I Want Kyle O'Quinn in Green

[PhoSita]

DWC -- I like where your thought process is at with this idea.  Trying to find underappreciated players on the right side of 25 who could flourish given the chance at a larger role, much as Crowder has flourished.

I disagree that Kyle O'Quinn is that kind of guy, because I think he's been given opportunities at a larger role that Crowder didn't get before he came to the Celts, but I approve of the basic premise.

Thanks for seeing where I am coming from. I like O'Quinn and have for a few years.

Do you have any players like this that you are keeping an eye on?

I'd love to see what Terrence Jones could do on a different team, with a larger role, over the course of a full (healthy) season.

Harrison Barnes is an obvious example that's been talked about plenty.

I'm curious how Dennis Schroder would look in a full time gig.

Gorgui Dieng is another name -- how might he look playing 30+ min consistently for a well-coached team with decent spacing and quality point guard play?

I feel like there's a level Michael Kidd-Gilchrist hasn't hit yet, a level that he might only be able to reach (assuming he can stay healthy), on a team with better spacing that likes to play small and allows him to switch a lot defensively and crash the glass.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

DWC -- I like where your thought process is at with this idea.  Trying to find underappreciated players on the right side of 25 who could flourish given the chance at a larger role, much as Crowder has flourished.

I disagree that Kyle O'Quinn is that kind of guy, because I think he's been given opportunities at a larger role that Crowder didn't get before he came to the Celts, but I approve of the basic premise.

Thanks for seeing where I am coming from. I like O'Quinn and have for a few years.

Do you have any players like this that you are keeping an eye on?

I'd love to see what Terrence Jones could do on a different team, with a larger role, over the course of a full (healthy) season.

Harrison Barnes is an obvious example that's been talked about plenty.

I'm curious how Dennis Schroder would look in a full time gig.

Gorgui Dieng is another name -- how might he look playing 30+ min consistently for a well-coached team with decent spacing and quality point guard play?

I feel like there's a level Michael Kidd-Gilchrist hasn't hit yet, a level that he might only be able to reach (assuming he can stay healthy), on a team with better spacing that likes to play small and allows him to switch a lot defensively and crash the glass.

Those are all names I've looked at too. Each of those would require at least one first rounder to get, so I was trying to look even further under the radar.

Any relatively unknown guys that could be gotten for really cheap?

[CroCorvus]

O'Quinn is a really (really) poor man's Demarcus Cousins.

If he could stay out of foul trouble, he is a rich man's Sullinger.

6'10'' and a solid 250 pounds. Almost a 7'5'' wingspan.

He averages 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists per 40 minutes.

He is a good shooter. From 15-19 ft, he averages 44%. Last year, he showed even more range, shooting 44% from 20-24ft. I think he could be a three point shooter with more work. He averages 21% for his career.

He has a variety of post moves, drop steps, and runners to score around the bucket.

His defense at the rim this year is a respectable 50%, and was 49% last year. He is a decent rim protector. But he also gets steals and blocks at a good rate for his playing time.

Again, the biggest problem with his development has been foul trouble. He averages 7.5 fouls per 48 minutes. This is still better than players like Nene, Dedmon, Ajinca, Zeller, and Payne, but it is a problem.

He is 25 years old and is on a 4 year, approximately 4 million dollars a year contract.

He seems to be to be a prime example of a Paul Milsap, Demarre Carroll, Jae Crowder-type player who could take a huge leap with improvements (for him, improvements in fouling).

O'Quinn is a gritty competitor too. He would fit right in with Smart and Crowder as a tough-nosed, unselfish, skilled player.

I would love to see O'Quinn in a Celtics uniform. I wonder if the Knicks would consider Turner plus the Sixers 2nd round pick for O'Quinn. In fact, I'd probably be willing to offer the Dallas Pick for him.

Edit: His per 40 stats are stats I've been watching for a few years, including his time in Orlando. He has put up these per 40 stats consistently over that time period.

If he could play 60 minutes he could't average those numbers.