Summer Quandaries: Is Young Too Young For 2014-2015?

http://celticsgreen.blogspot.com/2014/08/sq14-25-young-too-young-for-2014-2015.html






Four days ago James Young entered his nineteenth year.  He’s got a world of potential and by all accounts was Kentucky’s clutch player by season’s end.  His pre-draft measurements were 6’7” with a wingspan of 7’ but weighs in at 213 pounds dripping wet.  That makes him taller, longer, but even lighter than his measures two years ago.  His strengths are shooting and confidence, but are countered by his weaknesses of inconsistency, undisciplined shot selection, and shaky ball handling.  A true triple threat (behind the arc, pull-up medium range, and to the rim) but a suspect passer and a questionable defender.  I’ll bite, will this guy walk on water, or will he be treading water?

I think there is history to support either camp.  As is typical, the truth probably falls somewhere in between.  I suspect that this year will find our youthful wunderkind both showing flashes of brilliance and floundering against stronger, more mature opponents.  On the Celtics he will be joining a jammed collection of wings behind four or five small forwards and six or eight shooting guards (depending on who is counting).  He is probably a really, really, really long shot to run away with rookie of the year.  Yet, it would not surprise me at all if he starts shoving aside his competing wings as early as next March or April.  

One of the shiniest projections for Boston’s 2014-15 season is for Young to start earning minutes and pushing one of his elders to the sidelines.  I have a hard time seeing this happening in training camp; and he may spend much of December and January in the D-league which may be an excellent investment.  However, if he hits the weight room hard (starting, like yesterday), treats defense like his newest most favorite passion, and embraces all the non-shooting aspects that are often widely ignored by highly touted rookies, then I think it quite likely that he begins making an impact sooner rather than later (i.e. this season rather than toward the end of his rookie contract).

How is it going to turn out?  I haven’t got a clue, but there are several new members on this Celtics team who are pretty much an enigma.  James Young is one of the most intriguing.

Only 40 more days until training camp.



bob
MY NOTE: Didn't know he was that light. Yeah, he needs to start pushing some iron around in a serious manner. If we didn't get Thornton I'd say he has a decent shot (at minutes) but with him then his hope is that Wallace isn't ready for heavy minutes early on. I don't watch college sports, so I honestly have no idea about his game, other than he's supposed to be a good shooter and how it can translate to the pro game.



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I'm not sure why everyone, guards in particular, need to be 230 pounds. He'll fill out, but his weight isn't what will make or break his ability to play in the NBA.

Kobe was 6' 6" and 200 pounds when he was a rookie. Kevin Garnett was 6' 11" and (surprise) 217 pounds.

If Young can play, he'll get a chance to show it.

I agree that weight is over-rated (or is it overweighted?) when it comes to guards.  Few of them are cut out to be bangers; in fact, their forte is usually to avoid contact rather than to seek it.  If he's not yet ready, it'll be because of lack of certain skills or knowhow rather than weight-related.

And, if he's not quite ready yet, that's why God invented the DL.

I think Lauderdale came back to earth on this one.  Sort of a stretch fourth estate (which is a stretch on my part).

Sam

I see him at SF for most of his NBA career. I can see him at 6-8, 225 by the time he's (gulp) 21.

I also see him tearing up the D league this year.

then maybe our starting SF the next year.

I believe James Young is a 3, not a 2. Guards don't have to be 230#, in fact, that's a heavy guard, but a 217# SF? He better be lightning quick. Chris Johnson is a paperweight too, but he's a whippet, one of the fastest players in the league and, if you watch him, has trouble inside.

His lack of defensive focus is more likely to keep him on the pine than his weight, but his lack of weight will also limit his upside since he will get outmuscled by the 235#+ SFs in the league.


bob



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With rare exceptions that prove the rule, 19 year olds do not make an impact.

We won't know if Young can play for at least a year or two.

Young's physique will obviously play a role in his development, but I believe his effort and the needs of the combinations in which he is placed will be more important.

If he does go to the DL, we'll get an immediate clue as to the position for which the Celtics are grooming him.  If he sticks with the Celtics, he could easily break in as a SG and shift to SF as he develops both physically and ability-wise.

Sam

Hi,
Despite that James Young just entered his twentieth year (not 19th as the author wrote) I hope he'll become a very good player who brings eighteenth banner to Boston.

AK

kdp59 wrote:I see him at SF for most of his NBA career. I can see him at 6-8, 225 by the time he's (gulp) 21.

I also see him tearing up the D league this year.

then maybe our starting SF the next year.

kdp,

He shot 40% as an 18 year old at Kentucky last season.
I'm not sure how you can predict that he will tear up the D-League or maybe start in the NBA a year from now.

I think the kids got real skills.

I could be very wrong, but I think he'll be a big part of our young rotation in two years.

KDP,

When I see assessments of younger players, I'm often disturbed because those appraisals include little or nothing about defense.  I noted a little jab at Young's defense in the original article ("questionable defense").  Based on what you've seen of him, what's your opinion of his defense OR, if you haven't formed an opinion, which of his attributes do you feel would best help him to develop into a good defender?

