Kris Joseph > Michael Pietrus

[Jon]

I think the OP is pretty far off here. 

First and foremost, Pietrus isn't coming back because the C's have no money or role to offer him.  This has nothing to do with Kris Joseph.

As for Joseph, I don't think the C's view him as a replacement at all for Pietrus.  Lee and Green are filling that role. 

It's very likely that Joseph won't find himself on the active roster for the bulk of the season, including the playoffs.  So regardless of his abilities, except in the case of injury, he likely won't have a chance to show them off. 

People can have high hopes for Joseph, but such hopes have nothing to do with Pietrus.  I'd also temper those high hopes by perusing the long list of players who have been outstanding in summer leagues and totally flamed out in the NBA. 

[Cman]

I really think one of the main reasons we're not going to re-sign Pietrus is because of Kris Joseph.

There are other valid reasons you could point too; we have Lee, Jet and Bradley at the 2 and we have Pierce and Green at the 3, or that Pietrus just had another knee surgery, etc...

But I think it really comes down to the potential of Kris Joseph and I full expect him to make our roster this year and "possibly contribute.

Here's why, when you compare Pietrus and Joseph:

1. Both are long 6'6" to 6'7" players who could play a little of the 2 or the 3

2. Both have very strong defensive abilities

3. Both have "decent" three point shots

4. Joseph looks to be the better slasher and he seems to have a better all around game

5. Joseph also looks to be the better passer and with his attack the basket mentality he will eventually get to the rim much more often than Pietrus

Joseph is young so it will take him some time - but we have decent depth and can develop him.

I think that overall he is just a better long term "prospect" and if he pans out he will be yet "another" solid young rotation guy that can run with Rondo -

Melo, Sully, Bass, Green, Courtney Lee, Bradley...

I think we save that Bi annual for another big man    

... or for next year.

Another dimension you should mention:
6. cost to sign Joseph < cost to re-sign Pietrus

Not really. Remember that most contracts are ascending, so we will surely be over the 74M apron next season. Once we are, we no longer can use the BAE and would only have the mini MLE next season. So basically it this season or never for the BAE.

Good point.
Assuming these numbers are correct, it is going to be tough to do much with FAs at all next year: https://docs.google.com/a/stern.nyu.edu/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AodNvAy3ZYZmdGE3NDBqMElRUXh2REN4Q3pZRG1TU1E&gid=4

Basically, the team as currently composed is your team for the next two years, barring a major trade, a 2013 1st round draft pick, and a vet min person or two.

In any case, I still think it makes sense to hold on to the BAE and evaluate where we are at in training camp. If we use it now, we lose the option to use it on an interesting player that gets bought out....

[Snakehead]

One played better defense on LeBron than anyone did in the playoffs.

The other has played Summer League.

I'm a fan of Joseph but this is absolutely a ridiculous statement.  Pietrus is a proven player and is better than he showed with us.  Even without being better than that, he's still better than Joseph.  I highly doubt Joseph sees the floor this year.

lol really? he jumped on every single pump fake im ready to move on

Tell me who played better D.  Please do.

[Celts Fan 92]

One played better defense on LeBron than anyone did in the playoffs.

The other has played Summer League.

I'm a fan of Joseph but this is absolutely a ridiculous statement.  Pietrus is a proven player and is better than he showed with us.  Even without being better than that, he's still better than Joseph.  I highly doubt Joseph sees the floor this year.

lol really? he jumped on every single pump fake im ready to move on

Tell me who played better D.  Please do.

u makin it seem like Pietrus locked Lebron down dude still averaged 30+ ppg against us but if we gon keep it 100 Bass played the best D on him nd contested his shots the best

[j804]

LOL At this thread no he's not

[Snakehead]

One played better defense on LeBron than anyone did in the playoffs.

The other has played Summer League.

I'm a fan of Joseph but this is absolutely a ridiculous statement.  Pietrus is a proven player and is better than he showed with us.  Even without being better than that, he's still better than Joseph.  I highly doubt Joseph sees the floor this year.

lol really? he jumped on every single pump fake im ready to move on

Tell me who played better D.  Please do.

u makin it seem like Pietrus locked Lebron down dude still averaged 30+ ppg against us but if we gon keep it 100 Bass played the best D on him nd contested his shots the best

I said he played the best D.  Show me where I said he "locked him down" as I made it seem apparently.

And Bass simply didn't play better D on him.  He went past Bass repeatedly.  I don't fault Bass for that.

LeBron couldn't be stopped in the playoffs.  No one locked him down.  However I think Pietrus played him better than anyone.  He is a very high caliber defender.

To the point of the thread, Joseph hasn't proved JACK.  He is not on Pietrius level.  That's it.

