Which players are you most up and down on?

[walker834]

I 'm probably in the minority where I like our entire roster and hope everyone does well.  But there are players in particular I am high on.  Smart, Rozier, KO, Sully, Bradley are some of my favs.  Isaiah I think is in for a big year but I'm not super high on him mainly because I like defense.  Amir and Lee are "blue collar" guys.  I think Lee in particular is going to play a huge role but I might be higher on Amir long term.

[walker834]

Thing is how this all works out long term is anyone's guess but I guess that's what I'm getting at.  Bradley for example might not be in our long term plans.  He might be, but having guys like Rozier and Hunter might pay dividends and better fits.  The same goes for Sully  with KO here.  But I can't make that decision yet.

Bradley is one of my favorite Celtics.  So is Smart.   I hope we can keep Bradley around.  Might not be in the cards though.

[D.o.s.]

Excited to see how Johnson changes our interior defense. Always excited to see the Pizza Guy fighting the good fight for us under-six-footers, hope to see Smart become more of a two-way player and more of a principle piece of our offense rather than an afterthought.

Not excited to watch Lee and Turner gobble up minutes that could be going to players that might contribute to the next really great Celtics team.

Indifferent to the flotsam.

[slamtheking]

Up: (will be better than last year or surpass expectations even if it's D league for the rookies)
Sully, Smart, Amir, Rozier, Hunter, Mickey, Crowder

Middling:  (not expecting them to be better or worse than they have been)
Lee, Zeller, PJIII, Turner, Jerebko

Down:  (not optimistic they will get better and think we can do better)
AB, KO, Young, IT

(I think PJIII is the one cut here or dealt for a second rounder to someone who wants to take a flyer on him)

[PhoSita]

I always look forward to seeing Smart's fire on the court, and I'm hoping he shows more as a scorer inside the 3 point line.

IT is lots of fun to watch, always.

I would be interested to see if Sullinger or Olynyk can finally put together a full, productive, relatively consistent season and demonstrate the ability to maybe become a long term starter at the 4 or 5, but I don't think either will get enough playing time for that to happen.

As sour as I am on the acquisition of Amir and Lee from a big picture perspective, the Celtics fanboy part of me is secretly excited to see them play together.  Would be cool to see a Celtics big man putting up regular double doubles on ~50% shooting again, and having a 6'10'' pick-setting, shot-blocking, rebounding enforcer near the hoop again would be nice to see, too.

I'm very much down on the fact that the team has only one NBA-ready wing, and that Turner and Bradley are still on the roster and in line for lots of minutes.  Both guys are solid NBA players who have a place on a good team, I just don't want them to be a significant part of our NBA team.

Down on the fact that none of the rookies (or our de-facto rookie second year guy) is likely to get any meaningful playing time.

[jpotter33]

Excited to see how Johnson changes our interior defense. Always excited to see the Pizza Guy fighting the good fight for us under-six-footers, hope to see Smart become more of a two-way player and more of a principle piece of our offense rather than an afterthought.

Not excited to watch Lee and Turner gobble up minutes that could be going to players that might contribute to the next really great Celtics team.

Indifferent to the flotsam.

It will be interesting to see if Stevens makes him a bigger part of our offense next year. I think Bradley's shot attempts should decrease and go to Smart. I envision Bradley in a Danny Green type role for us. It also depends upon who he shares the court with. Turner and Smart don't coexist well together, so I'd like to see him paired up mostly with Bradley and IT out there.

[walker834]

The issue with Bradley is he isn't the most efficient shooter on the planet. He has that shot where he comes off a screen which was a go to play for the C's last year.  Players like Hunter are much more rangy shooters than Bradley.

Cutting Bradley's touches would be good as I don't tink PT really effects him too much but he isn't the most explosive offensive player on the planet.  He's just a good player.

Like any shooter he's a rhythm player in ways.  He relies on getting shots.

