Jared Sullinger to start over Brandon Bass??

[rmitchell222003]

im sure doc is going to give him a lot of starting opportunities. its 82 games. I just hope he has the endurance to withstand a long season.

[kozlodoev]

The guy just shot, what, .300 in summer league action? He may be able to contribute, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. He's nowhere near ready to be a regular NBA starter.

[arambone]

"The guy just shot, what, .300 in summer league action?"

He also got to the line 10 times a game or something. Drawing those fouls against starting bigs is a great way to soften up the opposing defense.

Sullinger shoots 80+% from the line. He doesn't need to shoot all that well if he's drawing fouls, and he doesn't even need to score a whole lot to be a quality center.

He balances the floor, rebounds, and passes.

Great role player to compliment the legends around him. As a rookie.

[JHTruth]

I am going to play the DA a little here and say I'd be surprised if Sully is ever a legit starter on a good team in the NBA.

First of all his measurements are quite poor. He's undersized and does not have good length and has slow feet. Secondly he is a HORRIBLE athlete by NBA standards. Painfully slow in transition, slow feet, ZERO lift. He will not score EVER inside except when wide open. He is already having trouble scoring over lift and length in the SL for the love of god imagine the league. And his "money" jumper that we keep hearing about is brick city so far. So far it looks we drafted Danny Fortson 2.0 instead of Love 2.0. I have no idea how this guy can beat out Bass an athletic vet with a jumper.

Melo OTOH looks like a legit prospect..

[Prof. Clutch]

In regards to the "make you earn" your minutes that several of you have ascribed to Doc, is he really all that unique in this philosophy amongst basketball coaches?  I know many of you here have played ball at some level, didn't most, if not all, of your coaches make you earn your minutes?  

I can't speak for others but when I referenced Doc's habit for making players earn their minutes earlier in this thread I didn't mean it in a negative context.  I think it's good that players earn their minutes rather than having the keys handed to them from the get-go.

[LarBrd33]

Sullinger is a vet, basically.

He's been groomed by a top high school coach and two older brothers since he was 3 or 4.

He obviously plays with as much poise, patience, vision, and judgment as an above average 5 year vet. Not bad for 20 y.o.

Doc has known this kid and his game for years. That probably counts for something too, trust-wise.

Lol @ "Sullinger is a vet, basically"... the dude has yet to even play in an NBA game.  That's completely absurd.

We really gonna rely on the 21st pick to get significant minutes for a team that wants to be a "contender"?  Come on now.  THe Celtics need size.  Maybe Sullinger helps long-term, but I still say we neglected to fill our biggest weakness this offseason.  KG wanted to play PF and we failed to sign a starting center.  Maybe SUllinger wins the starting PF position over Bass.  We'll see. 

[dark_lord]

no way i want him starting (until he has proven himself consistently or due to injuries).  id prefer the combination of wilcox/kg or kg/bass.

[LarBrd33]

I normally don't pencil in players who struggle during summer league as "NBA Starters".

[danglertx]

I love it when people say Sullinger has a hard time scoring over length and say things like, "wait until he gets to the real NBA and faces the athletic long guys and he will have trouble scoring."

Hey no kidding.  Everyone has trouble scoring over those guys.  That is why those guys are in the NBA.  KG has a hard time scoring over those guys.  Brandon Bass has a hard time scoring over those guys.  Paul Pierce has trouble scoring over those guys.  The thing that separates NBA players from the rest is that they find a way to score with body positioning and angles.  I don't think Sullinger will struggle any more or less than anyone else.

[LarBrd33]

I love it when people say Sullinger has a hard time scoring over length and say things like, "wait until he gets to the real NBA and faces the athletic long guys and he will have trouble scoring."

Hey no kidding.  Everyone has trouble scoring over those guys.  That is why those guys are in the NBA.  KG has a hard time scoring over those guys.  Brandon Bass has a hard time scoring over those guys.  Paul Pierce has trouble scoring over those guys.  The thing that separates NBA players from the rest is that they find a way to score with body positioning and angles.  I don't think Sullinger will struggle any more or less than anyone else.

Considering the fact he's struggling in the lowly summer league... I'd say it's cause for pause.

[lightspeed5]

I normally don't pencil in players who struggle during summer league as "NBA Starters".

if you think he was struggling, you werent watching the same games i was. 12 rebounds is struggling? ok. he was a title contender in the NCAA

[GreenFaith1819]

I'd be shocked if he starts right away, but I can see Jared Sullinger playing significant minutes from the start.

If we get any injuries (God forbid) from KG or Bass I can see him sliding into the lineup, along with Wilcox.

We have a LOT of options. Doc will make it work.

[danglertx]

I think he is tired.  His outside shot is what isn't falling for him.  He has been able to get his shot off on jump hooks and draw fouls.  They have just been rimming out a lot and he is seeing a lot of double teams.  Wait until they have to choose between dropping off Pierce, Lee, or Garnett to double.  I'm not worried in the least about Sully.  The guy rebounds, draws fouls, and passes.  That is all we need for a guy playing maybe a quarter to half a game per game.

[LarBrd33]

I normally don't pencil in players who struggle during summer league as "NBA Starters".

if you think he was struggling, you werent watching the same games i was. 12 rebounds is struggling? ok. he was a title contender in the NCAA

That's nice that you're watching the summer league games.  Summer league is garbage competition.  Anthony Randolph averaged 27 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2.2 steals in that league.  Joe Forte once averaged 20+ points. 

If we're talking about Sullinger's offense... there are currently 72 players averaging more ppg than he is... lead by the lowly Josh Selby of Memphis who is averaging 27.5 points and 2.5 steals on 60% shooting.  WOof.   Not only are 72 players averaging more points than Sullinger, but he's by far the lowest shooting percentage (27%) of any of them.  I'd say that more than qualifies as "struggling".

There are also 50+ players averaging more blocks than he is and 40+ players averaging more steals.   The one thing he seems to be successful at is rebounding.  He's 2nd in the summer league in rebounding.  Still... his 10.8 points and 10.5 rebounds (on 27% shooting) pales in comparison to the the great Malcolm Thomas (a scrub who has bounced around between 4 different d-league teams) who is currently averaging 13.3 points, 14.5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.5 blocks on 55% shooting.   

I hope Sullinger has a big game soon, because as of right now... seems like he's struggling against scrub competition.  That's not someone I'd pencil in as a NBA starter.  I wouldn't be shocked to see him eventually earn a starting nod, but as of right now... I find it hard to believe he's done enough to push Bass down the depth chart.  As long as Rondo can't shoot, Bass is very valuable to creating space for Rondo to penetrate and kick out.  His mid-range game is a major asset.  Of course, it's because of that mid-range game that our bigs are often not in position to rebound and partially why Rondo ends up pulling down so many boards.

[JHTruth]

I normally don't pencil in players who struggle during summer league as "NBA Starters".

if you think he was struggling, you werent watching the same games i was. 12 rebounds is struggling? ok. he was a title contender in the NCAA

OK so he's Danny Fortson.

And so if NBA players use positioning and all that to score why is he not using those tools in the SL? Is he "saving" them or something?