JaJuan Johnson has me excited

[Fafnir]

i can think of 1 rookie getting PT under doc..that was baby. i highly doubt johnson nor moore get any run..even though I think moore is the best option to back up ray and johnson could stretch the floor from the PF spot

I linked to three rookies. He also gave Pat Burke, Orien Greene, Ryan Gomes, Leon Powe, and Rajon Rondo playing time.

much different situation.

How so? His Orlando teams were trying to win and he played rookies there as well as rookies with the C's both when they were tanking and contending.

Your assertion is false, he has played rookies in the past and there is a reasonable chance JJJ could end up getting 10-13 minutes a game like BBD did. Much depends on how others (Bass, Wilcox, and O'Neal) play and how ready JJJ is, it has nothing to do with Doc's supposed distaste for rookies.

[Evantime34]

johnson is a rookie therefore doc will not play him

At some point this season JJ will be pressed into action, at least he has shown in the college ranks that he can, 1.defend 2. hit open jumpers 3 run the floor. These three things (and back to back to back games) and learning from doc and the vets will get him minutes this year.

There will be games when Doc sits, the older players, if Doc is smart he would do this pretty regularly on back to backs. Due to this I believe JJJ gets every chance to  show he belongs.

[MBunge]

When KG and Ray arrived, Doc immediately and consistently cut their and Paul's minutes from their career norms.  However, Doc has never really adjusted their minutes since then and I think it's become obvious the last two seasons that those guys cannot play that much and still perform at a high level.  KG's got to get down to around 28-29 minutes a game and Ray and Paul have to go from the mid 30s to the low 30s.  Whatever Doc has to do to make that happen it fine with me.

Mike

[Celtics18]

Don't forget that he played Semih pretty significant minutes last year. 

[Eris]

JJJ was a late 1st round draft pick, which in the NBA basically means you are slightly above the cut line in terms of rookie talent

the best the celtics could hope for out of JJJ is that he has a Tayshaun Prince-like career: experienced college player with NBA ready talents (length/athleticism), not-so-NBA rated physique (which is why he was drafted late IMO: you can't be a junior or senior in college and still be a toothpick), who develops into a defensive standout and reliable scoring option, either as a starter or 6th man

Johnson was also a very late bloomer. He didn't grow until late or start playing basketball until late. He made major strides each of the four years he was in college and he might continue to improve more than most four year college men do...or he might not.

We will just have to wait and see.

[PosImpos]

JJJ was a late 1st round draft pick, which in the NBA basically means you are slightly above the cut line in terms of rookie talent

the best the celtics could hope for out of JJJ is that he has a Tayshaun Prince-like career: experienced college player with NBA ready talents (length/athleticism), not-so-NBA rated physique (which is why he was drafted late IMO: you can't be a junior or senior in college and still be a toothpick), who develops into a defensive standout and reliable scoring option, either as a starter or 6th man

Johnson was also a very late bloomer. He didn't grow until late or start playing basketball until late. He made major strides each of the four years he was in college and he might continue to improve more than most four year college men do...or he might not.

We will just have to wait and see.

if JJJ ends up being as a PF what Tayshaun is as a SF, I will be VERY pleased.

[igorsure]

Don't forget that he played Semih pretty significant minutes last year. 

Semih is center, sometimes he was the only subs behind Shaq who had not long minutes on average game.  this is very different with JJJ case - bunch of good healthy PF.

[csfansince60s]

johnson is a rookie therefore doc will not play him

At some point this season JJ will be pressed into action, at least he has shown in the college ranks that he can, 1.defend 2. hit open jumpers 3 run the floor. These three things (and back to back to back games) and learning from doc and the vets will get him minutes this year.

JJJ can also rebound. He had 10 double-doubles his senior year. He averaged almost 9 bounds and almost 3 blocks per game. He averaged 15 bounds per game in the NCAAs.

His frame, one of the reasons for which he was undervalued in the draft, belies his strength.

Kid can bench 330. How many athletes in any sport but football (and there aren'tmany there either) can bench press 100 lbs more than their body weight? He also had 12 reps of 185 at the combine.

He was picked where he was in the draft because he was a four year college player and the bad rap that goes along with that and the rap on his size and hence ability to bang inside.

People will regret not taking him.

[mmmmm]

i can think of 1 rookie getting PT under doc..that was baby. i highly doubt johnson nor moore get any run..even though I think moore is the best option to back up ray and johnson could stretch the floor from the PF spot

I linked to three rookies. He also gave Pat Burke, Orien Greene, Ryan Gomes, Leon Powe, and Rajon Rondo playing time.

much different situation.

How so? His Orlando teams were trying to win and he played rookies there as well as rookies with the C's both when they were tanking and contending.

Your assertion is false, he has played rookies in the past and there is a reasonable chance JJJ could end up getting 10-13 minutes a game like BBD did. Much depends on how others (Bass, Wilcox, and O'Neal) play and how ready JJJ is, it has nothing to do with Doc's supposed distaste for rookies.

I completely agree with Fafnir here.   I've done some stats on Doc's use of rookies before (going way back to his Orlando days) and he definitely does NOT shy away from giving major minutes to rookies when it is appropriate to do so.  He is no different than most NBA coaches in this regard.

In general, veteran-dominated playoff contenders almost never have minutes to spare for rookies.   Unless there are injuries.   Thus last year, Bradley got no playing time but Semih Erden and Luke Harangody did.

Just look at the rosters of all the playoff teams each year and check how many minutes rookies get.  Unless a team truly has no alternative, most playoff teams give almost NO minutes to rookies.  But if they have no alternative, then yeah, they will.

