Not so Fab Melo

[ballin]

I'll remember that everybody laughed when I said that Fab Melo's upside was Steamer. Guess we'll see what happens, right?

I wouldn't be surprised if he barely makes it on the floor.

My prediction: he'll put up Patrick O'Bryant levels of production his rookie season.

[Fred Roberts]

I dunno... Steamer had some nice moments with the blocks and the jumper, but there were also many moments (bad feet or not) when he looked totally overmatched on the floor. He played some good minutes in a shortened season. I like him, but he could be a flash in the pan for all we know. I'm much more excited about Melo.

[Cman]

My prediction: he'll put up Patrick O'Bryant levels of production his rookie season.

Yes, but no one really cares about the rookie season. Both Kendrick Perkins and Patrick O'Bryant had equally poor rookie seasons. Perkins progressed, O'Bryant didn't.

The question is whether Melo will progress over the years, not how he does his rookie season.

I have no idea how Melo will progress -- no one does. Given that the NBA is littered with big man busts, the chances are that Melo will also be a bust. But worth the gamble? Sure, I think so. There were other players on the board I would have taken over him, but DA likes to swing for the fences.

[thirstyboots18]

I will go on record to say that I like him.  He really has a nose for the block.  He is a seven footer, not afraid of the paint, reasonably mobile, and I think Doc and KG can help mold him.  I wouldn't be surprised to see him get some minutes by the end of the year...despite Doc's dislike for playing rookies.  I hope he gets some time in Portland, as well.  He looks raw to me, but not a total waste of time.  If he adoes progress, he will at least be a good trade piece.

[Celtics4ever]

I have been suprised by Melo.   I actually thought he was a total dud prior to the draft but after watching the summer league I think he has some potential.   But he does have suspect hands.   He needs to be bouncing a tennis ball and catching it all over to improve the hands.

The summer league guards are horrible at setting up the guys.  They shoot first often and don't set up their bigs.   So far Sully has been the best passer.   I also thought Melo had some nice dishes.

He runs the block.  Shows some effort.  Not things I can say for Bryant.   I think he has more upside than Stiesmsa.  I think he could be better than Perk eventually.  But he is raw and a project.

[JHTruth]

I don't see the "lazy" thing. Guy has a great motor from what I see, always fighting in the paint and getting back on D. Always contesting. Yes raw but I dont see how he couldnt become a good C. Legit size and great athleticism for his size. Even developing a nice little J. Needs to go up stronger and develop his hands but all in all..

[TripleOT]

If I were a big man in summer league I would make sure to punch the PG in the face at halftime of the first game, and let him know that he's going to get thay same treatment every time they enter the locker room after the PG hoisted up garbage outside shots instead of pounding the ball down low first. 

It's almost impossible for a big to look decent in summer league when these idiots like Moore are running the show.  The kid Gibson likes to hoist shots, but at least he set up Sully in the low block at the end of the game. 

BTW, Gibson looked a lot better than Moore in game 2 of summer league. 

Melo showed that he could get up and down the floor.  he didn't get much done that game besides that. 

[Celtics18]

I don't really watch a lot of college ball, but from the youtube videos I saw of him at Syracuse, he looked like he might be a little bit scrawny and uncoordinated.  He didn't look like that at all to me out there today.  He looked, big, strong, and mobile.

I'd like to know from anyone who watched a bunch of Big East ball, has Fab Melo changed his body a lot since the last time he played for Syracuse?

[Smitty77]

I will be honest.  I saw the BEST screens being set in the game today by a Celtic since Perk left, and they were set by Fab Melo. 

I have never been a huge fan of KG screening methods and Steamer set horrendous screens.

Many of you don't think screens are important, but they are HUGE and Melo already sets fantastic screens.

Give him some time guys.

Smitty77

[JHTruth]

All I know is Id rather have Melo than JJJ right now..

[j804]

I will be honest.  I saw the BEST screens being set in the game today by a Celtic since Perk left, and they were set by Fab Melo. 

I have never been a huge fan of KG screening methods and Steamer set horrendous screens.

Many of you don't think screens are important, but they are HUGE and Melo already sets fantastic screens.

Give him some time guys.

Smitty77

This.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

If I were a big man in summer league I would make sure to punch the PG in the face at halftime of the first game, and let him know that he's going to get thay same treatment every time they enter the locker room after the PG hoisted up garbage outside shots instead of pounding the ball down low first. 

It's almost impossible for a big to look decent in summer league when these idiots like Moore are running the show.  The kid Gibson likes to hoist shots, but at least he set up Sully in the low block at the end of the game. 

BTW, Gibson looked a lot better than Moore in game 2 of summer league. 

Melo showed that he could get up and down the floor.  he didn't get much done that game besides that. 

Sorry, I watched the ENTIRE game and he did not! Gibson came on late (4th Q) and took over, yes... before that he had 2pts for the game!! He looked bad the first 2 games before that breakout 4th Q! You guys are so quick to jump on board when people have a few good minutes (PJ3 had a really good first half game 1 and went missing in the second half)! The only stat Gibson beat Moore in was points... he had only 2 more than Moore did! Let's look at the lines for both

Gibson- 17pts/1ast/1stl +11
Moore- 15pts/5rbs/4ast/1stl/1blk +14

I cannot believe the way people are so quick to call one person terrible (even though they weren't) but quick to say someone who gets a hot hand in a quarter, someone to watch for... it's as if the rest of the time they were out there you weren't watching!!!

I'm going to stop defending Moore after this post because this is getting ridiculous... what is the guy to do if that line isn't good enough? He was the 51st pick on top of thay he is NOT a PG... what, you want him to be Rondo out there??? Give me a break! Someone who got hot in the 4th gets his own thread as if he wasn't bad before that... I don't know what you guys are watching...

[Celtics4ever]

I think both Sully and Melo set good picks.

[Celtics18]

I find it hilarious that we're supposedly still in "win now" mode, and we let Steamer go and draft Fab Melo, whose ceiling (for at least the next year or two) is basically Stiemsma but with worse offense.

Sure, CB has a history of hyping up and overrating bench players (holy cow, how did you guys actually think Glen Davis was good???) but Stiemsma was the one time where it was actually justified.

As Koz mentioned, we didn't let Steamer go.  Minnesota offered him three million dollars.  They took him away.  I'll miss him, but, you know what, I'm happy for him.

He earned it.  

I thought that was just a rumor and we still got him?  

As of two days ago, Stiemsma didn't have other offers than the Celtics QO. The T'Wolves have bids out on Batum, Roy and Russian sg Alexey Shved, which means they need to clear that up and probably amnesty Darko Milicic before they could offer Stiemsma more than we could.

Thanks, guys (Faf, too).  It just seems like everyone's been acting like Steamer's already gone, so I assumed he was. 

I'm glad he's still in the mix.