Your Favorite Celtics Rookie

[mr. dee]

I funny that nobody voted for Mickey. Maybe the contract issues dropped his stock

[positivitize]

Hunter is my favorite
but T-Roz is CLUTCH.

It's really close. Hunter's passing wins the tie for me.

[twistedrico]

RJ Hunter has a chance to be a real player.

[PhoSita]

I find myself really hoping RJ Hunter turns into Danny Green 2.0.

With his picture perfect shot, he's definitely got the best chance out of this year's rookies of being more than a 10-20 minute per night role player.

[max215]

I find myself really hoping RJ Hunter turns into Danny Green 2.0.

With his picture perfect shot, he's definitely got the best chance out of this year's rookies of being more than a 10-20 minute per night role player.

I'll take the best 3 and D player in the NBA at #28 

[max215]

I went with Hunter with T Roze as a very close second. It was a tough choice, but RJ's poise and intelligence is just too much to ignore.

[Beat LA]

I find myself really hoping RJ Hunter turns into Danny Green 2.0.

With his picture perfect shot, he's definitely got the best chance out of this year's rookies of being more than a 10-20 minute per night role player.

While I perfectly understand that it's only summer league and that we should taper our expectations, Hunter is already a more complete player than Green due to his passing ability . 

Are you sure about picture-perfect, though, because I've seen people on here allude to his low release point as a possible problem for him.  Just curious.

[max215]

I find myself really hoping RJ Hunter turns into Danny Green 2.0.

With his picture perfect shot, he's definitely got the best chance out of this year's rookies of being more than a 10-20 minute per night role player.

While I perfectly understand that it's only summer league and that we should taper our expectations, Hunter is already a more complete player than Green due to his passing ability . 

Are you sure about picture-perfect, though, because I've seen people on here allude to his low release point as a possible problem for him.  Just curious.

I think it's generally believed that the problems associated with his low release can be negated by the fact that his release is very quick.

[notthebowler]

I voted for Hunter, but I'd say a tie between Hunter and Rozier.  Hunter looks very part the coach's kid, who can shoot.  If he takes smarter shots in the season and plays within the team concept (which I'm sure he will), he'll be money.  Rozier just seems CLUTCH.  And, as Pitino pointed out, he's still just developing his game.

Happy with the off-season after being initially skeptical after the first two summer league games.  Glad they played two summer leagues.

Your last paragraph is a great point that I hadn't thought about. Imagine if they only played in the Jazz summer league. How different would you feel about our young guys?  I know my opinions after UT were completely different than they are now.

After game #2 I told my son "this is the worst basketball team ive ever seen, relative to their competition." That was painful and embarrassing to watch. Now, I feel really good about 4 guys on the SL team.

[YeezusChrist]

Hunter is my favorite rookie so far and his ceiling could be very high considering where he's at right now.

Now don't get me wrong i'm starting to like Rozier but Hunter has range that extends to half court, he looks like he'll be able to guard 3 positions in his prime, has an incredible basketball iq, and he is a great passer.

I can actually see him becoming better than Klay Thompson because of all the stuff I mentioned above but it is just summer league so we'll see what happens this season 

[ahonui06]

Like RJ Hunter because he can help the Celtics with their worst area: 3 point shooting.

[Iggzilla]

I chose Hunter. His BBIQ and feel for the game is just off the charts. Just needs to fill out his body more and improve conditioning.

That said, I was very impressed with these three rookies. Rozier showed his competitive and clutch mentality, Mickey just works his ass off and is always in the right spots, and Hunter for his sweet shooting. I hope these three make the team.

[PhoSita]

I find myself really hoping RJ Hunter turns into Danny Green 2.0.

With his picture perfect shot, he's definitely got the best chance out of this year's rookies of being more than a 10-20 minute per night role player.

While I perfectly understand that it's only summer league and that we should taper our expectations, Hunter is already a more complete player than Green due to his passing ability . 

Are you sure about picture-perfect, though, because I've seen people on here allude to his low release point as a possible problem for him.  Just curious.

It's picture perfect because it's so quick and fluid.  It's not NBA-perfect because of the relatively low release point.  It's not like he's shooting from the hip like Kevin Martin.

[pokeKingCurtis]

I find myself really hoping RJ Hunter turns into Danny Green 2.0.

With his picture perfect shot, he's definitely got the best chance out of this year's rookies of being more than a 10-20 minute per night role player.

Speaking as someone who's neither an export on RJ Hunter (having had to skip the summer league) nor Danny Green (barely watches anything other than Celts games) (but follows NBA related media closely)...

Offensively, it seems RJ Hunter hones some playmaking and passing abilities.

I hate to say this but his game just looks like Steph Curry's. From a body type standpoint, from the quick release that's not traditionally unorthodox (grounded, low release), as well as the decent guard (passing-ballhandling) skills to go with the shooting. A very poor man's version, perhaps.

Defensively, I don't feel RJ is an "honest", shutdown defender.

It feels like RJ is a Rondo-type defender. Possibly a result of conditioning. He will troll the passing lanes. He will redirect his matchup to the bigs. He will sag back.

Perhaps after some strength and conditioning, RJ will play more "honest" defensively. Consider that Rondo's defense has been praised after being traded to the Mavs (I'm guessing his minutes at Dallas are a far cry from the ~40 MPG under the Doc Rivers regime).

---

On a side note, and on a very speculative note, could RJ Hunter have a Rondo-type complexion? I've read that he pouts a bit on defense. His smarter-than-you mentality on defense is similar to the point guard's mentality.

A bit curious to see what happens on this end.

When Rondo's in a pinch, there's nothing much he can do sometimes. He's smart enough not to chuck it too much. He's too timid to drive because of a cocktail of injury and free throw woes.

When it's bad, it's bad. Rondo pouting while playing poorly has been horrible for the Mavs. No doubt there has been a few games for us where it's just been a mess for Rondo.

But then there's a glint in his eyes sometimes and he starts wrecking your team...---somehow. That's the magic of Rondo...the larger than life personality. The reason he's so divisive.

Would RJ chuck it when he's mad, because he knows he can make it, like a Bizzaro-Rondo? Does he have that magic?

Does he make plays? He's shown the potential to grab the key rebounds, make the key passes, dribble drive.

Another interesting thought is Marcus Smart's tenacity. As someone mentioned, after missing a shot during this past summer league, he simply forced a steal (again, Rondo-esque).

The psyche of the players that Ainge has drafted is very intriguing. They (Rozier, Smart, Hunter, Mickey) do not have elite talents, but their mentalities have the potential to make them...again, larger than life.

[Beat LA]

I find myself really hoping RJ Hunter turns into Danny Green 2.0.

With his picture perfect shot, he's definitely got the best chance out of this year's rookies of being more than a 10-20 minute per night role player.

While I perfectly understand that it's only summer league and that we should taper our expectations, Hunter is already a more complete player than Green due to his passing ability . 

Are you sure about picture-perfect, though, because I've seen people on here allude to his low release point as a possible problem for him.  Just curious.

It's picture perfect because it's so quick and fluid.  It's not NBA-perfect because of the relatively low release point.  It's not like he's shooting from the hip like Kevin Martin.

Fair enough.  I just remember people voicing concerns over it.  Doesn't he also land awkwardly or something because he's not squaring himself to the basket all the time?  That's really weird, considering how he's known for shooting, haha .