and 10th most minutes.  Queta is 11th at 270 min.  He would probably have more if he was in the mix right from the start.

So yes, top 8 is set and then Kornet, Tillman, and Brissett (and maybe Queta) will all be options for a few remaining minutes.

Tillman is currently playing 20+min a game for Memphis, I wonder if he will be happy going down to 4 min a game when he's in his final year of a $1.9m a year contract and trying to a) stay in the league and b) get paid more. I have to believe they thought carefully about the fit and expect to give him more minutes than that.

[jambr380]

Kornet only played 2 min and Brissett 2 min vs. MIA last game.  That would be 4 minutes for Tillman if he takes these minutes.

We are very solid through 8, with 6,7,8 being Horford (1,188 min), Hauser (1,119 min), Pritchard (1,091 min).  Then there is a big drop off to Kornet (548 min) and Brissett (371 min) for the 9th and 10th most minutes.  Queta is 11th at 270 min.  He would probably have more if he was in the mix right from the start.

So yes, top 8 is set and then Kornet, Tillman, and Brissett (and maybe Queta) will all be options for a few remaining minutes.

Tillman is currently playing 20+min a game for Memphis, I wonder if he will be happy going down to 4 min a game when he's in his final year of a $1.9m a year contract and trying to a) stay in the league and b) get paid more. I have to believe they thought carefully about the fit and expect to give him more minutes than that.

Stay in the league? I don’t think there’s any doubt Tillman will get another contract. If not with the Cs, with another team for sure.

I can’t imagine the plan is to play him 4 mpg either. I know Luke hasn’t been a total disaster this year, but Tillman should clearly move ahead of him on the depth chart and be getting Pritchard-like minutes.

[Who]

Kornet only played 2 min and Brissett 2 min vs. MIA last game.  That would be 4 minutes for Tillman if he takes these minutes.

We are very solid through 8, with 6,7,8 being Horford (1,188 min), Hauser (1,119 min), Pritchard (1,091 min).  Then there is a big drop off to Kornet (548 min) and Brissett (371 min) for the 9th and 10th most minutes.  Queta is 11th at 270 min.  He would probably have more if he was in the mix right from the start.

So yes, top 8 is set and then Kornet, Tillman, and Brissett (and maybe Queta) will all be options for a few remaining minutes.

Tillman is currently playing 20+min a game for Memphis, I wonder if he will be happy going down to 4 min a game when he's in his final year of a $1.9m a year contract and trying to a) stay in the league and b) get paid more. I have to believe they thought carefully about the fit and expect to give him more minutes than that.

Stay in the league? I don’t think there’s any doubt Tillman will get another contract. If not with the Cs, with another team for sure.

I can’t imagine the plan is to play him 4 mpg either. I know Luke hasn’t been a total disaster this year, but Tillman should clearly move ahead of him on the depth chart and be getting Pritchard-like minutes.

I expect Tillman to get an MLE contract from someone in the offseason to be the primary backup big man for that team.

[Vermont Green]

Kornet only played 2 min and Brissett 2 min vs. MIA last game.  That would be 4 minutes for Tillman if he takes these minutes.

We are very solid through 8, with 6,7,8 being Horford (1,188 min), Hauser (1,119 min), Pritchard (1,091 min).  Then there is a big drop off to Kornet (548 min) and Brissett (371 min) for the 9th and 10th most minutes.  Queta is 11th at 270 min.  He would probably have more if he was in the mix right from the start.

So yes, top 8 is set and then Kornet, Tillman, and Brissett (and maybe Queta) will all be options for a few remaining minutes.

Tillman is currently playing 20+min a game for Memphis, I wonder if he will be happy going down to 4 min a game when he's in his final year of a $1.9m a year contract and trying to a) stay in the league and b) get paid more. I have to believe they thought carefully about the fit and expect to give him more minutes than that.

Stay in the league? I don’t think there’s any doubt Tillman will get another contract. If not with the Cs, with another team for sure.

I can’t imagine the plan is to play him 4 mpg either. I know Luke hasn’t been a total disaster this year, but Tillman should clearly move ahead of him on the depth chart and be getting Pritchard-like minutes.

The MIA game was just one game for example.  That is why I included the season total minutes also.  Kornet has played about half what Horford, Hauser, Pritchard have played, which is in general more than 2 min/gm.  I think the point is that Tillman is probably not going to play Horford/Hauser/Pritchard minutes.  He is probably going to play more Kornet/Brissett minutes.

Tillman had played 700 total minutes for Memphis.  So more than Kornet on the season.  You expect less minutes for him on the Celtics, but it will be great if he plays well enough to have getting him minutes be an issue.  If "more minutes for Tillman" is something people are talking about, that is a good sign, a good problem to have.

[liam]

I wish The Celtics would put out some info about these two guys. Just some kind of an update...

How can there be no time table for return?

