I think we stole one with the drafting of RJ Hunter.
He's a real 6-6, with long arms. He's not a one trick pony. He looks like he will be a pretty solid defender and a very good passer. He's not lost on the court, he's involved with the flow of the game. His shooting and his shooting range is real impressive.
Him declining the invitation shows where his priorities are. He has one thing on his mind.
Credit to Danny for drafting guys with great character - every one of our rookies is a hard working / high motor guy.
Also loved that he went after needs- three scorers and a rim protector. Exactly the roles we need filled. If any one of Hunter / Rozier / Thornton develops into a consistent #2 or #3 scoring option, then we've hit the jackpot.
I'm excited too, to an extent. Looks like we drafted 3 NBA players.
But drafting based on need? We added to our 2 logjams, and Rozier's skillset largely overlaps with those of our 2 primary guards. He's also a lot more raw than posters here seem to acknowledge...
By no means an expert, and this is entirely observational (I know you appreciate stats, but I don't think college numbers matter and no one is putting up stand-out SL numbers).
In general, Rozier has shown some pros and cons thus far:
Pros - He's very fast with the ball, has shown good instincts finding open guys (esp in transition), doesn't force many shots, has shown an ability to finish (again esp in transition), hounds the ball, has good defensive instincts and wingspan benefits him in ripping guys (again esp in open court).
Cons - While he's fast with the ball, he doesn't have a great command of the ball (a la Rondo), doesn't seem fluid enough to be consistently creating, forces passes that are creating TOs, hasn't shown a lot in the way of shooting (despite some nice fadeaways), and hasn't shown a consistent ability to score in the half-court (e.g., a floater). Without an elite command of the ball, his speed won't benefit his scoring unless he develops a consistent floater, mid-range game, etc.
Re: scoring, Hunter is the only one of the bunch that could become a go-to scorer imo, but I'm not sure he has the skill set to become a #2, and he definitely doesn't have the bulk/strength to make significant contributions this year. I do love his IQ, feel for the game, passing, the benefits of his length on defense, commitment, and gradual improvement. He's a ball player, no doubt... far more well-rounded than I had even hoped.
Honestly expect spot minutes from RJ and Rozier this year, but doubting Thornton makes it at this level.
Topic: RJ Hunter nominated for Espy award, declines invite to stay with the Celtics (Read 7355 times)