Celtic Tidbits

sinus007 wrote:Hi,
My main "beef" with Pritchard is lack of confidence when shooting, especially from 3pt. At least, it's my impression.
I don't think he has much of "floor general" ability.

AK

sinus,

I'm generally in agreement with you about Payton's "floor generalship".  Some of this might just be his youth, point guard has the longest learning curve of any position.  His assist-to-turnover ratio is ok, 1.625:1 (1.3apt vs .8TOpg), but not great.  I don't think he's a natural at that.  I just think he needs to do more of, well, everything.  If he's a shooter then he needs to shoot more.  5.1 fgas/game, 13.7fgas/36mpg isn't exactly him being a human launching pad.  His career DefRtg is 113, and it's probably not going to get better because of his size, so if he's going to get minutes it's because his offense is efficient and prolific.

Unfortunately, I think (I hope I'm wrong!) that Joe is going to run our offense through the Js more.  That's why Brad isn't hot-to-trot after a veteran point guard for 3rd guard.  IF THAT'S THE CASE, then Payton has no excuse not to shoot lights out because the Js will draw the defense and kick out, and that means he should get a good look at the rim. It also means that his assist numbers probably aren't going to go way up /minute because the offense will flow through the Js and not the guards at the perimeter.


Bob


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https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2023/08/jayson-tatum-working-out-with-celtics-legend-during-offseaon.html



Jayson Tatum working out with Celtics legend during offseason


Updated: Aug. 22, 2023, 11:08 a.m.|Published: Aug. 22, 2023, 11:08 a.m.


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



Jayson Tatum has spent a large chunk of his summer documenting his offseason as he prepares for a pivotal season for the Celtics.

Recently, Tatum spent some time working out in Los Angeles alongside long-time trainer Drew Hanlan. However, a clip shows there was a special attendee at some of those workouts: Hall of Fame forward Paul Pierce.

“Watching JT sharpen those tools, seeing what greatness looks like,” Pierce said in Tatum’s Instagram clip.


Pierce has been a vocal supporter of Pierce throughout his career, putting him in some lofty franchise company over this past season.

“I’m seeing his game mature right before our eyes,” Pierce said of Tatum. “He’s a lot stronger. He’s playing with a lot more confidence. The way he’s passing the ball. He’s doing a better job getting to the free throw line. He’s rebounding the ball at a high level. I already know what he’s doing as a scorer. If he can continue to play like this, sky’s the limit for him. He should be able to bring home that MVP trophy. More importantly, he’d rather bring home a championship than an MVP trophy ... he could end up the greatest Celtic to ever put on that uniform. I’m telling you, that’s what I see. He’s got that type of potential.”


Tatum will be working with a revamped roster in Boston this season after the team traded away Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porzingis this offseason. Brad Stevens is clearly making a bet on Tatum’s offensive upside by trying to place more dangerous parts around him on that side of the floor.

Whether Tatum can follow in Pierce’s footsteps and bring the Celtics a title remains to be seen but it certainly should be encouraging for Celtics fans to see him spending time with one of the top scorers in team history.


Bob
MY NOTE:  "Pierce has been a vocal supporter of Pierce throughout his career"?  Yeah, that's true, Paul Pierce has always been a big supporter of Paul Pierce, but I'm not sure that's what Robb meant to write.  Ah, the lost art of proofreading...

Although Tatum is and has always been a Kobe fan it was cited right from draft day that his game actually looks more like Pierce's than Kobe's.  Once that sinks ALL the way in he'll start playing like Pierce and not Kobe and I think he'll get even better.  Kobe was more athletic as Pierce but he wasn't as strong or physical.  Pierce would look for contact and finish through it.  The now bigger and stronger Jayson Tatum can do the same thing and, in today's "look but don't touch" NBA, it will take a lot less contact for Tatum to go to the line for easy points.


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https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2023/08/celtics-to-work-out-two-veteran-forwards-for-open-roster-spots-report.html


Celtics to work out two veteran forwards for open roster spots (report)


Updated: Aug. 22, 2023, 8:54 p.m.|Published: Aug. 22, 2023, 8:49 p.m.


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



The Celtics still have plenty of room to add to the roster this summer and they will be taking a look at a pair of experienced names this upcoming week as some potential depth behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. According to a report from Shams Charania of Stadium, the Celtics will work out veteran forwards TJ Warren and Lamar Stevens in Boston this week.

The two wings could fill a need on the wing that Brad Stevens referenced last month when talking about filling out the team’s roster.


“I think we’ll try to add obviously a little bit,” Stevens said in Las Vegas. “I’d like to get a little more depth, maybe on the wing, and then also maybe with a 4/3 type. I feel pretty good about our bigs. We’ve got a couple two ways, so we’ve got some things we’re still very much looking at.”


The 6-foot-8 Warren was given a look as a free agent target for the Celtics last offseason per sources before the team opted for Danilo Gallinari. The 29-year-old only played 42 games last year spending time with the Suns and Nets while averaging 7.5 points per game. Warren has plenty of offensive upside with his 14.6 points per game career average but he has not approached those numbers for three seasons as he’s battled foot injury issues.

