Yabusele

[hwangjini_1]

I want to temper expectations a little because he's still young and this is the D League he's playing in. There might not even be a roster spot for him next season. But I love his skillset and size. He could really be something. But it'll be a few years before we see it at the NBA stage.

good points. mostly, i am optimistic about yabusele's future with the celtics. i think he will provide much much needed offense off the bench.

my concern, even on draft day, is his defense. he used to not try very hard. it seemed a lower priority for him. as a bench player, you can live with this if his offense is good. but hopefully he has inproved on defense and is a credible two way player.

i think he makes the team next season and is part of the rotation by mid-season. ha, i am an upbeat kind of guy. 

[Ogaju]

what are you supposed to do with the fouls you are given? Take them home and stockpile em?

Anyway, here is what I saw from the highlights.

A Mickey sighting.

Nader can pass the rock

Tyler Hansborough is in the D-League? That Bully enforcer? Did you see the way he got out of Yabu's way for that easy layup? Expect a lot of that in the NBA. Hansborough is not a soft player.

[Emmette Bryant]

He's a force and pretty skilled, but definitely seemed to struggle a bit getting off the floor in that video.  He's not fat, but keeping his weight down will be a real key to his athleticism not declining.

Agreed. In addition here's a link to tonight's highlights: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uXLqK5WkaIQ

I've been impressed with his performance so far in Maine. 10/14 from the field, 8 rebounds 2 blocks. He got up there on that baseline drive.

5 fouls and 5 turnovers didn't make the highlights.

Those factors rarely get mentioned around here in the daily Yabu Fan Club meetings.

Just to be fair,  he's in a completely new system/team. He averaged 2 turnovers in China, playing 30 minutes per game.

[Big333223]

my concern, even on draft day, is his defense. he used to not try very hard. it seemed a lower priority for him. as a bench player, you can live with this if his offense is good. but hopefully he has inproved on defense and is a credible two way player.

Yeah, that's my concern, too. But with his strength, footwork, and long arms there's no reason for him to not become a decent defender in the NBA. We just have to see the will.

[Darío SpanishFan]

I watched Maine's game until the Celtics started last night (all the first half).

He is well conditioned, trust me. He is not fat at all, just a peculiar body construction with the bottom very retracted, and it is misleading. His soft touch from outside has improved since he played in France, and he is very smart. It's amazing how he plays when he's not been with the team until the last regular season games.

What "worries" me is that signing a max free agent he might have to spend another year overseas. It could be very beneficial to both parts if he can play in a top European club, but if he ends up in China or the G-League his development will not be appropriate.

[footey]

Don't mean to over-hype, but....

His playing style reminds me a lot of a young Charles Barkley. 

How cool would that be??

[saltlover]

I watched Maine's game until the Celtics started last night (all the first half).

He is well conditioned, trust me. He is not fat at all, just a peculiar body construction with the bottom very retracted, and it is misleading. His soft touch from outside has improved since he played in France, and he is very smart. It's amazing how he plays when he's not been with the team until the last regular season games.

What "worries" me is that signing a max free agent he might have to spend another year overseas. It could be very beneficial to both parts if he can play in a top European club, but if he ends up in China or the G-League his development will not be appropriate.

If he stays in Maine next year without signing a Celtics contract, that would be just great in my opinion.  While the competition wouldn't be as strong as in Europe, he would play in the same system as Boston, as well as adap to American rules (apparently one of the causes of his turnovers is due to his shuffling his feet when receiving the ball on the perimeter, which was not called in China.)

I think it would help him transition to the NBA as someone ready to contribute.  If he signs with the Celtics, I expect his season will he spent in Maine anyway.

[kraidstar]

He's a force and pretty skilled, but definitely seemed to struggle a bit getting off the floor in that video.  He's not fat, but keeping his weight down will be a real key to his athleticism not declining.

Agreed. In addition here's a link to tonight's highlights: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uXLqK5WkaIQ

I've been impressed with his performance so far in Maine. 10/14 from the field, 8 rebounds 2 blocks. He got up there on that baseline drive.

