Who's available that we can get at C

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Steph played four games this year. That's not big enough a sample size. And after that, Chris's balled.

Maybe we don't need a project big man, but he's still valuable. Maybe he can be a trade asset.

He's played about league average offense at C while being one of the worst defensive rotation players at C playing backup minutes for the second worst team in the league. He still fouls too much, turns it over too much, and looks clueless too much.

That's not exciting to me. Man Warriors glow up is so very real. Can I interest you in a Patrick McCaw as an asset?

No, thanks. And I appreciate the condescending remark, that really hammers the point home.

All I know is Marquese Chriss played really well for the Warriors, and him being cut has been received all around the league as an unfortunate circumstance, and not because he hasn't performed well. He's only 22, so he still has room to grow.

And now he's a free agent. Available to be had without giving up an asset.

I thought maybe he'd be a great pickup for us, whether to keep, or ti be included as a promising player in a trade for an established one.

[Fafnir]

Why do you think he's playing well? That's what I don't get. He's putting up around league average offense boxscore numbers in backup minutes at C with some of the worst defense in the league in that position.

You keep saying "he's playing well", how is he playing well? I feel like he's a media hype creation more than a truly intriguing prospect.

[Fafnir]

Okay reading how GSW fans view him he's somewhere between Robert Williams and Brad Wanamaker.

Also after reading this Zach Lowe article I probably shouldn't be so dismissive of someone figuring it out after washing out of a bad situation:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28422665/ben-mclemore-nba-lottery-pick-lost-way-road-back

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Why do you think he's playing well? That's what I don't get. He's putting up around league average offense boxscore numbers in backup minutes at C with some of the worst defense in the league in that position.

You keep saying "he's playing well", how is he playing well? I feel like he's a media hype creation more than a truly intriguing prospect.

Except it's not just me who thinks he's playing well. The reaction around the league seems to be in agreement, that the Warriors are losing a decent piece. It's not just the box scores, but it's the untapped potential that is all of a sudden starting to pan out with this Golden State team. He's shown flashes of the potential that got him drafted in the top 10. He's slowly shaving the bust label, and at 22, he still has plenty of room to keep growing, especially if he goes to a well run organization.

Here's Anthony Slater from the Athletic:

Chriss played well enough to believe the Warriors intended to keep him around. Draymond Green was the loudest voice initially pushing for him to make the roster. Russell, another notable figure, became close friends with Chriss. Steve Kerr said Chriss had a “bright future” in the league and was “the type” of prospect they needed to identify and develop to relayer the roster with young, controllable pieces.

The Warriors are the second worse team in the league right now, but not because it's terribly run, but because of bad luck with injuries. Once their core stars come back, make no mistake, this team will contend. And the fact that they really wanted to keep him moving forward is a testament to Chriss' development as a player, and they see him as a piece that can help them do that. Sadly, they just had to let him go because he's the only non guaranteed contract on the team, and no one apparently wants Jacob Evans and Willie Cauley-Stein.

Here's Anthony Slater again from The Athletic:

Even in the days leading up to contract guarantee deadline — 2 p.m. (PST) Tuesday — it seemed more likely that the Warriors would move off one of their veterans (maybe finding a trade partner for Alec Burks or Willie Cauley-Stein, an older center who Chriss had outplayed for stretches of the early season) to find room for Lee.

This wasn’t a popular choice within different pockets of the organization. Chriss was well-liked throughout the locker room. Coaches felt he worked hard, had made strides and, if cut, they’d be erasing the benefit of all the developmental work that had been done. And it’s not like the front office was pumped to pull the trigger. In a non-hard capped world, they’d be moving forward with both Lee and Chriss on the roster.

Here's the link to the piece.
https://theathletic.com/1514917/2020/01/07/why-did-the-warriors-cut-22-year-old-marquese-chriss-in-a-rebuilding-season/

I just thought, if he's good enough for a team like Golden State, then he's good to land on any team. He's available now, so why not us?