[Celtics2021]

I wish The Celtics would put out some info about these two guys. Just some kind of an update...

They have minor injuries that the Celtics were not concerned with when acquiring them because neither were immediately needed.  I suspect they’ll be good after the break.

[Phantom255x]

I'm becoming a bit worried Tillman might be another Muscala in that they trade for him, and then he practically never plays. Which is a shame because Tillman can absolutely be the 3rd big and a PHYSICAL body to use in the playoffs similar to what G-Will was for us. No disrespect to Kornet but he'd get tossed around by the more tougher bigs (Bam, Giannis-types). Tillman was solid and one of Memphis' better players against the Lakers in the first round last season, it's just their entire frontcourt got decimated right before the playoffs so he was also in a tough spot at times.

[kraidstar]

I'm becoming a bit worried Tillman might be another Muscala in that they trade for him, and then he practically never plays. Which is a shame because Tillman can absolutely be the 3rd big and a PHYSICAL body to use in the playoffs similar to what G-Will was for us. No disrespect to Kornet but he'd get tossed around by the more tougher bigs (Bam, Giannis-types). Tillman was solid and one of Memphis' better players against the Lakers in the first round last season, it's just their entire frontcourt got decimated right before the playoffs so he was also in a tough spot at times.

We had better get Tillman some minutes. He needs to get acclimated here. I sincerely hope Brad and Joe are on the same page on this and we're not wasting picks again.

[Celtics2021]

I'm becoming a bit worried Tillman might be another Muscala in that they trade for him, and then he practically never plays. Which is a shame because Tillman can absolutely be the 3rd big and a PHYSICAL body to use in the playoffs similar to what G-Will was for us. No disrespect to Kornet but he'd get tossed around by the more tougher bigs (Bam, Giannis-types). Tillman was solid and one of Memphis' better players against the Lakers in the first round last season, it's just their entire frontcourt got decimated right before the playoffs so he was also in a tough spot at times.

We had better get Tillman some minutes. He needs to get acclimated here. I sincerely hope Brad and Joe are on the same page on this and we're not wasting picks again.

I think Brad and Joe both have made their feelings known about their appreciation of what Luke Kornet brings to the table.  Meanwhile, the Celtics have had a bunch of off days lately, enabling Tillman to get some practice time with his new team.  I think we’ll see him during the competitive parts of games on the long road trip that starts next week, but he was brought into get no more than 9th-man minutes, so there’s no hurry to integrate him into what’s working.

[dannyboy35]

  I don’t think Tillman leapfrogs Kornet. Despite his defensive issues. Kornet is such an easy two on drop offs, alleys on drives , next to the talent we have . That’s why we see these games with Kornet getting 10 points here and there. I don’t think that’s something Tillman can replicate at 6 ft 7 even though he’s a really strong guy down there.
    But we have been so fortunate this year with injury. I’m glad we have him. There will be sone back to backs with not one if horford / Porzingis out plus another player, even if we have no serious injuries. I think that’s where we will see still man get 15-20 minutes.

[Surferdad]

Tillman highlights from Mavs game:
https://youtu.be/UNkD8XgTB20?si=Wtiyz-zyU6wjDjv3
He made a positive impact on every play including blocks, rebounds, passing. Based on this one game/short minutes, I think he going to be fine and will take at least some Kornet minutes. Joe wants X to be on the floor with vets like Horford as he gets used to the system.

I would lean towards signing Patty Mills over Otto Porter, based on Tillman’s showing last night.

[celticinorlando]

Thought Tillman played very well last night in his first "real" action. He can be someone that passes well, rebound and cleans up messes underneath. I like him and Al together.

[Neurotic Guy]

  I don’t think Tillman leapfrogs Kornet. Despite his defensive issues. Kornet is such an easy two on drop offs, alleys on drives , next to the talent we have . That’s why we see these games with Kornet getting 10 points here and there. I don’t think that’s something Tillman can replicate at 6 ft 7 even though he’s a really strong guy down there.
    But we have been so fortunate this year with injury. I’m glad we have him. There will be sone back to backs with not one if horford / Porzingis out plus another player, even if we have no serious injuries. I think that’s where we will see still man get 15-20 minutes.

For fun I’d like to see a game with KP and Al resting and Luke and Tillman getting play with 3 of the other starters - in any combination. Of course no shooting threat there - though I’m curious to see Luke unleashed as the guy has a reasonable stroke and shoots well from the FT line.


Edit: was interesting to see that Luke’s first two seasons (2017-19) he shot 4+ threes per game at about 35%.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Thought Tillman played very well last night in his first "real" action. He can be someone that passes well, rebound and cleans up messes underneath. I like him and Al together.

100% agree. His fit is seemless with Al, Zinger, or even Kornet. He's pretty clearly a smart guy that knows where he is suppose to be on both sides of the court. I was struck how strong he was last night too. A few times opposing players kinda' bounced off of him.