5 fouls and 5 turnovers didn't make the highlights.

Those factors rarely get mentioned around here in the daily Yabu Fan Club meetings.

Excellent analysis from Celtics Blog's most valued contributor.

Considering how all of our young players are trash right now, which guys should we be targeting in the draft?

[Darío SpanishFan]

I watched Maine's game until the Celtics started last night (all the first half).

He is well conditioned, trust me. He is not fat at all, just a peculiar body construction with the bottom very retracted, and it is misleading. His soft touch from outside has improved since he played in France, and he is very smart. It's amazing how he plays when he's not been with the team until the last regular season games.

What "worries" me is that signing a max free agent he might have to spend another year overseas. It could be very beneficial to both parts if he can play in a top European club, but if he ends up in China or the G-League his development will not be appropriate.

If he stays in Maine next year without signing a Celtics contract, that would be just great in my opinion.  While the competition wouldn't be as strong as in Europe, he would play in the same system as Boston, as well as adap to American rules (apparently one of the causes of his turnovers is due to his shuffling his feet when receiving the ball on the perimeter, which was not called in China.)

I think it would help him transition to the NBA as someone ready to contribute.  If he signs with the Celtics, I expect his season will he spent in Maine anyway.

As you have guessed (I hope, because I trust your intelligence a lot) I'm telling about the salary cap problems. If we have him signed in those "double way contracts", his cap is counting? And the first year of his rookie contract is spent or he would be "blank" in these terms?

Thanks as always!! What you say about the travelling is interesting, but I don't know if Maine's wages can remotely compete with maybe a million dollars offered overseas.

[rollie mass]

 fourth game with three in the playoffs in an hard fought series with ot and a one point loss
5 turnovers and 5 fouls -so what
he was thrown in with no time to practice ,no time getting used to timing and superior competition than china
probably travelled,  made some bad passes,and fooled by speed and length of players
he will have the red claws playoffs under his belt, a summer  of working out
,summer league  and another few months of practice we may not recognize yabusele's game
,look at jaylens progress

[liam]

Does anyone know if the rosters are going up to 18 spots next year? 15 nba and 3 d league?

[cousytoheinsohn]

fourth game with three in the playoffs in an hard fought series with ot and a one point loss
5 turnovers and 5 fouls -so what
he was thrown in with no time to practice ,no time getting used to timing and superior competition than china
probably travelled,  made some bad passes,and fooled by speed and length of players
he will have the red claws playoffs under his belt, a summer  of working out
,summer league  and another few months of practice we may not recognize yabusele's game
,look at jaylens progress

Great points.

Danny's draft misses are legend but it seems like he may be well into the process of redeeming himself with this current bunch, which properly includes Smart and Brown.

Viewed collectively, there does seem to be enormous upside. I'm particularly excited about Yab and Nader. Honestly haven't seen enough of Zizic to comment, but there must be a reason everyone is so high on him, as well.

It would be pretty cool if these guys get really good, even great, and form the core of the next Celtic contender, not that the present iteration isn't one. I think this team is going to surprise a lot of people starting in a day or two, in a very good way.

I love the home-grown, born-and-raised-a-Celtic character of it all, if you will. It's very cool and evocative of  the great eras of the past. The Cs always seemed to develop and take care of their own or they brought in players in whom they saw both the potential for greatness and the essential Celtic within even though no one else did. Isaiah is the most recent example.

It's one of the things that made the Cs special, different and tougher than the rest. Still does: I think that's a big part of the plan and it's nice to see them getting back to it. Development is clearly one of Stevens' strong suits as well as passion. Really fun stuff to watch.

[BitterJim]

I watched Maine's game until the Celtics started last night (all the first half).

He is well conditioned, trust me. He is not fat at all, just a peculiar body construction with the bottom very retracted, and it is misleading. His soft touch from outside has improved since he played in France, and he is very smart. It's amazing how he plays when he's not been with the team until the last regular season games.

What "worries" me is that signing a max free agent he might have to spend another year overseas. It could be very beneficial to both parts if he can play in a top European club, but if he ends up in China or the G-League his development will not be appropriate.

