I don't really have a big problem with the way Doc handled things with young players. I know others have a really hate for it, but I think his decisions were always perfectly justified.
Firstly, we need to remember that when Doc was in Boston, we were contenders almost the entire time. How often do you see the coach of a contending team putting excessive amounts of trust into unproven prospects? Honestly, it's pretty rare.
Secondly, we need to consider the type of young talent Doc had to work with. We were a contender for years, so we rarely ever had cap space and our draft selections were generally always in the late first round / early second round. Finding talent in those sections of the draft is like finding a needle in a haystack. So much of the young guys we got simply weren't that talented.
Finally, when Doc did get young guys with talent, he tended to give them a chance.
* Rondo was our starting PG in our championship year, as only a second year player.
* Perk was also only in the league a couple of years, yet started at center for us in 08.
* Tony Allen got some legit playing time for us during those years - he didn't start because his game at that time was too limited, but as he earned his time he got it.
* Avery Bradley was made a starter in only his second or third season, in place of veteran star Ray Allen
* Big Baby got a very big role for us early in his career.
* Etwaan Moore got consistent rotation minutes as a rookie.
* Semih Erden got for more playing opportunities under Doc than Mickey/Rozier/Hunter have this year.
* Sully was given a solid rotation role as a rookie right from the get go
People criticised Doc all the time for not giving young guys a chance, which I never understood given the fact that we had two young and inexperienced players starting on our 2008 championship team.
Doc was perfectly happy to give playing time to young guys, but only did so if those guys could earn it and prove they were worthy of those minutes. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
The guys he didn't give minutes too, it was usually because they just weren't that good at the time. Or because there were other players on the team who were simply a lot better.
I did get frustrated sometimes with Doc because I felt he has TOO MUCH loyalty for the vets, and he'd sometimes keep them in for long stretches even when they were hurting us with poor play. But I can understand that given those guys were former stars and proven guys, and you generally always knew what you would get from them.
But I Brad does that too and that frustrates me even more sometimes because he does it with guys who haven't really proven themselves that much (e.g. Sully). I like 90% of what Brad does, but he lets Sully get away with far too much hero ball out there sometimes, when I feel he really needs to blow the whistle and bench him to teach him a lesson.
I do agree with some people above that I feel Olynyk should get more minutes. I'm think he's too foul prone still to get up in the 30+ minute range, but I feel that he should be getting around 25 - 28 minutes a night consistently. When he's on the court good things almost always happen, and I felt like we really missed his presence yesterday against the Jazz.
But i do get that Brad has a lot of guys on that roster, and he has to try to manage expectations, give everybody a chance, etc. We have a lot of guys expiring after this year, and I feel that Danny and Brad are doing to get together and do a lot of talking about which guys have produced the most when given the opportunity, which guys fit the team best moving forward, who to try to retain, who to let walk, etc. I feel like we will come back next year with a trimmed down roster, and with everybody in a more clear role. I think that will allow Brad to establish more clear and meaningful rotations.
Topic: Has Any Young Celtic Ever Really Not Had a Chance? (Read 6362 times)