[footey]

Steph played four games this year. That's not big enough a sample size. And after that, Chris's balled.

Maybe we don't need a project big man, but he's still valuable. Maybe he can be a trade asset.

He's played about league average offense at C while being one of the worst defensive rotation players at C playing backup minutes for the second worst team in the league. He still fouls too much, turns it over too much, and looks clueless too much.

That's not exciting to me. Man Warriors glow up is so very real. Can I interest you in a Patrick McCaw as an asset?

No, thanks. And I appreciate the condescending remark, that really hammers the point home.

All I know is Marquese Chriss played really well for the Warriors, and him being cut has been received all around the league as an unfortunate circumstance, and not because he hasn't performed well. He's only 22, so he still has room to grow.

And now he's a free agent. Available to be had without giving up an asset.

I thought maybe he'd be a great pickup for us, whether to keep, or ti be included as a promising player in a trade for an established one.

I made this same point in an earlier thread and got equally hammered by posters. Celtics had serious interest in him in 2016 draft. I’m guessing Danny is doing his due diligence on him right now. If RW3 hip remains an issue Chriss makes a lot of sense. Don’t get the hate.

[Atzar]

I feel like a lot of people have made up their minds that we need a center, so they're just throwing out the name of every warm body who can kind of play the position without considering role or fit.

What does Chriss do for us?  He would be coming here to be a third-string guy at best.  He's not supplanting Theis or Kanter in the rotation.  We already have a project at C in RWilliams.  He's probably better than Poirier, but a minor upgrade on an end-of-bench guy isn't a difference-making move.  We don't need a better fourth-string center.  If we're going for a big at all, we need an upgrade on somebody who actually sees playing time. 

He doesn't make us better now, and we don't need another project big.  Chriss doesn't make sense for us. 

[Yoki_IsTheName]

I feel like a lot of people have made up their minds that we need a center, so they're just throwing out the name of every warm body who can kind of play the position without considering role or fit.

What does Chriss do for us?  He would be coming here to be a third-string guy at best.  He's not supplanting Theis or Kanter in the rotation.  We already have a project at C in RWilliams.  He's probably better than Poirier, but a minor upgrade on an end-of-bench guy isn't a difference-making move.  We don't need a better fourth-string center.  If we're going for a big at all, we need an upgrade on somebody who actually sees playing time. 

He doesn't make us better now, and we don't need another project big.  Chriss doesn't make sense for us.

With injuries to Time Lord and Vincent Poirer, and Tacko not being NBA ready yet, there should be room for Marquese Chriss as a back up big. He could keep developing, and we could use him as a trade asset for a more established player, or keep him for the future. He is just 22 years old.

We probably don't need a project big, doesn't mean we shouldn't pass on the value. There's no NBA ready big available right now for us, so why not take the guy who's flashed some potential and keep developing him?

[wiley]

I feel like a lot of people have made up their minds that we need a center, so they're just throwing out the name of every warm body who can kind of play the position without considering role or fit.

What does Chriss do for us?  He would be coming here to be a third-string guy at best.  He's not supplanting Theis or Kanter in the rotation.  We already have a project at C in RWilliams.  He's probably better than Poirier, but a minor upgrade on an end-of-bench guy isn't a difference-making move.  We don't need a better fourth-string center.  If we're going for a big at all, we need an upgrade on somebody who actually sees playing time. 

He doesn't make us better now, and we don't need another project big.  Chriss doesn't make sense for us.

In my view part of a serious run should include insurance inc case of injury.  Theis is not viewed as a star, but him going down in the ECF two years ago hurt us very badly in that series.  If the Celtics expect Robert Williams to make a full recovery and be available this season, then okay.  Or if they believe Poirier can be that insurance, then okay.  We have a committee of non star centers...but injuries could still really cause major headaches for the C's in the playoffs. 

[Atzar]

I feel like a lot of people have made up their minds that we need a center, so they're just throwing out the name of every warm body who can kind of play the position without considering role or fit.