The 6-foot-6 Stevens is a defensive-minded wing who played a prominent role with the Cavs last year. Cleveland traded him to the Spurs as part of a three-team deal back in July and he was waived by San Antonio shortly after the deal amid their roster crunch. He averaged 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 62 games but shot just 31 percent from 3-point range.


Boston currently has just 11 guaranteed deals on their roster and 13 players signed to the 15-man roster after waiving Justin Champagne earlier this month. Any offer for either Warren or Stevens would be for the veteran’s minimum per sources but it will be a fascinating decision for Boston’s front office as the team puts the finishing touches on the roster to weigh giving either player a deal.

The Celtics lost a pair of key defensive presences in Marcus Smart and Grant Williams last offseason and it’s possible Stevens could help them fill that void. However, Warren (if healthy) provides far greater offensive upside that could take some pressure off Boston’s reserves.

With Blake Griffin’s status still unclear for next season, it’s likely there is only one spot for one of Stevens and Warren on the 15-man roster if they impress the Celtics brass this week barring some other changes to the roster.


Bob
MY NOTE:  TJ Warren can score in bunches when he can get on the court.  He only played 42 games last year for Phoenix and Brooklyn.  The year before that he didn't play at all.  Another good player that is iffy because of injuries.  Zinger, Brogdon and now Warren?  He's not really a good 3pt shooter, so I find it strange he's being brought in since we all know how Joe and Brad are about 3s.  He's only going on 30, so if he's healthy he can still have a couple more years of playing.

Lamar Stevens is 6'6", 230#, 26 years old.  Started out as an undrafted two-way player for Cleveland.  Not a big offensive player, seems good on defense.  As a result his NetRtg is negative.  He played 1120 minutes for Cleveland last year, playing in 62 games and starting in 25 of them.  So, he's generally healthy (yeah!) and has played 2634 NBA minutes in 3 years.  When you consider he came out of nowhere and only played 499 minutes in his rookie year that's not bad.  At 6'6", 230# he's another Grant Williams, an undersized power forward.  Yeah, Grant Williams without the 3pt shot.  

I have to remind myself these are for the 14th or 15th roster spot and we're not going to get anybody who isn't either one-dimensional or often injured.  I'm just not thrilled about it. It blows my mind that John Wall held private workouts for multiple teams in Vegas and he's still a free agent. I guess he just didn't impress.


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Celtics to host former 76ers wing in free agent workout (report)


Published: Aug. 23, 2023, 11:07 a.m.


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



The Celtics will continue to explore more potential roster options this week to help address some depth needs on the wing. On the heels of reported workouts for TJ Warren and Lamar Stevens, Michael Scotto of Hoopshype reports that Boston will also hold a workout for free agent wing Louis King.

King, 24, has bounced around the NBA over the past four seasons, playing for three different teams (Pistons, Kings) before signing with the 76ers last year on a two-way deal. The 6-foot-7 forward went undrafted out of Oregon in 2019 but played alongside current Celtics guard Payton Pritchard for his single year in Eugene.


King has played just 27 NBA games over his four pro seasons, averaging 4.7 points and 1.6 rebounds in 10.4 minutes per game. The wing has spent the majority of his career playing on assignment in the G-League since he’s been on a two-way contract with all three of his NBA teams. King has averaged 15.6 points in the G-League over four seasons while shooting 38 percent from 3-point range during his career.


King is no longer eligible for a two-way contract as he enters his fifth NBA season so any sort of offer for him from Boston would be a partial guarantee in all likelihood with the option of competing for a 15-man roster spot during training camp.

Per league sources, the Celtics are doing their due diligence by hosting a number of different workouts ahead of training camp before settling on potential roster options. Brad Stevens signaled last month that adding help on the wing would be a priority before next season.


“I think we’ll try to add obviously a little bit,” Stevens said in Las Vegas last month. “I’d like to get a little more depth, maybe on the wing, and then also maybe with a 4/3 type. I feel pretty good about our bigs. We’ve got a couple two ways, so we’ve got some things we’re still very much looking at.”


Bob
MY NOTE:  TJ Warren, Lamar Stevens and now Louis King.  All wings, although Stevens sounds more like a heavy cruiser than a light one.  Seems like Brad want to wrap this up before the end of September.

Louis King has played a total of 280 NBA minutes in 4 seasons, so he's barely vetted.  He is listed as 6'6 3/4" in bare feet with a 7' 1/2" wingspan.  The median height-to-wingspan ratio for NBA players, which is better than for normal folk like us, is 1.047:1 (normal folk is around 1:1.  If you're 6' tall in bare feet a median wingspan would be about 6' too).   If King has a median NBA height-to-wingspan ratio his wingspan should be 82.45", or 6'10 1/2". So, with a 7'+ wingspan, he has excellent length to play defense.  There are other factors of course, like lateral foot speed and ganas, but he has the physical qualities.  Like they say, you can't teach a 1.073:1 height-to-wingspan ratio.

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