Celtic's lack of a true center

[nostar]

I wrote this post days ago before the Zeller trade and sort of forgot about it. I'm happy we got Zeller and more than happy we got a huge expiring and a 1st rounder. Over the years I've been one of the countless CBers raving about our lack of center, basically since we traded Perk. This will be the first season I don't post things like that and here is why:

2015 Free Agent Centers
_______________________

Omer Asik (29)
Tyson Chandler (33)
Marc Gasol (30)
Roy Hibbert (29) – (Player Option)
Al Jefferson (30) – (Player Option)
DeAndre Jordan (27)
Brook Lopez (27) – (Player Option)

2015 Draft Class Centers
______________________________
Jahlil Okafor
Karl Towns
Marcus Lee
Willie Cauley-Stein
Kristaps Porzingis
Dakari Johnson
Frank "The Tank" Kaminsky

And I didn't even include the RFAs like Nikola Vucevic and Enes Kanter. That might be two metric tons of centers available next season. Now I don't think Hibbert or Jefferson leave their teams but still that is more options at center than your average off season.

I said this a year ago around this time, we have another season of bad coming our way. We will probably trade away some vets and hopefully make a play for a big name FA in 2015. With Rondo here and a barrel full of assets I assume we can get something done. Still I think our center of the future is another season away.

[Future Celtics Owner]

I agree that our center of the future is a season away. I believe and hope that we draft him because it looks more and more like we are going youth movement.

[Future Celtics Owner]

heres a guy I have been trying to keep an eye on. he's been under the radar and only playing ball for 3-4 years. He is a physical specimen, you'll figure it out when you see the vid, but needs to work on the legs. he plays for the same aau and hs team as Julius Randle. The Texas Titans AAu team is prob the best funded aau team ever.

If the kid is really 17/18 watch out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rWEit5-gj8

[fitzhickey]

heres a guy I have been trying to keep an eye on. he's been under the radar and only playing ball for 3-4 years. He is a physical specimen, you'll figure it out when you see the vid, but needs to work on the legs. he plays for the same aau and hs team as Julius Randle. The Texas Titans AAu team is prob the best funded aau team ever.

If the kid is really 17/18 watch out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rWEit5-gj8

Is he actually skilled or is he just a giant kid?

[Future Celtics Owner]

Its hard to tell bc he is playing against kids half his size...but its more that he is a giant sized man child. For a 7' kid he is completely chiseled, but that is not nearly enough for him to be a stud. He has a lot of work to do on his skills and jumper, and legs.

We can keep an eye on his development

[Future Celtics Owner]

heres a guy I have been trying to keep an eye on. he's been under the radar and only playing ball for 3-4 years. He is a physical specimen, you'll figure it out when you see the vid, but needs to work on the legs. he plays for the same aau and hs team as Julius Randle. The Texas Titans AAu team is prob the best funded aau team ever.

If the kid is really 17/18 watch out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rWEit5-gj8

Is he actually skilled or is he just a giant kid?

Its more that he is a giant sized man child. For a 7' kid he is completely chiseled, but that is not nearly enough for him to be a stud. He has a lot of work to do on his skills and jumper, and legs.

We can keep an eye on his development

[MISSERY]

Thon Maker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDZaJFd4aSk

[Future Celtics Owner]

Thon Maker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDZaJFd4aSk

yea I've had my eye on Thon for awhile now. Apparently, there are some age issues with him ala Shabaz Muhamad, or that pitcher for little league. the best we can do as fans is keep an eye on these guys and stay informed.

[Future Celtics Owner]

Does anyone else have a desire to get Rudy Gobert?

This would be as a project not our solution immediately. I know he will not be Hakeem, think Deandre Jordan, but maybe with time he could be a great defensive center and the points he gets will be off putbacks and dunks.

His length: 7' without shoes on, 7'9'' wingspan, 9'8.5'' standing reach .

Also he had a 25'' standing vertical and a 29'' max vertical when he was tested at the combine. Since then it does look like he has put a tiny bit of muscle on.

He has always moved very well for a big dude and gets up the court with ease. he also dunks the ball quicker than anyone Ive seen, he does not have to bend his knees at all.