[Fred Roberts]

I like Joseph too and think he's worth keeping around. But yeah, we never would have gone after Pietrus if Green's heart issue didn't pop up. Pietrus was a nice cheap replacement for Green that luckily fell in our lap. With Green back, the need for Pietrus is diminished.

[gar]

Joseph is a better rebounder and is not afraid to mix it up down low. This is critical for our small lineups where he can be very effective. He does need to add bulk however; but that can be addressed. Give Joseph half a season and he will be a better all around contributor than Pietrus. Pietrus plays decent man to man defense but was often late on closeouts and is not as good at team defense. Joseph plays the passing lanes better than most of the current C's.

[Snakehead]

Joseph is a better rebounder and is not afraid to mix it up down low. This is critical for our small lineups where he can be very effective. He does need to add bulk however; but that can be addressed. Give Joseph half a season and he will be a better all around contributor than Pietrus. Pietrus plays decent man to man defense but was often late on closeouts and is not as good at team defense. Joseph plays the passing lanes better than most of the current C's.

I am very confused how you could make all these statements about a man who has never played a minute in the NBA.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Pietrus had way too many brain farts for me. We'll be fine. I'd take him on the cheap but not for what he is asking.

[ainge]

Joseph is a better rebounder and is not afraid to mix it up down low. This is critical for our small lineups where he can be very effective. He does need to add bulk however; but that can be addressed. Give Joseph half a season and he will be a better all around contributor than Pietrus. Pietrus plays decent man to man defense but was often late on closeouts and is not as good at team defense. Joseph plays the passing lanes better than most of the current C's.

I think its very unfair to assume that Joseph can immediately better than Peitrus, who is a proven player in the league. However, I also dont understand why he went so late in the draft, considering his stats and the fact that he was the highest scorer on the #2 nationwide ranked Syracuse, a team which made it to the final 8 in the NCAA tournament.  

Here are two players stats

Player 1:
12.6 PPG
2.30 RPG
2.60 ApG

Player 2:
13.8 PPG
4.90 RPG
1.70 RPG

Player 1 is Dion Waiters, Joseph's teammate on syracuse, and the 4th overall pick in this years draft.  

The second is Kris Joseph, the 51st pick in this years NBA draft. Granted, Kris Joseph is 3 years older than Dion Wiaters, so his upside might be a bit more limited.  However, they played on the same team and had very similar stats, I dont see how KJ ended up going 47 picks after Waiters.

In fact, KJ actually had better stats than Waiters.  He out did Waiters in both points and rebounds, while leading Syracuse in points and ranking as its 3rd best rebounder.  And this isnt just some average Syracuse team.  This team was ranked 2nd in the country for most of the season, and went to the quarter finals. Joseph was the leader of the team in many ways from the game and a half that I saw. He also contributed very solid zone and man to man D for a team which was a one of the best defensively.  

He started college late, and was a senior, so he may not have as much potential as Waiters.  However, I think he has an NBA ready game, and can really learn from someone like Pierce and develope into a very solid role player.  It seems strange that he went so late (and that Waiters went so early), and this pick could end up being a steal.

[Celts Fan 92]

Pietrus had way too many brain farts for me. We'll be fine. I'd take him on the cheap but not for what he is asking.

THIS plus him not willing to drive frustrated me iont get da love fest for dude he's replaceable

[celticmania]

Pietrus is better, and proven in the NBA....Joseph is not.

shooting: Pietrus 10-8
defence: Pietrus 10-6
rebounding: Pietrus 10-7
athleticism: even
NBA-Proven : Pietrus 10-1
passing: even

[slamtheking]

Pietrus is a proven, known commodity.  Joseph is not.  also, Joseph does not figure to see any court time this year whereas Pietrus would be expected to play and contribute.

[guava_wrench]

Kris Joseph might be in Europe this time next year.

Threads like this are a bit annoying. We have minimal reason to expect anything from Joseph. Pietrus has contributed in the NBA for many years. The odds are Joseph never really becomes a serious contribute, though he possible become an end of the bench journeyman.

It is possible that he exceeds expectation, but college competition is a bunch of kids and the summer league is practically pickup basketball. NBA players will get exposed in NBA games because the competition is at such a high level. Then certain fans will compare the performance of players against the likes of Lebron to the performance of second round picks in summer league games against guys trying to get camp invites. Really?

Joseph is a great player. Pruitt was a great player. Moore is a great player. JR Giddens was a great player. I state this in the context of comparing them to billions of humans or all the division 1 players. That doesn't mean we can compare them to guys who can contribute at the NBA level.

Pietrus is too expensive for us and I prefer wasting an end of the bench roster spot on a young guy like Joseph on the cheap (and only partially guaranteed). This doesn't change the reality that Joseph can't carry Pietrus' jock.