Ideal new 5th starter?

[liam]

Feels like Ime just starts Grant, and keeps the rotation intact (except moving everyone's minutes up). He did it against Miami. His MO is not to change.

Think Ime even said during the preseason he doesn't like to change lineups much.

I think you're probably right but it's too bad. It would be a good time to find a good playoff combo.

[radiohead]

I voted Theis, just to see if he can be plugged into Timelord’s role. He’s not as quick and athletic but maybe he can replicate Timelord’s role on the defensive end specially.

[Goldstar88]

I voted Theis, just to see if he can be plugged into Timelord’s role. He’s not as quick and athletic but maybe he can replicate Timelord’s role on the defensive end specially.

Exactly. Theis is a poor mans Timelord. Grant is a completely different type of player. He’s just too small/not athletic enough to try and fill that role.

[Surferdad]

I voted Theis, just to see if he can be plugged into Timelord’s role. He’s not as quick and athletic but maybe he can replicate Timelord’s role on the defensive end specially.

Exactly. Theis is a poor mans Timelord. Grant is a completely different type of player. He’s just too small/not athletic enough to try and fill that role.

Grant is better at the wing.  Perhaps somebody smarter than me can find stats to prove it.

[Goldstar88]

I voted Theis, just to see if he can be plugged into Timelord’s role. He’s not as quick and athletic but maybe he can replicate Timelord’s role on the defensive end specially.

Exactly. Theis is a poor mans Timelord. Grant is a completely different type of player. He’s just too small/not athletic enough to try and fill that role.

Grant is better at the wing.  Perhaps somebody smarter than me can find stats to prove it.

Perhaps, but the C’s need someone that can cover 4’s/5’s and grab some boards. I want Grant to be shooting more and playing with the second unit will allow that.

[Vermont Green]

I voted Theis, just to see if he can be plugged into Timelord’s role. He’s not as quick and athletic but maybe he can replicate Timelord’s role on the defensive end specially.

Exactly. Theis is a poor mans Timelord. Grant is a completely different type of player. He’s just too small/not athletic enough to try and fill that role.

Grant is better at the wing.  Perhaps somebody smarter than me can find stats to prove it.

You can check 82games but I don't think they have categorized this correctly.  If they have a line up with GWill, Horford, and Tatum or GWill, RWill, Tatum, they have GWill as the SF and Tatum as the PF.  So to me, their numbers are completely off.

I found 34 total minutes over 3 games this season where GWill, Horford, and RWill were on the court together.  The result was +4.  I also found 4 total minutes in 1 game where GWill was on the court with Theis and RWill (+1).

I thought that GWill would be used some as a wing, meaning on the court where there are two other actual bigs, after the trade of Richardson but the reality is that he has not.  He is an undersized bench PF and has actually been fine in that role.   He has some versatility so that in an emergency, he could play as a wing but that would be entirely out of position for him.

[Vermont Green]

Back to the question at hand, I think it will turn out that the Horford-Theis pairing with the other starters will be better than Horford-GWill.  There will be some of all the combination needed and it may change some depending on the other team but I see Theis as getting the crunch time minutes alongside Horford.

For the last 15 games, Horford-Theis are +23.0 per36.  Horford and GWill are -0.8 per36.  This will likely average out some but this is how it has been going so far.  Horford and GWill have more minutes in these 15 games (138 to 45).  This is still a fairly small sample size but a notable enough trend nonetheless.

It is interesting that to this point, there are 0 minutes for Theis with Horford and the other starters.  GWill + Horford + other starters are -12 in 60 minutes for the entire season.  RWill + Horford with the starters are +218.  GWill has not been that good with Horford and not with the starters.

[Goldstar88]

Back to the question at hand, I think it will turn out that the Horford-Theis pairing with the other starters will be better than Horford-GWill.  There will be some of all the combination needed and it may change some depending on the other team but I see Theis as getting the crunch time minutes alongside Horford.

For the last 15 games, Horford-Theis are +23.0 per36.  Horford and GWill are -0.8 per36. This will likely average out some but this is how it has been going so far.  Horford and GWill have more minutes in these 15 games (138 to 45).  This is still a fairly small sample size but a notable enough trend nonetheless.

It is interesting that to this point, there are 0 minutes for Theis with Horford and the other starters.  GWill + Horford + other starters are -12 in 60 minutes for the entire season.  RWill + Horford with the starters are +218.  GWill has not been that good with Horford and not with the starters.

Wow. That’s more drastic than I thought. 15 games isn’t that small of a sample size, either.

[smokeablount]

Before the Heat game I commented that I liked Grant because he had played the best for us. But now I’m thinking I’d like to try Theis to see if he can be successful trying to play the Rob Williams role.

If Theis is a poor imitation of Rob, I think White could fit because he would ensure all 5 starters are great defensively.

With either Theis or White starting, you’d keep one of Theis/Al and Smart/White on the court and work in Grant and PP of the bench.

[ScoobyDoo]

Jalen Smith with the Mid-Level exception next year.

[Goldstar88]

Theis was solid as a starter tonight. In 29 mins of play he had 10pts, 8reb, 1blk, 1stl while shooting 5-8 from the field. Can’t really ask for much more than that.

[Csfan1984]

Jalen Smith with the Mid-Level exception next year.

C's tried to trade for him. Too bad it didn't happen. Doubt they can get him for tax payer MLE.

[Surferdad]

Jalen Smith with the Mid-Level exception next year.

Happens after every game: Somebody has man-love for a player on the opposing team.  Jalen Smith is tall and athletic, but that's about it.  Jalen Smith is not making this into a championship team.

[ScoobyDoo]

It’s not “after a single game”. I like this kid coming out of Maryland as our 26th pick or our 30th pick.

He’s more than just tall and athletic. He’s very long around the rim, runs the floor very hard both ways, he’s very bouncy, can shoot from the wlbows and from three.

He is not “the guy” who makes us a championship team (that guy’s name is Jayson Tatum). He would, however, fit very nicely next to TimeLord as a 6’10” PF who can shoot.

He is also only 23 so he fits our timeline with the other young core.

Check out his Per 36 numbers on basketball reference - they are very good and trending in the right direction.

He reminds me of a young Horace Grant type player - and not just because of the goggles.

I think he would be a tremendous fit with Time Lord, Tatum, Brown and Smart.

Best part is he can get in our system, learn, improve and grow behind Horford over the next few years.

I think he could also play some center for us.

I would swing hard for him this off season.

There is a reason Stevens went after him. Unless the assumption is that Stevens is a moron.

[Big333223]

Jalen Smith with the Mid-Level exception next year.

Happens after every game: Somebody has man-love for a player on the opposing team.  Jalen Smith is tall and athletic, but that's about it.  Jalen Smith is not making this into a championship team.

I like Jalen Smith and I'd like to see the Celtics take a shot at him but I think the top priority for next year's free agency will be a big wing off the bench. I'm imagine next season Grant takes Horford's starting spot, Horford goes to the bench playing around 20 mpg (or Horford stays on as a token starter). Theis is still there. Pritchard and White hold down the guard spots. Just missing that 6'6" 3-and-D wing.