Rozier "biggest reach" in draft

[IDreamCeltics]

How do you watch him play in Summer League next to Marcus Smart and not salivate at the idea of those two playing next to each other for the next 3-5 years?

All I can really say is that the pieces fit together, and if you haven't watched the rookies at all yet you're in for a really pleasant surprise. 


 

[BlackCeltic]

Was the BR video created before Rozier dropped 22pts?

[spelz]

I don't put much faith in the so called experts and their thoughts.  Didn't a bunch of "experts" bash Danny for picking Rondo?  They said it was a reach and there were better PG on the board at the time.  I know Rondo's future does not look great right now, but it was a great pick that night, and he had a great run for the Celtics.

[clover]

How do you watch him play in Summer League next to Marcus Smart and not salivate at the idea of those two playing next to each other for the next 3-5 years?

All I can really say is that the pieces fit together, and if you haven't watched the rookies at all yet you're in for a really pleasant surprise. 


 

Agreed completely.

[mctyson]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2521553-insider-buzz-the-1st-round-pick-being-called-the-biggest-reach-of-the-draft

Agree or disagree?

If the Celtics had information that a team in the late-teens or early 20s was focusing on Rozier, then no it was not a reach.  This idea that they could simply trade down a few spots and pick up another pick is nonsense.  This isn't the NFL.  Picks are not traded that easily. 

The whole concept of a reach is drafting someone who you could otherwise draft at a later spot.  If this was not the case with Rozier, then it is by definition not a reach.

[Chris22]

How do you watch him play in Summer League next to Marcus Smart and not salivate at the idea of those two playing next to each other for the next 3-5 years?

All I can really say is that the pieces fit together, and if you haven't watched the rookies at all yet you're in for a really pleasant surprise. 


 

Thank you. Bradley is the odd man out to me.

[dreamgreen]

If Rozier were a talented passer in college, combined with the skills he currently possess, he would have been a consideration for our first pick. But now we're in the very familiar position of trying to train him to be a point guard. Like we did with AB and we're doing with Smart, luckily Smart at 6-4 220 can also be a SG.

I'm not sure what you want from your PG but IMO for a rookie he can play the position. I don't care for a PG that is going to pound the ball and in CBS system you don't need that.

[ahonui06]

I'm sure there are other reaches in the draft. First one that comes to mind is D'Angelo Russell at #2 over Jahlil Okafor. Taking a PG over a skilled big man is a reach.

[BDeCosta26]

If Rozier were a talented passer in college, combined with the skills he currently possess, he would have been a consideration for our first pick. But now we're in the very familiar position of trying to train him to be a point guard. Like we did with AB and we're doing with Smart, luckily Smart at 6-4 220 can also be a SG.

Portis is looking really good in the summer league, great motor, no fear, nice scoring ability, aggressive, confident. 6-11 etc. Not drafting him could be a big mistake.
 

I think your putting a bit too much stock in rigid positions. Stevens doesn't really view the game that way, at least the evidence would suggest as much.

I personally think Smart can develop the ability to be the primary ball-handler on offense be it as a PG next to a guy like Hunter or SG next to a guy like Rozier. The problem with Bradley, for as much as Ainge loves him, he can't even really be a secondary ball-handler. For a guy like Stevens, that necessitates having a guy like Turner around. But Rozier is a guy who's a whole heck of a lot like a young AB, just with much better handles and vision. I think they'd like to have a guy next to Smart (Regardless of who's the 1 and the 2) who can bring the ball up some. Thomas and Smart played pretty well together, and that's what your looking for with Rozier and Smart. They'd really like a guy who can shoulder a lot of the scoring load at the 3, but doesn't need the ball in his hands all the time (like Turner does) to do so.

Stevens really seems to place a premium on guys who are versatile enough to play different positions for flexibility in line-ups. To me, Rozier seems like a nearly tailor-made AB replacement for Ainge to pair with Smart. If his jumper becomes AB level, which seems entirely possible, they could become quite a great back-court with IT as the 6th man and a sharpshooter like Hunter (Or even better, what you hope Young can be) in the rotation. It's early, but Rozier seems deserving this far of a mid 1st round pick.

[LooseCannon]

I'm sure there are other reaches in the draft. First one that comes to mind is D'Angelo Russell at #2 over Jahlil Okafor. Taking a PG over a skilled big man is a reach.

If you think Russell should have gone #3, taking him #2 isn't a reach.  A reach is when you take someone way ahead of where he should have gone, often with there being a legitimate possibility to trade down and still get the same player.

[crimson_stallion]

There have been reports indicating that Rozier might have gone in the late teens, so from that perspective it's not that much of a reach.