Remember sometimes just the mental aspect when the offense knows there is a shot blocker on the court can change how they play completely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKGVsi7MyFk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTgDO-Q1HRg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTkyKLkcVyg

[SHAQATTACK]

All the perrinally bad teams have drafted all the good big men.   

Bosh with a max contract ...times are hard ....he an't a center


Only reason Pacers keep Hibbert , is he is  impossible to replace .  His play cost them a chance at a title.

Usuable Centers are demanding way more than their past worth .

Danny probably has a hard time justifying the contracts , poor talented tall men are demanding huge  contracts today.

The talent pool is very small at the moment.

[Celtics4ever]

Does anyone else have a desire to get Rudy Gobert?

Not me, his stat lines are horrible.  I get he is young and the like.   But one can tell he does not know basketball yet at all.   A Euro who shoots  .49% from the FT line?

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3032976/rudy-gobert


He looks like a player but a classic case of his best assets were he was tall and unknown.  That being said he might be a decent rebounder some day.

Only reason Pacers keep Hibbert , is he is  impossible to replace .  His play cost them a chance at a title.

This is a myth.  The Pacers could not score and it was guys not named Hibbert who also failed in this regard.  Hibbert played like dog doo-doo.  But they also have serious scoring issues.  Their superstar George played like a monster in several of the games but also had a 14 point stinker in one game.  Stephenson was all over the place too.   Hibbert played poorly but other guys need to take a long hard look in the mirror.

[moiso]

heres a guy I have been trying to keep an eye on. he's been under the radar and only playing ball for 3-4 years. He is a physical specimen, you'll figure it out when you see the vid, but needs to work on the legs. he plays for the same aau and hs team as Julius Randle. The Texas Titans AAu team is prob the best funded aau team ever.

If the kid is really 17/18 watch out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rWEit5-gj8

Is he actually skilled or is he just a giant kid?

Its more that he is a giant sized man child. For a 7' kid he is completely chiseled, but that is not nearly enough for him to be a stud. He has a lot of work to do on his skills and jumper, and legs.

We can keep an eye on his development

Upper body looks good but the guy looks like a stiff.  He is 7 feet and barely gets above the rim.  His elbow points 90 degrees away from the rim when he shoots.  Unless he is competing for an upper body only bodybuilding competition for 7 footers, I don't see anything there.

[Eddie20]

I wrote this post days ago before the Zeller trade and sort of forgot about it. I'm happy we got Zeller and more than happy we got a huge expiring and a 1st rounder. Over the years I've been one of the countless CBers raving about our lack of center, basically since we traded Perk. This will be the first season I don't post things like that and here is why:

2015 Free Agent Centers
_______________________

Omer Asik (29)
Tyson Chandler (33)
Marc Gasol (30)
Roy Hibbert (29) – (Player Option)
Al Jefferson (30) – (Player Option)
DeAndre Jordan (27)
Brook Lopez (27) – (Player Option)

2015 Draft Class Centers
______________________________
Jahlil Okafor
Karl Towns
Marcus Lee
Willie Cauley-Stein
Kristaps Porzingis
Dakari Johnson
Frank "The Tank" Kaminsky

And I didn't even include the RFAs like Nikola Vucevic and Enes Kanter. That might be two metric tons of centers available next season. Now I don't think Hibbert or Jefferson leave their teams but still that is more options at center than your average off season.

I said this a year ago around this time, we have another season of bad coming our way. We will probably trade away some vets and hopefully make a play for a big name FA in 2015. With Rondo here and a barrel full of assets I assume we can get something done. Still I think our center of the future is another season away.

Just so their is no confusion the number in parentheses is their age next year.

You forgot to mention Aldridge and R. Lopez.

[GreenWarrior]

we're lacking at just about every position but PG. not just C.

i'm glad we aren't making the mistake a lot of other teams make when it comes to the C position though. obviously we need a C, but it's nice to see we're not panicking and overpaying for a bad one or drafting 8 centers regardless of weather they're good or not and thinking "we're ok at that position".

[Future Celtics Owner]

we're lacking at just about every position but PG. not just C.

i'm glad we aren't making the mistake a lot of other teams make when it comes to the C position though. obviously we need a C, but it's nice to see we're not panicking and overpaying for a bad one or drafting 8 centers regardless of weather they're good or not and thinking "we're ok at that position".

I agree, its nice to know we are on the hunt for a QUALITY center.