The Celtics are still looking to add another big man to their 15-man roster for next season. However, it won’t be undrafted Purdue big man Trevion Williams. The 6-foot-9 center who suited up for Boston in Summer League agreed to an exhibit 10 contract with the Golden State Warriors on Friday according to Shams Charania of Stadium. Williams will have an opportunity to earn a roster spot with the defending champions who still have a couple slots available after free agency.
Watch them develop him into Looney 2.0
They’re completely different players. Looney was a small forward in college who has bulked up to be an athletic center. Williams will never have that kind of mobility, and it’s that lack of mobility that is why the Celtics went with Kabengele.
I really think people are exaggerating his lack of athleticism. Travion is in much better shape than he was in college and was running the floor well in SL. He had several alley-oops which you can’t do with poor mobility..Travion was also averaging 6.6rebs in 14mins of play during SL. He’s a better athlete than Grant is.
Umm, simply no. And we have combine stats to prove it. 6 weeks before summer league Trevion was among the least mobile prospects in the draft, arguably the least mobile. Dead last in agility and shuttle run. 3rd last in the sprint. Bottom 5 in max vert. He did not suddenly become a mobile dude in 6 weeks. Finishing an alley-oop because he’s tall doesn’t mean he’s mobile. He doesn’t sniff a candle to Grant in terms of mobility.
Did you watch the summer league games? If seeing is believing, go to the 50 second mark onward:
.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRGzKS_1lik
Grant can't run the floor like that. He often gets blocked by the rim when trying to dunk. He can't jump, which is why he averages 3 rebounds per game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2EUNPyE-f4
Here's what Tatum thinks of his athleticism: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YE9BFtwVoSY
That means he's not an explosive athlete, that doesn't necessarily mean he's not mobile. Watch how he guarded Durant and Giannis. That's the kind of defense that coaches love.
Grant’s lateral quickness did get better once he lost weight. He’s really strong, which helps him guard players that are taller than him. Grant can’t jump, thus the 3 rebounds per game and he cant run like Travion did on those fast breaks in the video clip.
This whole thing started by me saying Travion doesn’t have enough “mobility.” That has nothing to do with running a fast break. Grant, in the other hand, has terrific mobility for a player of his size.
How can a player have good mobility if they can't run up and down the floor on a fast break? Grant has OK lateral quickness, but for a player that's 6'5"/235lbs, he has poor mobility overall. He can't jump or run the floor well, which is part of being mobile. If Grant could move better, he would be like PJ Tucker. He is not though, as their athletic abilities are night and day.
I think the disconnect is because you’re using the wrong word.
Agility means to move one’s limbs in a quick and coordinated fashion.
Mobility simply means you can move at all.
Neither is about straight ahead speed.
According to combine measurements, both Kelly O and Grant are more agile than Trevion. Kelly was 8th (and faster than Grant) in the shuttle, while Grant was 6th overall in lane agility tests in their respective draft classes. Trevion was at the bottom of his. Trevion was okay in straight ahead speed, but still not as quick as Grant. None of them are leapers. Grant and Trevion posted nearly identical numbers there, but both were slightly better than Kelly. (Like an inch or two and Kelly has more reach even with his short arms).
I thought Drew Timme would have trouble moving at NBA speed, but all of his numbers are better than Trevion. Some by a lot. And most of Kelly O’s numbers are markedly better than Timme’s.
https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/combine-strength-agility/?sort=LANE_AGILITY_TIME&dir=1https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/combine-strength-agility/?sort=THREE_QUARTER_SPRINT&dir=1&SeasonYear=2013-14So, if you think Kelly and Grant are too slow for the NBA, and Drew Timme’s withdrawal from the draft might be because he doesn’t think he’s agile enough himself, then Trevion William’s has got little to no hope. If you think Trevion can keep up, then you’re opinion of Kelly’s defense should be that it’s mediocre at worst.