Also, it IS important to note that not all rookies are created equal.  'Rookies' who come into the league off 4 years of college or one or two years of euro ball or D-league ball may or may not have as much 'upside' as younger draftees.  But they _definitely_ tend to be better prepared if they DO get called to action.   Again, a case in point here would be Harangody - who of all our rookies last year ended up getting the most minutes.    Partly because he ended up on the Cavs - a suck team that was NOT contending, but also partly because he was mature enough that coaches could trust him.   He had already gotten quite a few minutes with the Celtics before the trade.

In addition to JJJ and E'tuan, one of our other 'rookies' is the big guy, Stiemsma.   He also barely qualifies as a 'rookie' because not only is he a 4-year college boy (Wisconsin) he also has logged a couple of D-league seasons.   So all 3 of our 'rooks' this year are a little older and more developed than normal.  ALL are much older than Bradley, who is just barely passed legal drinking age!

Bradley was drafted purely on future potential.  I'm pretty sure Doc & Danny never had any misconceptions that he was going to be able to do much last year to help out.  He was just plain way too young.  It was a value pick.  Consider that if Bradley had stayed in college, he likely would have posted much bigger stats - similar to the way he dominated the D-league - and would have been drafted much higher than Danny got him for.

As Fafnir points out, our thinness at the 5 and the desire to keep KG fresh through what could be a grueling season will likely create opportunities for both JJJ and Stiemsma to get some decent minutes.

[csfansince60s]

i can think of 1 rookie getting PT under doc..that was baby. i highly doubt johnson nor moore get any run..even though I think moore is the best option to back up ray and johnson could stretch the floor from the PF spot

I linked to three rookies. He also gave Pat Burke, Orien Greene, Ryan Gomes, Leon Powe, and Rajon Rondo playing time.

much different situation.

How so? His Orlando teams were trying to win and he played rookies there as well as rookies with the C's both when they were tanking and contending.

Your assertion is false, he has played rookies in the past and there is a reasonable chance JJJ could end up getting 10-13 minutes a game like BBD did. Much depends on how others (Bass, Wilcox, and O'Neal) play and how ready JJJ is, it has nothing to do with Doc's supposed distaste for rookies.

I completely agree with Fafnir here.   I've done some stats on Doc's use of rookies before (going way back to his Orlando days) and he definitely does NOT shy away from giving major minutes to rookies when it is appropriate to do so.  He is no different than most NBA coaches in this regard.

In general, veteran-dominated playoff contenders almost never have minutes to spare for rookies.   Unless there are injuries.   Thus last year, Bradley got no playing time but Semih Erden and Luke Harangody did.

Just look at the rosters of all the playoff teams each year and check how many minutes rookies get.  Unless a team truly has no alternative, most playoff teams give almost NO minutes to rookies.  But if they have no alternative, then yeah, they will.

Also, it IS important to note that not all rookies are created equal.  'Rookies' who come into the league off 4 years of college or one or two years of euro ball or D-league ball may or may not have as much 'upside' as younger draftees.  But they _definitely_ tend to be better prepared if they DO get called to action.   Again, a case in point here would be Harangody - who of all our rookies last year ended up getting the most minutes.    Partly because he ended up on the Cavs - a suck team that was NOT contending, but also partly because he was mature enough that coaches could trust him.   He had already gotten quite a few minutes with the Celtics before the trade.

In addition to JJJ and E'tuan, one of our other 'rookies' is the big guy, Stiemsma.   He also barely qualifies as a 'rookie' because not only is he a 4-year college boy (Wisconsin) he also has logged a couple of D-league seasons.   So all 3 of our 'rooks' this year are a little older and more developed than normal.  ALL are much older than Bradley, who is just barely passed legal drinking age!

Bradley was drafted purely on future potential.  I'm pretty sure Doc & Danny never had any misconceptions that he was going to be able to do much last year to help out.  He was just plain way too young.  It was a value pick.  Consider that if Bradley had stayed in college, he likely would have posted much bigger stats - similar to the way he dominated the D-league - and would have been drafted much higher than Danny got him for.

As Fafnir points out, our thinness at the 5 and the desire to keep KG fresh through what could be a grueling season will likely create opportunities for both JJJ and Stiemsma to get some decent minutes.

+1...nice post...especially about the four year college experience (see my post just above).....this kid's senior season speaks for itself....if he plays D, and there is no reason to think he won't (he has the physical tools and the pedigree as both DPOY and POY in the Big 10)..I think he plays more than many are assuming

[celticinorlando]

i think both him and moore can help this team....just hope they get that chance

[JBone4eva]

that first highlight video elicits movement, check 1:44 when he's running the floor.  If/when he and Rondo get on the break with Jeff green its gonna be really fun to watch.  Dudes potential gets me excited too as well, I just really hope he gets an opportunity to play as a Celtic, I feel that when he does we'll all want him around for a long time.

[BigGovy]

Very excited as well and i think he contributes right away even with Doc at helm. I can see this kid at the 5 spot ( yes i know he is shorter than everyone would like) His instincts on shot blocking make him special..and i remember a 6'9" center we had a while back that was all about instinctual shot blocking and we did pretty good

[csfansince60s]

that first highlight video elicits movement, check 1:44 when he's running the floor.  If/when he and Rondo get on the break with Jeff green its gonna be really fun to watch.  Dudes potential gets me excited too as well, I just really hope he gets an opportunity to play as a Celtic, I feel that when he does we'll all want him around for a long time.

I agree, especially about the running part.

Imagine  Willcox, JJJ, Green and Rondo all running together. Add Ray as the shooter coming downcourt or PP or KG or any shooter with this group.

Deadly.

[missyP]

I saw an offensive repertoire like Mauresse Speights of Philly (smooth but not overly aggressive), yet a defensive play to want me to put him close to a KG-lite.
I am glad he wasn't traded so i can also watch him.