[ahonui06]

Up: Marcus Smart, Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Jonas Jerebko, Amir Johnson
Indifferent: Avery Bradley, David Lee, Kelly Olynyk, Evan Turner, RJ Hunter, Terry Rozier, Perry Jones III, Jordan Mickey
Down: Jared Sullinger, James Young, Tyler Zeller

[Celtics4ever]

I 'm probably in the minority where I like our entire roster and hope everyone does well.

Even guys who don't like the roster, even root for us to win.

But there are players in particular I am high on.  Smart, Rozier, KO, Sully, Bradley are some of my favs. 

Reading this I have to wonder what else your high on.

Isaiah I think is in for a big year but I'm not super high on him mainly because I like defense.

You support Sully and claim to like defense, that is borderline absurd.  His foot speed is poor and help defense is pathetic.   

Amir and Lee are "blue collar" guys.  I think Lee in particular is going to play a huge role but I might be higher on Amir long term.

Agree.

I am not high on Sully and KO.   I think they are both capable of playing in the pros, but I think their upside is limited by being slow and not athletic.   Both struggle with length and athletic guys.   This will be the year where they decide they are players but they will have to earn it.   Lee and Amir are not going to lay down for them, neither is Mickey but I think they both have a strong edge over him.   Zeller and them are a wash.   They both could be good bench players, but one has to wonder if either will be a reliable starters.    We have all heard about Sully losing weight, and that looks to be the case, but the video I have seen he is still slow and earthbound and playing against dubious competition.   KO is a confidence guy, some games he has it and is great, other games it is like he is a turtle with his head in the sand.   It is a critical year for KO and Sully, for Sully it is a contract year.   He has shown extremely poor discipline up to present, both in shot selection and his professionalism and taking care of his body.   Ainge, took steps to mitigate things if he is not ready in getting Amir and Lee.    I think he was right in doing so, but it may be too little too late for Jared.  I think he gets a chance, but we will not have to tolerate lazy play this year by him because we can sub him with equally effective or arguably more effective bigs.

Young is a guy who I think it is critical for him to grow as a player.    I think Thornton was a wasted pick by us from what I seen in summer league.  I think I would have took a flyer on Dakari Johnson or trade up for Pat Connaughton instead of taking this kid.   I am still optimistic on Young but not high on him.

Bradley, I think is an accomplished pro.   I expect him to produce and play good D.   Smart, I hope can take the next step forward.   He looked like a man among boys in summer league, which means nothing, but it is better to play well against your peers than not.  I have high hopes for Smart.  I am happy we got Amir, hope Lee has some left in the tank.    I think Zeller is steady but not spectacular.   I am not as high, as others, on Crowder, but he is so hard nosed one has to pull for him.  I am excited for IT, he can be explosive as a scorer.

I like three of the rookies.   I am high on Mickey, but I think he will be buried in the lineup.   I think, as I have said, will make practices interesting.   I think he will swat some shots in practice but that being said, Oly and Sully will be able to earn PT over him as he is a rookie.   I wish I was wrong on this one, as we need some athletic help.   Hunter and Rozier, I think will be productive at some point in their careers.   They both were the man, for their teams, and that load of responsibility often makes for a good player.

I am very high on CBS, he had our guys playing hard last year and I think in many ways he is our best selling point.  Ainge did not add a star, but  he made the team better, the best he could I think.

[walker834]

I am not high on Sully's defense at all.  I actually used to criticize him on it.  What I like about Sully is his ability to play down low.  I am a  fan of Sully just because he's Sully and has a lot of ability as a rebounder.  If he can't score inside with efficiency though that's an issue.

I never understood in the past where people were all over Green for his lackluster play and up and down play and never got on Sully though.  Sully has been just as inconsistant and lackadasical at times.

Sully needs to move the ball and take good shots.  He's never going to be a great defender but he has the ability to be solid.

[walker834]

 I'd say actually  Sully is one guy I am very up and down on.   I like Bradley, Rozier and Smart because of their ability to play on both ends of the floor.  Sully and KO are young and I like their potential.  Also like Amir.  David Lee and Isaiah are going to be very good for us.  I'm just not that attached to them.  They were brought in from other teams and aren't exactly Kevin Garnett.  I can see where they fit us though.  Maybe moreso than some of our young guys but I am very high on Smart and Rozier in particular.