It does certainly feel like a reach given that the consensus seemed to be that Rozier was at the least one of a half dozen or more similarly promising players, and he makes very little sense for the Celtics from a roster fit / development opportunity standpoint.

At the time, I felt that once Ainge failed to move up to a spot in the draft where he could take somebody he really wanted, he decided to take a guy at #16 with a skillset he felt comfortable projecting to the NBA.  Basically, Rozier felt like yet another "safe" pick from Ainge, even though it was also a reach.

Still feel that way now.  Rozier looks decent in Summer League, but he's old for a rookie and I'm not sure how much upside he really has.  Chances are Ainge used the #16 pick on CJ Watson 2.0.

I love how Smart (20) was spoken about like he was young for a rookie, yet Rozier (21) is referred to as being old for a rookie.  Like the difference of one year in age is going to determine whether a player has potential or not.  There have been a LOT of great NBA players who came in to the NBA at 21-22 years old.  Dwyane Wade, Stephen Curry, Michael Jordan and LaMarcus Aldridge - just to name a few.  Could build a 20-long list without much trouble.

Anyways, I think it's easy to see why Danny drafted Rozier:

a) He can bring it on both ends of the court, at either guard position
b) He's got excellent physical tools (great length, elite quickness, good strength)
c) Workhorse with an excellent motor - plays with 110% effort and hustle 100% of the time
d) Has a 'never back down' attitude, and shows a genuine desire to be great
e) Solid skill base to develop from

Remember that DA and BS seem to be just as big on personality as they are on talent.  They love guys who play with a chip on their shoulder and who simply out-work and out-hustle their opponents every time down the court (Bass, Crowder, Bradley, Smart, Jerebko, etc).  They also love guys who have super high basketball IQ (Sully, Olynyk, Hunter, etc). 

None of these draft selections are surprising if you look at it that way.   

   

[BudweiserCeltic]

Kaminsky at #9.

[Scintan]

Kaminsky at #9.

Kaminsky was projected as a lottery pick.  People are going to have to get over Ainge not offering enough to Charlotte.

[Rondo9]

Kaminsky at #9.

Kaminsky was projected as a lottery pick.  People are going to have to get over Ainge not offering enough to Charlotte.

Picked over Justice Winslow.

[crimson_stallion]

If Rozier were a talented passer in college, combined with the skills he currently possess, he would have been a consideration for our first pick. But now we're in the very familiar position of trying to train him to be a point guard. Like we did with AB and we're doing with Smart, luckily Smart at 6-4 220 can also be a SG.

Portis is looking really good in the summer league, great motor, no fear, nice scoring ability, aggressive, confident. 6-11 etc. Not drafting him could be a big mistake.
 

I think your putting a bit too much stock in rigid positions. Stevens doesn't really view the game that way, at least the evidence would suggest as much.

I personally think Smart can develop the ability to be the primary ball-handler on offense be it as a PG next to a guy like Hunter or SG next to a guy like Rozier. The problem with Bradley, for as much as Ainge loves him, he can't even really be a secondary ball-handler. For a guy like Stevens, that necessitates having a guy like Turner around. But Rozier is a guy who's a whole heck of a lot like a young AB, just with much better handles and vision. I think they'd like to have a guy next to Smart (Regardless of who's the 1 and the 2) who can bring the ball up some. Thomas and Smart played pretty well together, and that's what your looking for with Rozier and Smart. They'd really like a guy who can shoulder a lot of the scoring load at the 3, but doesn't need the ball in his hands all the time (like Turner does) to do so.

Stevens really seems to place a premium on guys who are versatile enough to play different positions for flexibility in line-ups. To me, Rozier seems like a nearly tailor-made AB replacement for Ainge to pair with Smart. If his jumper becomes AB level, which seems entirely possible, they could become quite a great back-court with IT as the 6th man and a sharpshooter like Hunter (Or even better, what you hope Young can be) in the rotation. It's early, but Rozier seems deserving this far of a mid 1st round pick.

This.

Remember when Marcus Smart first got drafted people were saying the exact same things about him - he can't dribble, he can't pass, he can't shoot - he's not a PG and he's too small to play SG.

He had no problems defending NBA SG's last year, and look how much is passing and ball handling improved in this Summer League compared to the last - he's like a different player.

I don't think Rozier's passing or ball handling really look much (if any) worse than Smart's did in his first summer league, and Rozier's shot certainly looks better than Smart's did.

He also has the same motor, work ethic and swagger as Smart. 

Rozier is basically smaller, quicker and more offensively oriented Marcus Smart.  Smart is the bigger, stronger and more defensively oriented Terry Rozier. 

I think they'll be a deadly combination one day...definitely not a back court that many teams will be able to out-work/out-hustle.