Bill Walker next year...

[bucknersrevenge]

In limited minutes this year, I've seen enough of Bill Walker to know that come next year he will be fully capable of backing up Pierce at the small forward spot.

I just don't see it. I see the potential. But I have yet to see him play enough non-garbage minutes to be that confident he can step into a primary reserve role.

Especially a primary reserve role on a contending team. He's only played 184 minutes total this season. How many of those were meaningful? It is an awfully small sample.

I don't see it either.  He's had some nice dunks in garbage time, but I haven't seen anything meaningful from him to make me think he can take Tony's spot next season.  If he can't stay out of foul trouble first, he won't be beating anyone out for a rotation spot.

Agreeance x 2 on this. I see Tony, JR and Bill ALL battling for a roster spot next year. And with all due respect to Walker cuz I definitely like the kid, he hasn't done thing 1 here to prove he deserves regular minutes yet. I think it's completely up in the air and the possibility of an outside wing cannot be overlooked either.

[CoachCowens]

In limited minutes this year, I've seen enough of Bill Walker to know that come next year he will be fully capable of backing up Pierce at the small forward spot.

I just don't see it. I see the potential. But I have yet to see him play enough non-garbage minutes to be that confident he can step into a primary reserve role.

Especially a primary reserve role on a contending team. He's only played 184 minutes total this season. How many of those were meaningful? It is an awfully small sample.

I don't see it either.  He's had some nice dunks in garbage time, but I haven't seen anything meaningful from him to make me think he can take Tony's spot next season.  If he can't stay out of foul trouble first, he won't be beating anyone out for a rotation spot.

Ditto. Pre-season I thought he could challenge Tony. But I haven't seen enough from him.

[ScoobyDoo]

I guess I don't look at it so much as simply what he has actually "done" this year as to where I see him projecting by mid season next year based on the effort he puts out on the court, his mental and physical toughness, his natural ability especially once he hones into the NBA game a bit more and his willingness to mix it up and attack. He's built for the NBA small forward position. I don't see him playing any off guard. Too slow. That will be House, TA and Giddens.

It wouldn't suprise me to see him averaging 5-10 points a game next season. I think he's gonna grow/progress alot between now and next season and be a regualr part of our rotation.

[SamuelAdams]

Move over and make room for me on the bandwagon! BW makes me optimism about life after the Big 3.

[Cman]

Perkins / Moore / Erden
Garnett / Baby / Powe
Pierce / Walker / Scal/ TA
Ray Allen / House / Giddens
Rondo / Marbury / Pruitt/ vet PG

I pretty much agree with you about the above to start the year, but you forgot TA.  My guess is that there will be a  vet at PG (not Marbury), earning the vet min, and that Erden will never play in the NBA.

I doubt the team will end February with the same lineup.  I would bet that DA uses some of the expiring contracts (Scal, House, TA, possibly Ray) to trade for a younger, potential marquee type player.

[Atzar]

There's not much moderation in this thread, is there?  Everybody seems to be either "Bill Walker is going to make post-GPA life good" or "I expected a lot from him this year, he didn't deliver, and he won't next year either." 

First of all, the kid is 21.  If he came in and contributed right away, he would have shocked everybody not wearing Green glasses.  Hollinger may not be everybody's favorite person on this board, but I thought his preseason analysis was dead on:  "The hope is that he'll regain his pre-injury faculties over time, but anything they get from him this year is gravy."  Since he came onto this team and immediately became our most athletic player whose name isn't Rondo (and possibly even including Rondo) and showed flashes of real skill in the meantime, I think his future looks pretty good.  In the meantime, he gave us some minutes backing up Pierce and playing emergency PF where he didn't hurt us on the court.  Given that Hollinger's prediction was about the most optimistic that I read this year (most thought he'd either spend the year hurt or in the D League), I'd say we got a lot of gravy from him this year. 

As for next year, I think moderate progress from this year is fair enough to expect.  If he can show up next year with less fouls, better defensive rotations and an improved handle, he'll have set himself up very well for a spot in the rotation.  I think that's pretty reasonable - if he can't do that, then I definitely can't see him making life after GPA any easier (which is a long shot for a 47th pick anyway, keep in mind).