Sign me up for the Semih Sucks Bandwagon

[slamtheking]

Definition of success for Semih Erden ...

Short Term: To be a serviceable to good third string center (relative to other third string centers) which I think he has been for most of time so far (struggling lately) and is capable of being over the course of the season.

Long Term: To become a very good to excellent third string center and stick around in the NBA for 8+ seasons.

A higher ceiling would to become a borderline rotation player, a 4th/5th big in the depth chart, but I would consider that quite unlikely given his flaws as a defender and rebounder + his disappointing amount of development while playing pro ball over in Europe ... but that would purely be icing on the cake ... As a #60 pick, just hanging around in the league as a quality third string center should be seen as a success.

Hope for a Gortat (less a couple of inches)

Hope for better than a Bret Szabo

Probably end up with Eric Fernsten

NOOOO!!!  Just say NO to the disco mustache!!!

[thirstyboots18]

I am not one to blame any one given play.  A few more free throws made, a couple rebounds here or there and it wouldn't have mattered what happened the last two minutes of the game.

(However I still can't believe the difference in foul calls by the refs!    )

[Greg37]

There won't be many people on that bandwagon. He is playing with a bad shoulder. He is fundamentally sound. He boxes out, can finish with either hand and can pass. And he runs the floor.  As he gains more experience he will become more comfortable with the defensive rotations.  He has good hands and he rebounds reasonably well.  If they'd had him vs LA in game 7 I think he would have grabbed more boards than Rasheed.  He goes up against Shaq in every practice.  That alone will improve him.   People were quick to rip Al Jefferson back in the day.  He became a walking
double double. Show a little patience.  KG has been working with him on his pick and roll defense.  KG doesn't waste his
time on humpties.

[thirstyboots18]

There won't be many people on that bandwagon. He is playing with a bad shoulder. He is fundamentally sound. He boxes out, can finish with either hand and can pass. And he runs the floor.  As he gains more experience he will become more comfortable with the defensive rotations.  He has good hands and he rebounds reasonably well.  If they'd had him vs LA in game 7 I think he would have grabbed more boards than Rasheed.  He goes up against Shaq in every practice.  That alone will improve him.   People were quick to rip Al Jefferson back in the day.  He became a walking
double double. Show a little patience.  KG has been working with him on his pick and roll defense.  KG doesn't waste his
time on humpties.

Your post, my thoughts, Greg.     Needless to say,   I agree.  TP

[kozlodoev]

People were quick to rip Al Jefferson back in the day.

People ripped Jefferson for playing no defense and being a black hole on offense. 4 years later, Jefferson still plays no defense and is still a black hole on offense. Being a "walking double-double" has never been a problem for him, and he was never ripped for his offense or rebounding.

[thirstyboots18]

I am not interested in Al Jeff, Kozlodoev...he is no longer on the team.  But I do think people are not giving Erden a chance to heal and aclimate to the NBA before slamming him.  I see a lot in Semih that I like, as Greg37 stated.  I have already made my case for Erden in other posts, so I won't repeat myself here.

[Assassin70]

There won't be many people on that bandwagon. He is playing with a bad shoulder. He is fundamentally sound. He boxes out, can finish with either hand and can pass. And he runs the floor.  As he gains more experience he will become more comfortable with the defensive rotations.  He has good hands and he rebounds reasonably well.  If they'd had him vs LA in game 7 I think he would have grabbed more boards than Rasheed.  He goes up against Shaq in every practice.  That alone will improve him.   People were quick to rip Al Jefferson back in the day.  He became a walking
double double. Show a little patience.  KG has been working with him on his pick and roll defense.  KG doesn't waste his
time on humpties.

/co sign

[Neurotic Guy]

There won't be many people on that bandwagon. He is playing with a bad shoulder. He is fundamentally sound. He boxes out, can finish with either hand and can pass. And he runs the floor.  As he gains more experience he will become more comfortable with the defensive rotations.  He has good hands and he rebounds reasonably well.  If they'd had him vs LA in game 7 I think he would have grabbed more boards than Rasheed.  He goes up against Shaq in every practice.  That alone will improve him.   People were quick to rip Al Jefferson back in the day.  He became a walking
double double. Show a little patience.  KG has been working with him on his pick and roll defense.  KG doesn't waste his
time on humpties.

