Can Williams improve fast enough

[ederson]

Williams is a good blocker with pretty bad defense and no shot at all. I just don't see him as a prospect on our roster. I see him overseas pretty fast.

I feel like you could have said that about both Clint Capela and Montrezl Harell at some point in their careers too.  Now they're both pretty valuable role players.

I doubt any coach changed his style to make them fit though. They adjusted , improved and made their coaches give them play time.

Here is the opposite. The team should change style so the 27th pick can play! Nobody had the patience to handle GH's struggles to reach his previous All star self but yeah lets invest time to a late first rounder

[gouki88]

Williams is a good blocker with pretty bad defense and no shot at all. I just don't see him as a prospect on our roster. I see him overseas pretty fast.

I feel like you could have said that about both Clint Capela and Montrezl Harell at some point in their careers too.  Now they're both pretty valuable role players.

I doubt any coach changed his style to make them fit though. They adjusted , improved and made their coaches give them play time.

Here is the opposite. The team should change style so the 27th pick can play! Nobody had the patience to handle GH's struggles to reach his previous All star self but yeah lets invest time to a late first rounder

I agree that it's a bit of a silly notion, but I don't think having Williams take Theis' minutes after the All-Star Break would have changed our play-style at all with the way Theis shot the ball during that stretch.

[ederson]

That sounds much more reasonable than what has been suggested here.

The thing is that RW has been superhyped since summer without any reason. People somehow have convinced themselves that he is a lock to be a starting center for a contending team.

[gouki88]

That sounds much more reasonable than what has been suggested here.

The thing is that RW has been superhyped since summer without any reason. People somehow have convinced themselves that he is a lock to be a starting center for a contending team.

So you're saying he's not Bill Russell?

I agree that he's been overhyped for sure. I think part of it is fans have been clamouring for an athletic defensive-minded big man (who doesn't suck) for ages, and Williams represents that dream.

I think he can definitely turn into a serviceable player. Sort of along the lines of a bigger and more efficient Tyrus Thomas. Whether that's here or elsewhere is a different question, but I think there's still room for him

[LarBrd33]

Well, I tried searching for centers in the last twenty years or so who had a rookie season similar to Timelord (low minutes, high FG%, decent rebounding rate).

Names that came up -- Deandre Jordan, Jordan Bell, Jeff Ayres, Ante Zizic. 

I suppose that bodes well but sort of unclear about how quickly we can expect him to become a regular part of the rotation.

players 21 and under who have averaged at least 1 block per game while shooting at least 60% from the field:   Andre Drummond, Dwight HOward, Andris Biedrins, Mitchell Robinson, Andrew Bynum, Bismack Biyombo, DeAndre Jordan, Robert Williams

[iadera]

Williams is a good blocker with pretty bad defense and no shot at all. I just don't see him as a prospect on our roster. I see him overseas pretty fast.

I feel like you could have said that about both Clint Capela and Montrezl Harell at some point in their careers too.  Now they're both pretty valuable role players.

I don't say he won't, but just don't see anything but blocking. He should be way more agressive defending the rim, faster in switching, screening and so. He just doesn't move well. Harrel and Capela never had a problem with that. Maybe I'm wrong...

[Celtics4ever]

He should be way more agressive defending the rim,

I think the opposite is true, because he loves to block shots it often drives him out of position.

faster in switching, screening and so

See above, he is not unathletic, some of it is mental and a lot of it he is well versed in basketball and is a guy who coasted on his athletic prowess up to now.

The thing is that RW has been superhyped since summer without any reason.

Guys who can block AD's shot don't just grow on trees....

This guy is a work in progress.   He is not garbage because his athletic potential  is so high, if he learns some skills, look out.  He is not there, right now but he still has a ton of potential because he has a lot of room to grow in terms of strength, skill development, etc.

[ederson]

The thing is that RW has been superhyped since summer without any reason.

Guys who can block AD's shot don't just grow on trees....

This guy is a work in progress.   He is not garbage because his athletic potential  is so high, if he learns some skills, look out.  He is not there, right now but he still has a ton of potential because he has a lot of room to grow in terms of strength, skill development, etc.

Could you please show me where exactly i dismissed RW as a basketball player?

What i am dismissing is the idea that the team should develop him like he is the best prospect ever. 

[Celtics4ever]

I quoted iadera not just you.

What i am dismissing is the idea that the team should develop him like he is the best prospect ever. 

I agree with that.

[nickagneta]

He should be way more agressive defending the rim,

I think the opposite is true, because he loves to block shots it often drives him out of position.

faster in switching, screening and so

See above, he is not unathletic, some of it is mental and a lot of it he is well versed in basketball and is a guy who coasted on his athletic prowess up to now.

