Tacko Fall's agent: 'If the Celtics release him, I don’t think he goes unclaimed'

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/tacko-falls-agent-celtics-release-013553387.html



Tacko Fall's agent: 'If the Celtics release him, I don’t think he goes unclaimed'



Jacob Camenker, NBC Sports Boston

11 hours ago



Tacko Fall signed with the Boston Celtics after going undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft. And in the two months since that occurred, the 7-foot-6 center has quickly developed into a fan favorite.

After a solid performance at the Las Vegas Summer League where he showed off his excellent length and dunking and shot-blocking abilities, Fall's potential to make the Celtics' roster became a hot topic of discussion.

Though Fall was only on an Exhibit 10 deal, meaning that he wasn't guaranteed to make the roster, some thought he did enough to earn a chance to make the Celtics roster. Still, the possibility remains that the team could try to stash him with the Maine Red Claws, as they have already inked two two-way players and have at least 15 players with at least partially-guaranteed contracts on the roster.

However, if they take that path, it's possible that another team could try to claim him on waivers. And Fall's agent, Justin Haynes, thinks that a team would take a shot on Fall if the Celtics did part with him.

"If the Celtics release him, I don't think he goes unclaimed," said Haynes, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. "I think somebody will take a shot on him because he's done enough to show he can find a place in the NBA. I'm really hopeful that it's Boston. I hope they find a way, and they do have a vision for him."

Of course, it is worth noting that Haynes is Fall's agent, so he certainly is going to be confident about Fall's ability to make an NBA roster. But still, it does seem possible that another team could target Fall if the team did waive him, especially if they are thin at the center position.

That said, it does seem like the C's have a vision for Fall. The Celtics brass and players have had nothing but positive things to say about Fall since bringing him onboard. Danny Ainge even said developing Fall was a "high priority" back in July and said that Fall would have a chance to make the roster.

If Fall continues to show growth and the ability to impact the game, the team will likely find a way to keep him around, whether it's by signing him to the 15-man roster or opening up a two-way slot for him.



bob
MY NOTE:  Is Tacko "NBA-ready"?  I doubt it, you can't be 7'6"+ and go undrafted if you are even close to being "NBA-ready".  That doesn't mean he never will be, though.  Are we a favorite to win it all this year?  As excited as I am getting about this team I don't think so.  We might make some noise, go further than some people predict but, in my opinion, we lost too much talent too quickly to bounce 100% back and then some.  If that's the case then, unless a bonafide NBA player that fits a role we need is placed on waivers or Danny does a 2-1 trade to open up yet another roster spot, I don't see why we shouldn't sign Tacko to the 15th spot and have him do what most 15th spot players on the Celtics do, commute between Maine and Boston?  Tacko, among other things, needs to drop a bunch of weight.  He's listed at 311#.  He's not obviously fat, but he is putting a tremendous amount of pressure on his joints.  Furthermore, he'll be quicker, but you can't drop 40#, say, in a couple of months and be healthy and pro-athlete strong.  If he drops 40# he'll still be a solid 266#.  Embiid is 250#.  Andre Drummond is 280# and Nurkic is 275#.  And these are the leviathans of the NBA.  265-270# should be good, and that's 35-40# away.  If you drop 2#/week that's almost 20 weeks.  We're at February or March and that's assuming he loses that weight without becoming temporarily weak while he adjusts to his new weight.  He's not going to be ready for much this year (if ever).  

If Danny can draft-and-stash Guerschon Yabusele for a year in China then what's the big deal about drafting-and-stashing Tacko in Maine for a year?  I know that Yabby didn't occupy a coveted roster spot until he came here but we're talking about the 15th spot.  Getting excited about the 15th man is what fans do, not coaches and GMs...




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Bob

I am not too concerned about Tacko's weight.  

His combine measured weight was 288.8 lbs.  If he is 311 he added 32 lbs.

https://stats.nba.com/draft/combine-anthro/#!?sort=POSITION&dir=-1

Wilt played between 275 lbs and 300 lbs.

Tacko does need to improve on his conditioning which should improve his stamina.  He is working on that as we speak.

I agree that the Celtics need to retain his services.  Get him at least on a 2-way deal.

The stash option is not apparent to me.

Boston does not have the same option with Fall as they did with Yabusele or Zizic for that matter.  Those players were drafted by Boston.  Those guys played in Europe.  The Celtics owned their NBA rights.

Fall played HS ball in Texas and played college ball in Florida.  He was an undrafted free agent.  The Celtics cannot stash him anywhere and if they think getting him under a G-league contract gives them cover it does not.  Their preference would be to do that but Danny knows that Fall has an unusually high profile for a guy with a significant learning curve in front of him.

The Celtics long term situation at center remains a big question mark.  Kanter is only 27.  His market value declined.  However under coach Stevens his market value is likely to increase.  If he shows any inclination to play away from the basket his value increases.  He signed a 1 + 1 deal and I would bet money that he opts out after one year.  If he has become something other than a low post scorer and rebounder he will get at least $10-12 million per year.  That's just my guesstimate.