/co sign

also co-sign

[vinnie]

I am probably in the minority here, but I don't expect Erden to ever get beyond a 10-minute max per game third string center in the NBA.

[Q_FBE]

The kid tries hard out there. It ain't like he is Mark Blount or one the other true stiff big men that have played here since Parish left the team almost 20 years ago. I think he is a journeyman role player that will contribute his rebounding and scoring. So I am not going to sign up for the Semih sucks bandwagon.

[thirstyboots18]

Vinnie, Isn't he already that on a team contending for a championship?  No, I haven't looked up the stats, and you will probably tell me I am wrong.  But as of this minute, he is an active member of my favorite team, and until he isn't I will be cheering for him and hoping he does well.  Right now he is important member of this team, and anything he can add to our quest is good, as far as I am concerned.  I just hope he doesn't injure himself further.  I want him to gain skill playing against Shaq every day in practice.  I want KG to mentor him.  I want him to love it here, learn English and be able to communicate better with his coach and his team.  This team was under severe financial constraints per NBA rules and Semih was a bit of a project, but a cheap one and I want him to work out.  AND...third string center  who is willing to play hurt is exactly what he is right now, even if he never improves.  The Celtics are lucky they were so deep at center...even with  #1 (Perk) and now with  2 (JO)  down they still have 3 (Shaq) and Glen Davis and Erden   available.  When Perk and JO return, Erden will again be option #4.

[Neurotic Guy]

I am probably in the minority here, but I don't expect Erden to ever get beyond a 10-minute max per game third string center in the NBA.

I think you'd only be in the minority in the sense that others won't commit (as I won't) to a definitive prediction.  Way too early to tell on this guy.  He shows some BBIQ and some intriguing skills.  His future seems pretty unpredictable at this point.

[billysan]

I havent checked the numbers, but it seems to me that Semih is really feeling the effects of that shoulder pain. His FT and FG shooting are way off from what I remember in summer league and pre season, some due to timing and some due to not being able to use or lift that arm. More importantly, I see his ability to contest shots by using his length as being hampered significantly. Same would apply to rebounding.

Very unfair to judge a guy's performance as poor with that kind of limitation at this stage of his career. With surgery, a summer off of conditioning, and more work with the coaching staff (KG and Shaq)? Semih could easily end up as our second string center in a year or two behind Perk.

JO isnt getting any healthier, and Shaq will be around for this year and maybe next depending on health, but he isnt getting any younger. I think developing Semih and getting him healthy are in the future plans of this organization. At the least, Danny can turn him into a decent trade asset if JO does come back healthy.

[clover]

I am probably in the minority here, but I don't expect Erden to ever get beyond a 10-minute max per game third string center in the NBA.

Two years out I could see the team happy to give Perk and Semih 24 minutes each, with Baby moving over from the 4 to back them up when needed.  With Rondo and Nate they could also be set at the 1.  Bradley or someone else could develop as the 2, and  the only real (huge) holes they have for rebuilding are a top-tier 3 and 4.

If they manage their signings right, at least one of those could come from a big free-agent signing.  I think Semih's an important piece for them going forward.

[kozlodoev]

I am probably in the minority here, but I don't expect Erden to ever get beyond a 10-minute max per game third string center in the NBA.

I think you'd only be in the minority in the sense that others won't commit (as I won't) to a definitive prediction.  Way too early to tell on this guy.  He shows some BBIQ and some intriguing skills.  His future seems pretty unpredictable at this point.

That's true. He's fundamentally sound offensively: he can pass, move without the ball, and finish a little bit around the basket. On defense, he's very mobile, and understands how to close up space (I think this is what sets him apart from most rookies, and that's why he gets consistent 10 mpg). He's also not afraid to mix it up. Also, even though we haven't seen it much, he appears to have a jump shot.

On the flip side, he isn't a great rebounder, and he can be pushed around a little bit. If he improves in this department, he can be a very, very solid rotation player. If not, he will remain a bit center -- but in any case he has exceeded any expectations I had of him based on his play in Europe.