Make Rob Williams the Hub of our offensive sets

[ozgod]

Won’t work big picture because he himself can’t score.  Sorry.

This has to be the next step in his evolution. Aron Baynes was able to do it. If Timelord can force people to come out to defend him and make them worry about him passing, hitting that shot at that top of the key or rolling to the rim he really takes his game, and the Celtics offense, to another level. I know Ime said he should focus on what he is good at which is rim rolling and rebounding but I think that if he can develop a credible outside shot he just becomes that much more multi dimensional.

Of course, time is a finite resource...if he's a horrible shooter and it will take more than a few offseasons for him to get better then he's better off focusing on what he's good at. But in an ideal world if he develops an outside shot and stays healthy he gets into that $20m+ a year bracket.

[Atzar]

It's not just about hitting a jumpshot. 

A lot of people are fixating on Rob's jumpshot.  Sure, it would help him become a better player... but that isn't what is stopping him from becoming a reliable facilitator like the OP wants.  His complete inability to create his own offense is the big roadblock.  And to be honest, I haven't seen much evidence that it's in his future either.  He doesn't even try to do it in games.  Once in a while, guys will surprise you - nobody saw Jerami Grant morphing into a borderline all-star after his first few years in the league, for example - but skills very rarely just appear out of nowhere like that. 

Rob's passing is a nice tool.  It helps us.  Occasionally, a team will be poorly-prepared for it, or the ball will just bounce the right way... and he'll kill teams with it on those nights.  But it won't be the hub of any offense.  That just isn't realistic to expect IMHO.   

[18isGREATERthan72]

It's not just about hitting a jumpshot. 

A lot of people are fixating on Rob's jumpshot.  Sure, it would help him become a better player... but that isn't what is stopping him from becoming a reliable facilitator like the OP wants.  His complete inability to create his own offense is the big roadblock.  And to be honest, I haven't seen much evidence that it's in his future either.  He doesn't even try to do it in games.  Once in a while, guys will surprise you - nobody saw Jerami Grant morphing into a borderline all-star after his first few years in the league, for example - but skills very rarely just appear out of nowhere like that. 

Rob's passing is a nice tool.  It helps us.  Occasionally, a team will be poorly-prepared for it, or the ball will just bounce the right way... and he'll kill teams with it on those nights.  But it won't be the hub of any offense.  That just isn't realistic to expect IMHO.

I agree.  I love Rob's passing, and think we should utilize it way more, especially when Tatum is back.  The problem with doing this as your main offense, and not something you mix in though, is when Rob gets the ball in the high post and teams have gameplanned for it, and those initial couple of cuts aren't there, then you just have Rob with the ball.  He needs something he can do when those passes aren't there to get points on the board.  Being able to hid a mid range shot will help if his defender basically sags off him completely, but he also needs a post game to go to if his defender plays him tighter while the cuts aren't there.

[footey]

It's not just about hitting a jumpshot. 

A lot of people are fixating on Rob's jumpshot.  Sure, it would help him become a better player... but that isn't what is stopping him from becoming a reliable facilitator like the OP wants.  His complete inability to create his own offense is the big roadblock.  And to be honest, I haven't seen much evidence that it's in his future either.  He doesn't even try to do it in games.  Once in a while, guys will surprise you - nobody saw Jerami Grant morphing into a borderline all-star after his first few years in the league, for example - but skills very rarely just appear out of nowhere like that. 

Rob's passing is a nice tool.  It helps us.  Occasionally, a team will be poorly-prepared for it, or the ball will just bounce the right way... and he'll kill teams with it on those nights.  But it won't be the hub of any offense.  That just isn't realistic to expect IMHO.

I agree.  I love Rob's passing, and think we should utilize it way more, especially when Tatum is back.  The problem with doing this as your main offense, and not something you mix in though, is when Rob gets the ball in the high post and teams have gameplanned for it, and those initial couple of cuts aren't there, then you just have Rob with the ball.  He needs something he can do when those passes aren't there to get points on the board.  Being able to hid a mid range shot will help if his defender basically sags off him completely, but he also needs a post game to go to if his defender plays him tighter while the cuts aren't there.

I think besides the 15 footer, he has to be able to take it on the floor and drive by his opponent.  This is what Bam has learned to do. Rob should study Bam film.

[todd_days_41]

It's not just about hitting a jumpshot. 

A lot of people are fixating on Rob's jumpshot.  Sure, it would help him become a better player... but that isn't what is stopping him from becoming a reliable facilitator like the OP wants.  His complete inability to create his own offense is the big roadblock.  And to be honest, I haven't seen much evidence that it's in his future either.  He doesn't even try to do it in games.  Once in a while, guys will surprise you - nobody saw Jerami Grant morphing into a borderline all-star after his first few years in the league, for example - but skills very rarely just appear out of nowhere like that. 

Rob's passing is a nice tool.  It helps us.  Occasionally, a team will be poorly-prepared for it, or the ball will just bounce the right way... and he'll kill teams with it on those nights.  But it won't be the hub of any offense.  That just isn't realistic to expect IMHO.

I agree.  I love Rob's passing, and think we should utilize it way more, especially when Tatum is back.  The problem with doing this as your main offense, and not something you mix in though, is when Rob gets the ball in the high post and teams have gameplanned for it, and those initial couple of cuts aren't there, then you just have Rob with the ball.  He needs something he can do when those passes aren't there to get points on the board.  Being able to hid a mid range shot will help if his defender basically sags off him completely, but he also needs a post game to go to if his defender plays him tighter while the cuts aren't there.

Both posts here are indicative of two clear points:

1) Rob shouldn't be the "hub" of the offense. But his passing ability out of the high post is an asset that HE should utilize more -- and the team should leverage more -- per game and game-to-game as time goes on;

2) Rob could and should have a 15-17 foot elbow jumper that he can hit reliably to keep defenses honest. His mechanics are just fine. But he has no confidence in it -- he never takes it. The Cs have been focused on his evolving in other ways. Developing it should be a priority for the Celtics going forward, and if i had to guess, it's something they're actively working on.

FOOTNOTE: footey's post is also true.... the confidence to drive to the hoop. One power dribble, a spin when needed, then elevate.