The thing is that RW has been superhyped since summer without any reason.

Guys who can block AD's shot don't just grow on trees....

This guy is a work in progress.   He is not garbage because his athletic potential  is so high, if he learns some skills, look out.  He is not there, right now but he still has a ton of potential because he has a lot of room to grow in terms of strength, skill development, etc.

Excellent post. TP. Agree 100%

[Spicoli]

Williams is a good blocker with pretty bad defense and no shot at all. I just don't see him as a prospect on our roster. I see him overseas pretty fast.

Bad defense how? Most bigs are too slow to defend guards on switches so i can't blame him there. Will he miss some rotations? Sure, everybody in the league does. Will he bite on too many pump fakes? Sure, but he makes up for that in rim intimidation. I fail to see the logic behind the idea that Williams is a bad defender.

People said the same thing about Brooke Lopez, but he was a main cog in one of the best defenses in the NBA this season. It wasn't because of his ability to stop ball handlers in the pick and roll. It was because of his ability to protect the rim.

I hope Baynes moves on so Williams can get the start and lead the league in blocked shots.

[Jiri Welsch]

Williams is a good blocker with pretty bad defense and no shot at all. I just don't see him as a prospect on our roster. I see him overseas pretty fast.

Bad defense how? Most bigs are too slow to defend guards on switches so i can't blame him there. Will he miss some rotations? Sure, everybody in the league does. Will he bite on too many pump fakes? Sure, but he makes up for that in rim intimidation. I fail to see the logic behind the idea that Williams is a bad defender.

People said the same thing about Brooke Lopez, but he was a main cog in one of the best defenses in the NBA this season. It wasn't because of his ability to stop ball handlers in the pick and roll. It was because of his ability to protect the rim.

I hope Baynes moves on so Williams can get the start and lead the league in blocked shots.

Williams was bad with help defense and also bad with pick and roll defense. I bet he’d be the first to admit these things.

[Spicoli]

Williams is a good blocker with pretty bad defense and no shot at all. I just don't see him as a prospect on our roster. I see him overseas pretty fast.

Bad defense how? Most bigs are too slow to defend guards on switches so i can't blame him there. Will he miss some rotations? Sure, everybody in the league does. Will he bite on too many pump fakes? Sure, but he makes up for that in rim intimidation. I fail to see the logic behind the idea that Williams is a bad defender.

People said the same thing about Brooke Lopez, but he was a main cog in one of the best defenses in the NBA this season. It wasn't because of his ability to stop ball handlers in the pick and roll. It was because of his ability to protect the rim.

I hope Baynes moves on so Williams can get the start and lead the league in blocked shots.

Williams was bad with help defense and also bad with pick and roll defense. I bet he’d be the first to admit these things.

The thing is though, basketball is simple. On offense you score the ball, and on defense you stop the other team from scoring the ball. Williams has the potential to lead the entire NBA in blocked shots, which means he's effectively stopping the other team from scoring. And honestly even when he's not getting blocks, dudes are thinking twice about going up and over him. I already mentioned in another post that in Stevens' defensive scheme, the pick and roll defense is atrocious and routinely gets torched, not to mention the league rules prevent mostly everyone from playing lockdown defense on the perimeter.

[nickagneta]

Blocked shots do not equate to good defense. In Stevens' system a big has to do more than hang around the paint looking for blocks. You have to be able to switch, even off ball, and do it right. You have to channel drivers to the basket in certain directions. You have to be willing to close out hard on three point shooters to affect them. You have to move low post players physically out of their comfort zones. And there is more.

Williams showed he can block shots and play good one on one low post defense. But he was often lost when it came to most other things. Couple that with his only showing he could dunk on offense and looking even more lost on that end. Williams needs to develop a bunch before getting any serious run.

[Spicoli]

Blocked shots do not equate to good defense. In Stevens' system a big has to do more than hang around the paint looking for blocks. You have to be able to switch, even off ball, and do it right. You have to channel drivers to the basket in certain directions. You have to be willing to close out hard on three point shooters to affect them. You have to move low post players physically out of their comfort zones. And there is more.

Williams showed he can block shots and play good one on one low post defense. But he was often lost when it came to most other things. Couple that with his only showing he could dunk on offense and looking even more lost on that end. Williams needs to develop a bunch before getting any serious run.

Is Stevens' defensive system any good though? That's the real question. I personally don't think it is, which is why any team that runs major pick and roll sets will shred this defense to pieces.