Thanks,

Sam

My son was at the Final 4 and came away  saying James Young should have been the tourney MVP. That's all I needed to hear to be encouraged about him.

James Young will need a little time, but he'll be a very good player. I think he can make an impact *this* year, well, provided Stevens gives him the time.



KJ

k_j_88 wrote:James Young will need a little time, but he'll be a very good player. I think he can make an impact *this* year, well, provided Stevens gives him the time.



KJ

With Green and Turner at SF and Bradley, Smart and Thornton at SG, when would Young get any time to play this season?
Plus teams can only dress 13 each game.
I think it's a fantasy that Young, who just turned 19 will get any meaningful minutes this season.
There's just not enough minutes to go around.

That's why I mentioned the DL as a possibility.  But not necessarily because of his age.  On Brad's team, he'll have to be outplayed to go down.

Sam

sam wrote:KDP,

When I see assessments of younger players, I'm often disturbed because those appraisals include little or nothing about defense.  I noted a little jab at Young's defense in the original article ("questionable defense").  Based on what you've seen of him, what's your opinion of his defense OR, if you haven't formed an opinion, which of his attributes do you feel would best help him to develop into a good defender?

Thanks,

Sam

I think his Quickness and wingspan give him a chance to develop into an adequate defensive player in the NBA.

but if Young becomes a good player in the NBA, it will be because of his offensive ability's, IMO.

kdp,

I believe the Celtics are headed toward a defensive-centric era, at least as things stand now (including what I understand of Brad's preference).  I doubt it will be possible for a player to stick with them for long without showing some decent defensive chops.  I agree that Young has the physical attributes that could produce a good defender.  The rest is mainly hard work.  I hope he's up to that, and I suspect he is.

Sam

tjmakz wrote:

k_j_88 wrote:James Young will need a little time, but he'll be a very good player. I think he can make an impact *this* year, well, provided Stevens gives him the time.



KJ

With Green and Turner at SF and Bradley, Smart and Thornton at SG, when would Young get any time to play this season?
Plus teams can only dress 13 each game.
I think it's a fantasy that Young, who just turned 19 will get any meaningful minutes this season.
There's just not enough minutes to go around.

You never know what can happen over the course of a season. We don't know how injury issues will affect depth.



KJ

k_j_88 wrote:

tjmakz wrote:

k_j_88 wrote:James Young will need a little time, but he'll be a very good player. I think he can make an impact *this* year, well, provided Stevens gives him the time.



KJ

With Green and Turner at SF and Bradley, Smart and Thornton at SG, when would Young get any time to play this season?
Plus teams can only dress 13 each game.
I think it's a fantasy that Young, who just turned 19 will get any meaningful minutes this season.
There's just not enough minutes to go around.

You never know what can happen over the course of a season. We don't know how injury issues will affect depth.



KJ

I also forgot to mention Gerald Wallace getting minutes too.
Unless Boston has unbelievable injuries like the Lakers did last year, Young will probably spending almost the whole year in the D-League.
If you can tell me what guard or forward he will play before, I am all ears.

I've said it before, I'll say it again, and I'll say it as often as necessary.  Life isn't all about predictions.  There's a lot to be said for experiencing life and seeing what happens.  Why don't we see how James fares with the Celtics before we decide what his role (if any) will be?  That's why God invented the word "surprise."

Sam

sam wrote:I've said it before, I'll say it again, and I'll say it as often as necessary.  Life isn't all about predictions.  There's a lot to be said for experiencing life and seeing what happens.  Why don't we see how James fares with the Celtics before we decide what his role (if any) will be?  That's why God invented the word "surprise."

Sam

Sam,

Many or most sports fans make predictions about players and teams.
It's ok for us to make educated guesses about how many minutes a game a player might play or how many wins we expect a team to have.
Life is about looking to the future with expectations.
We adjust our expectations depending on how our life (or team's expectations) play out.
If we didn't talk about what we think will happen in the future, this forum would be history...

tjmakz wrote:

sam wrote:I've said it before, I'll say it again, and I'll say it as often as necessary.  Life isn't all about predictions.  There's a lot to be said for experiencing life and seeing what happens.  Why don't we see how James fares with the Celtics before we decide what his role (if any) will be?  That's why God invented the word "surprise."

Sam

Sam,

Many or most sports fans make predictions about players and teams.
It's ok for us to make educated guesses about how many minutes a game a player might play or how many wins we expect a team to have.
Life is about looking to the future with expectations.
We adjust our expectations depending on how our life (or team's expectations) play out.
If we didn't talk about what we think will happen in the future, this forum would be history...

I think what Sam is saying is... predictions in general aren't unreasonable, but should never be considered the end-all, be-all. For example, I doubt anyone predicted Rondo tearing his ACL, considering the fact that his game isn't as predicated on pure athleticism as Westbrook/Rose types. Rondo's injury led to Pressey gaining some valuable experience at the NBA-level (and doing rather well, too).



KJ

Here's my prediction: Young will have no impact his first year.

But of course I'll be very happy to be proven wrong.

His biggest weakness is his handle. He needs to become a solid ball handler. Otherwise, he will be relegated to being a spot up shooter and long defender. Nonetheless, a valuable asset.

dboss