What does Chriss do for us?  He would be coming here to be a third-string guy at best.  He's not supplanting Theis or Kanter in the rotation.  We already have a project at C in RWilliams.  He's probably better than Poirier, but a minor upgrade on an end-of-bench guy isn't a difference-making move.  We don't need a better fourth-string center.  If we're going for a big at all, we need an upgrade on somebody who actually sees playing time. 

He doesn't make us better now, and we don't need another project big.  Chriss doesn't make sense for us.

With injuries to Time Lord and Vincent Poirer, and Tacko not being NBA ready yet, there should be room for Marquese Chriss as a back up big. He could keep developing, and we could use him as a trade asset for a more established player, or keep him for the future. He is just 22 years old.

We probably don't need a project big, doesn't mean we shouldn't pass on the value. There's no NBA ready big available right now for us, so why not take the guy who's flashed some potential and keep developing him?

Because we don't have a spot for him, either in the rotation or on the roster.  Theis and Kanter are better, and RWilliams will need minutes when he returns.  And no, Chriss wouldn't have trade value.  Anybody who wants him can claim him off of waivers right now. 

The more I look into this kid, the less I understand your interest.  From everything I'm reading, he has improved but he still makes too many boneheaded mistakes.  He's still a liability on defense.  He's still an immature hothead who lets his emotions get the better of him. 

No thanks.  Supposedly RWilliams's test results have been positive, and he's visiting a specialist today to set up a plan to get back on the court.  I'd rather stick with him than cut somebody to make room for a player as marginal as Chriss.  Maybe he has potential and maybe he doesn't, but I'm perfectly content letting him try to realize his potential elsewhere.

[gouki88]

LaMarcus Aldridge has been lighting it up from three this season - he's shooting 45.9% outside the arc this season (albeit on a relatively low 2.2 attempts per game) on the back of a mind-breaking December (53.5% on 3.3 3PA per game!). I know his salary is huge, but if his ~40% 3 point shooting on 2-4 attempts per game is sustainable he'd be a very intriguing option for us if we really need an upgrade at centre. But in the meantime I'm happy with Theis and Kanter

Props to him for developing his shot further out. Has always been a good 21/9 guy - seemingly forever.

Dunno how good his defence is though. Seems to have Kanter-like mobility on the perimeter

[footey]

Aldridge is too expensive and too old. No thanks.

[greenhead85]

I like Nurkic or Whiteside to man the middle.
Either I think could really give us a realistic title drive.
I’d give up Hayward for Nurkic but the salaries won’t work.

[nickagneta]

I like Nurkic or Whiteside to man the middle.
Either I think could really give us a realistic title drive.
I’d give up Hayward for Nurkic but the salaries won’t work.

So you want the Celtics to trade for a guy that is out indefinitely with a Gordon Hayward type injury thinking he will provide a realistic shot at the title this year? Even when he probably won't be back this year or be anywhere near 100% until next year or the year after?

[greenhead85]

I like Nurkic or Whiteside to man the middle.
Either I think could really give us a realistic title drive.
I’d give up Hayward for Nurkic but the salaries won’t work.

So you want the Celtics to trade for a guy that is out indefinitely with a Gordon Hayward type injury thinking he will provide a realistic shot at the title this year? Even when he probably won't be back this year or be anywhere near 100% until next year or the year after?

Recent news is Nurkic could be back post 2020 All-Star game.

[gouki88]

I like Nurkic or Whiteside to man the middle.
Either I think could really give us a realistic title drive.
I’d give up Hayward for Nurkic but the salaries won’t work.

So you want the Celtics to trade for a guy that is out indefinitely with a Gordon Hayward type injury thinking he will provide a realistic shot at the title this year? Even when he probably won't be back this year or be anywhere near 100% until next year or the year after?

Recent news is Nurkic could be back post 2020 All-Star game.

Back on the court, sure. But in what condition? If it’s anything like Hayward or George, he won’t offer much this year. Let alone the huge drop our team would suffer if we shipped Hayward for him.