Amir Johnson?

i have been wondering what the Cs need to do to further improve the team for this season IF they do not make a significant roster addition this year, and have decided to say something about Amir Johnson.   He is rarely mentioned on this board as either a problem for the team or as a ray of hope for the team.  He just kind of floats under the radar as he seems to be a great teammate, decent defender, etc.

BUT, here is where he may, in my opinion, be the solution to the necessary Cs improvement if they do not make some kind of roster shake-up at the trade deadline.

Last night he scored 17 points and seemed to do all the other things that he usually does on most nights.  This was great!  And, the team did not lose because he scored those points and had to take something like 30 shots to get those 17 points.  In fact his shooting percentage and shot selection were both great.  He looked so much more alive due to actually touching the ball early and scoring early to the point that perhaps he should have been included more in the rest of the game.

He seemed to come alive last night on offense and we need him do so MUCH more often.  He is a starting player, even though he rarely plays "starter's minutes", who basically averages about 5 points and 5 rebounds per game, and that is not enough from a starter.  If he has been injured and not able to score but five points a game, he must have gotten very healthy very quickly to score 17 last night.

Is it that his teammates don't look for him (their mistake), is it that he usually hides on the offensive end (his mistake) or does the coach have nothing for him to do on offense most nights (coach's mistake) or was it that the Thunder just refused to cover him last night (their bad)?

I watched last night and saw a so much better flowing and spacing on offense for the team when Johnson was scoring to think that this guy needs to be more included for the team's benefit.  He is making 12M this year and has to be able to do more than play reserve minutes and produce as a reserve especially when he is in the starting line up every game.

I hope that this comes off much more as very constructive criticism and not a bashing of what really seems to be a "good guy", professional basketball player.  I can see Ainge not pulling to plug on this team at the trade dead line so that he can at least be sure to keep the '17 Nets pick and then try to make a definitive move to make banner 18 much more likely in '18.

I believe that we need more from Amir now.   Thought I'd toss in a little quote from Thomas after last night's game as he kind of had the same idea when you concentrate on the last six words in his statement.

“He was in the right spots,” Isaiah Thomas said of Johnson. “They were helping. Their bigs were coming up and helping and we just dropped it off to him, and then he had a few offensive rebound put-backs as well. So he definitely gave us energy, and gave us a plus today and we need that out of him.”

Very perceptive post. Basketball is played by 5 people who all need to be a part of the scheme. Hero ball does not win championships. In our hearts we all know that. So if there is blame to be had it on the coach, imo. He does not really seem to have plans for players to all maximize their potential. I don't get to watch many games but when I do I see far too many players standing around waiting for someone else to do something. Waiting for the kick out pass on the arc. Standing in a corner away from the action. Yet when this team is playing well, moving the ball, making the extra pass, we dominate. Why is it that the ball stops moving? When it does stop, why doesn't coach substitute or call a time out to address the situation immediately before we lose a lead or the game? This is a recurring theme, especially for the second unit. Everyone should touch the ball on most possessions. IT is the only player who can consistently break down a defense. We need to do it as a team. Take that pressure off IT to play hero at the end of the game and he becomes a much more valuable asset. And for crying out loud, play Brown more minutes with plays designed to showcase his strengths. I don't know if Danny can pull off a major deadline trade but a package of Johnson and his expiring contract, plus Green or Young or Rozier might bring back a usable player or another pick of value. Does anyone really think that Mickey Zeller and/or Johnson can't be replaced next year by Zizic and Yabusele?

I think Amir is a glue guy.  He does not look for his offense and for most of the season he was really just a guy to set picks for his teammates.

If he was capable of putting up numbers like he did last night consistently we would not be in need of a major upgrade.  

He has an expiring contract and unless he is part of the Celtics future plans he could be gone by the trade deadline if Boston makes a major move.

Dboss

Funny, but this weekend especially, I was thinking the same thing. Amir does the little things that count so much on this team. He is a vital part of the locker room, as is Avery. But, you are right, age and his contract could make him a very viable player to be involved in some type of a trade at deadline time. Then again, if they want a shooter, Amir is not the player that will go it will be one of our guards, there is not doubt about that. We have bantered about who would go, but it will be someone that one or more of us is not going to be happy about. Time will tell.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:Funny, but this weekend especially, I was thinking the same thing. Amir does the little things that count so much on this team. He is a vital part of the locker room, as is Avery.  But, you are right, age and his contract could make him a very viable player to be involved in some type of a trade at deadline time.  Then again, if they want a shooter, Amir is not the player that will go it will be one of our guards, there is not doubt about that. We have bantered about who would go, but it will be someone that one or more of us is not going to be happy about. Time will tell.

Rosalie,

If they want a shooter we really only have 2, IT and Bradley, and one is an All-Star, and is on track to be named to his second, and the other is the top defensive guard in the NBA and could make his first All-Star team this year with some consideration from the All-Star coaching staff. What we don't have is a flawed but effective shooter. A Terrence Ross or Nick Young type, a player that can get you points in a bunch but maybe isn't quite a starter. If we give up IT or Bradley the return will have to be very rich.


bob


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My thought is not It or Bradley, even though both are going to cost $$$$$$ to sign soon. I am not in favor of giving up on Rozier, but Smart's upside defensively is almost too much to give away. Isn't this what they hoped would happen when they signed Green, a gunner off the bench, to periodically catch fire and hit three or four straight threes. This experiment has just not worked out. Is it because he just doesn't have it, doesn't fit what Stevens wants (because he certainly has no real faith in him) or has not been given the chance to warm up enough to get into a groove???

I have no answer, maybe I value my players a little too high the way they accuse Danny of doing? Probably yes. But he was not afraid t pull off many different trades. I guess time will tell. If Kelly keeps coming on, he will make a ton of money at the end of the season.

Where do we go from here then???? i believe a shocker is coming.

I am watching the replay of the Christmas Day game (never got to see it at the time it was on).  Anyway, after talking about Green being non existent on the team for the most part, he really filled a decent role during this game. If only he could get minutes every game, find a rhythm, he may help them. He did much more than score, his ball handling was not bad and he was extremely active.  Just a thought