Bradley also like you say is just a solid pro.

[Who]

Down on = Olynyk
Don't care = David Lee
Lukwarm on = most of the roster = I.Thomas. A.Bradley. T.Zeller, J.Crowder, J.Young, Amir J.
Somewhat high on = Smart and Sully
Don't have much of an opinion on any of the rookies yet.

Not overly high on anyone at the moment to be honest. Big year for Smart and Sully. I want to see Smart do more on offense and I want to Sully in better shape and competing more on defense. I really like Sully but his failure to get it together over last year has been disappointing. I think an engaged and focused Sully is every bit an equal to David Lee. Rarely saw that Sully last year though. I really like Smart but I need to see more from him on offense before I go back to thinking (when he was drafted) that Smart can be an All-Star caliber player in this league.

[Celtics4ever]

I actually used to criticize him on it.  What I like about Sully is his ability to play down low.  I am a  fan of Sully just because he's Sully and has a lot of ability as a rebounder.

I agree with this, I wished he played more to his strengths than bombing threes.  Even if Amir and he play together Amir is the better three point shooter by a great deal.

[walker834]

I would not trade Sullinger.  At least not yet.  I think he can be a pierce like defender if he ever fixes his issues.

I like KO a lot too.  Especially as a center like has been discussed.  He can do a lot of damage there.

Bradley, Smart, Rozier.  I'd keep them too.  It probably won't work out that way but I like those guys.

Crowder is pretty badass.  Jerebko.  I like all our guys....  I think I am in the minority somewhat where I think we are going to be very good.  Lee, Isaiah, Amir. RJ, Mickey.  This team is really good imo.  We have too many players if anything.

[LarBrd33]

I 'm probably in the minority where I like our entire roster and hope everyone does well.  But there are players in particular I am high on.  Smart, Rozier, KO, Sully, Bradley are some of my favs.  Isaiah I think is in for a big year but I'm not super high on him mainly because I like defense.  Amir and Lee are "blue collar" guys.  I think Lee in particular is going to play a huge role but I might be higher on Amir long term.

I think people recognize that I take a bit of a "guilty until proven innocent" approach, but once a player catches my eye I don't think I backtrack too much.   It's hard, because as of right now this team doesn't really have any standout talent.  It's a collection of role players.  There's not a lot to get excited about on an individual level.  Most analysts (outside of this community) would agree that this team lacks starter-caliber talent in general.  Hard to get too excited about a roster where arguably the best player is coming off a season where he averaged 8 bench minutes in the playoffs  (with 8 DNPs), you know?

Good role players:  Turner, Bradley... maybe Amir, but I haven't watched him enough.
Good performing roleplayers with a hypothetical future:  Smart, Sully, Oly
Poor performing players with a hypothetical future:  James Young
Above-average talent:  David Lee (could return to form), Thomas (unfortunately a gimmicky player whose size prevents him from ever being taken seriously as a starter)
Quality backup:  Tyler Zeller
Guys gaining steam as future role players:  Crowder, Jerebko
Late 1st rounders who will try to turn heads in D-league:  Hozier, Mickey, Hunter

Of those guys, I guess I waver the most on Kelly and Sully.

Sully:  Despite all the negativity, he was pretty impressive right before his injury (averaging something like 19, 9 and 4 over his last 5 games and putting up solid limited minutes in the playoffs post-injury)...  I still think he can develop into a starter and possibly even more, but it's going to depend on his health and attitude.

Oly:  I've written some very glowing things about him here.  His offensive ability intrigues me.  I want to see what he can do with extended minutes, but I think it needs to be at his natural PF position... not out of position as a center.  Could see him develop into a starter... could see him develop into a back-up.   I go back and forth on it a bit.  It's going to be hard to come to a conclusion on Kelly until a trade or two paves the way for extended minutes either here or on his new team.