the" big kid" Zizic that is coming

[footey]

I'm willing to bet he is already working on a 3 point shot, and will be able to use it come next year.  It's becoming a necessary tool for most bigs, especially Euro's. 

[Neurotic Guy]

Erden is a very experienced, very successful veteran who is 10 years older.  If he weren't finally showing signs of physically decline, I would be shocked if a 20 year old wet-behind-the-ears kid would be able to beat him out.

If Semih is healthy I would not at all consider it "bad for us" if Zizic remained on the bench behind him.   I wouldn't at all consider that any sort of negative referendum on Zizic's ability or potential.

Erden was a fringe NBA player and he is he does not show he has more talent than that it means trouble for us.  We need a guy that can play in the NBA and be worth more than the 2nd round pick we got for Erden.  I could care less what helps that Euro Team.   I want Zizic to be able to help the C's!

So yes it absolutely matters that he is a better player than Erden, because we traded Erden away for nothing.

Hard to know whether a fringe NBA center at 25 translates into a better center at 30.  Probably is a case by case situation, but it's possible that Erden is a much more accomplished center now than he was then.  Still, if you think about where Zizic is in his development, he'd be a college sophomore right now.  Imagine the 30 year old Erden on a Division 1 college team today.  My guess is he'd be pretty tough to beat out -- he'd be bigger, stronger, more experienced and more skilled than the vast majority of his opponents.  He's be awfully difficult to unseat as a starter.  I think it's a very positive sign if Zizic is gaining minutes over Erden, and probably not a negative sign if Erden continues to start.

[chilidawg]

Erden is a very experienced, very successful veteran who is 10 years older.  If he weren't finally showing signs of physically decline, I would be shocked if a 20 year old wet-behind-the-ears kid would be able to beat him out.

If Semih is healthy I would not at all consider it "bad for us" if Zizic remained on the bench behind him.   I wouldn't at all consider that any sort of negative referendum on Zizic's ability or potential.

Erden was a fringe NBA player and he is he does not show he has more talent than that it means trouble for us.  We need a guy that can play in the NBA and be worth more than the 2nd round pick we got for Erden.  I could care less what helps that Euro Team.   I want Zizic to be able to help the C's!

So yes it absolutely matters that he is a better player than Erden, because we traded Erden away for nothing.

Does it similarly matter that Jaylen Brown isn't a better player than Jae Crowder?   It's a similar situation.  You don't care at this point of their careers that they aren't a better player now, you care that they have more potential and talent, and think that some point soon they'll be better players.