VP also signed a 2 year deal as did Theis.  

Williams is the only center on the Celtics where Boston has this year plus 2 team option years and a QO.

I expect that one or more of our current centers will be gone after this year.  If you give Fall a couple of years to develop it gives you more flexibility in dealing with other departures.

dboss wrote:Bob

I am not too concerned about Tacko's weight.  

His combine measured weight was 288.8 lbs.  If he is 311 he added 32 lbs.

https://stats.nba.com/draft/combine-anthro/#!?sort=POSITION&dir=-1

Wilt played between 275 lbs and 300 lbs.

Tacko does need to improve on his conditioning which should improve his stamina.  He is working on that as we speak.

I agree that the Celtics need to retain his services.  Get him at least on a 2-way deal.

The stash option is not apparent to me.

Boston does not have the same option with Fall as they did with Yabusele or Zizic for that matter.  Those players were drafted by Boston.  Those guys played in Europe.  The Celtics owned their NBA rights.

Fall played HS ball in Texas and played college ball in Florida.  He was an undrafted free agent.  The Celtics cannot stash him anywhere and if they think getting him under a G-league contract gives them cover it does not.  Their preference would be to do that but Danny knows that Fall has an unusually high profile for a guy with a significant learning curve in front of him.

The Celtics long term situation at center remains a big question mark.  Kanter is only 27.  His market value declined.  However under coach Stevens his market value is likely to increase.  If he shows any inclination to play away from the basket his value increases.  He signed a 1 + 1 deal and I would bet money that he opts out after one year.  If he has become something other than a low post scorer and rebounder he will get at least $10-12 million per year.  That's just my guesstimate.

VP also signed a 2 year deal as did Theis.  

Williams is the only center on the Celtics where Boston has this year plus 2 team option years and a QO.

I expect that one or more of our current centers will be gone after this year.  If you give Fall a couple of years to develop it gives you more flexibility in dealing with other departures.

dboss,

When I said "stash" Tacko I was using that expression in a non-typical way. You are 100% right, of course, about Yabby and Zizic and how they were stashed. As I said in my note they didn't occupy a roster spot until they came over the next year. I meant "stash", as regards to Tacko, to mean "make him unavailable to another team by signing him to a full contract with Boston but send him to Maine for a year of work, seasoning and conditioning". With Waters and Strus already signed to two-ways there are no more available. Danny would have to release one of those two players to make room for Tacko on a 2-way.


bob



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Bob

Got it.

I think it would be a consideration.  A 2-way deal gives Boston control over his contract and that vehicle could be used for one or two years.

Waters has some skills but he is a long way from being an NBA level rotation player and the same can be said for Max Strus.  Neither one of those guys should be on the 15 man roster and not sure Tacko should either.  

Out of the 3, I would probably go with Fall and put him on the 15 man roster.  I think you have to look into the future and make an educated decision.  The 5' 10" Waters is a long shot to stick in the NBA.  I do like the kid however.  Strus does little to peak my interest.

If you get Tacko on a standard deal you can keep Waters and Strus.

My final answer:  Go big or go home.

Signing Fall to a two-way doesn't work for me. Two years doesn't give us full Bird rights at the end of the contract.

If he develops some actual NBA skills, we will want full Bird rights on him at the end of his first NBA contract. If we don't, another team that is under the salary cap could steal him away.

He has to be on the 15 man roster to reach 3 years. Little money for the big guy!!

I agree, dboss. Go big or go home.

gyso

Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
about 1 hour ago
Tacko Fall may just be on a training camp deal, but he joins Gordon Hayward and Brad Wanamaker as the presenting players at the Celtics’ annual home court makeover unveilings this week.

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bob
MY NOTE:  It's no surprise Tacko is doing celebrity events with fellow rookies Grant Williams and Carsen Edwards but here he's doing them with Brad's fair-haired boy (literally and figuratively) and a player Brad and Danny like enough to bring back. Testing him for chemistry?

.

No one knows exactly what Tacko Fall will be as an NBA player, but he has clearly made a ton of progress from the last parts of his college career and that was only about 6 months past.

And, his agent is 100% correct in his thinking that if the Cs drop Fall, he will be picked up by another NBA team.

My thoughts are that the Cs have been searching for size for years, this guy certainly has plenty of size and I see additional improvements as quite likely.

Lastly, if Yabusele had a roster spot for two years while doing absolutely nothing as some kind of backup "center" then Fall should at least get one full season. I will bet the entire ranch that Fall will contribute far better than Yabusele did even in his first year.

wideclyde wrote:Lastly, if Yabusele had a roster spot for two years while doing absolutely nothing as some kind of backup "center"  then Fall should at least get one full season.  I will bet the entire ranch that Fall will contribute far better than Yabusele did even in his first year.

Although I'm one that doesn't think Tacko can play in the NBA, there's no way I can argue with the above statement.