If he stays in Maine next year without signing a Celtics contract, that would be just great in my opinion.  While the competition wouldn't be as strong as in Europe, he would play in the same system as Boston, as well as adap to American rules (apparently one of the causes of his turnovers is due to his shuffling his feet when receiving the ball on the perimeter, which was not called in China.)

I think it would help him transition to the NBA as someone ready to contribute.  If he signs with the Celtics, I expect his season will he spent in Maine anyway.

As you have guessed (I hope, because I trust your intelligence a lot) I'm telling about the salary cap problems. If we have him signed in those "double way contracts", his cap is counting? And the first year of his rookie contract is spent or he would be "blank" in these terms?

Thanks as always!! What you say about the travelling is interesting, but I don't know if Maine's wages can remotely compete with maybe a million dollars offered overseas.

Saltlover is talking about Yabu signing with Maine, not the Celtics.  He wouldn't be on a 2-way contract (which he won't qualify for), and wouldn't be eligible to play with the Celtics, but would be "stashed" in Maine (like Nader was this year) instead of overseas.  The salary implications are the same as if he was stashed overseas.

Then at the end when he mentions Maine he's just saying that if Yabu does get signed this year (not for a 2-way contract, he wouldn't qualify), he would likely spend a lot of time in Maine anyway, like Young, Mickey, and Jackson have.

[saltlover]

I watched Maine's game until the Celtics started last night (all the first half).

He is well conditioned, trust me. He is not fat at all, just a peculiar body construction with the bottom very retracted, and it is misleading. His soft touch from outside has improved since he played in France, and he is very smart. It's amazing how he plays when he's not been with the team until the last regular season games.

What "worries" me is that signing a max free agent he might have to spend another year overseas. It could be very beneficial to both parts if he can play in a top European club, but if he ends up in China or the G-League his development will not be appropriate.

If he stays in Maine next year without signing a Celtics contract, that would be just great in my opinion.  While the competition wouldn't be as strong as in Europe, he would play in the same system as Boston, as well as adap to American rules (apparently one of the causes of his turnovers is due to his shuffling his feet when receiving the ball on the perimeter, which was not called in China.)

I think it would help him transition to the NBA as someone ready to contribute.  If he signs with the Celtics, I expect his season will he spent in Maine anyway.

As you have guessed (I hope, because I trust your intelligence a lot) I'm telling about the salary cap problems. If we have him signed in those "double way contracts", his cap is counting? And the first year of his rookie contract is spent or he would be "blank" in these terms?

Thanks as always!! What you say about the travelling is interesting, but I don't know if Maine's wages can remotely compete with maybe a million dollars offered overseas.

I am almost positive he cannot sign a two-way contract -- I have read the CBA and it would seem to not work, and no one whom I trust has said that's allowable.  He would be allowed to sign no contract over the summer and play in Maine, like Nader did this year, and like Josh Huestis did a couple of years ago for the Thunder as a 1st round pick.  If he agreed to do this and sent a letter to the NBA, he would not count against the cap.

I don't expect this to happen, because financially there's a huge difference between Maine and China.  The Celtics would have to convince him that it would benefit his long-term ability to have a successful career.  I think it would, personally, but the differences in compensation next year would be massive.

[mctyson]

He's a force and pretty skilled, but definitely seemed to struggle a bit getting off the floor in that video.  He's not fat, but keeping his weight down will be a real key to his athleticism not declining.

Agreed. In addition here's a link to tonight's highlights: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uXLqK5WkaIQ

I've been impressed with his performance so far in Maine. 10/14 from the field, 8 rebounds 2 blocks. He got up there on that baseline drive.

5 fouls and 5 turnovers didn't make the highlights.

Those factors rarely get mentioned around here in the daily Yabu Fan Club meetings.

Excellent analysis from Celtics Blog's most valued contributor.

Considering how all of our young players are trash right now, which guys should we be targeting in the draft?

Good point...Coach can easily out-scout and draft Ainge.  I eagerly await his draft rankings.