Boston Celtics News (2024-2025)

Very happy with the Tillman signing. I really think he will improve with a year under his belt in the Celtics system. I will even go as far as saying if he improves his three point shot he could replace Al when Al retires. This guy is bulky, but moves his feet well. I think he has solid upside.

cowens/oldschool wrote:

Celtics17 wrote:Very happy with the Tillman signing. I really think he will improve with a year under his belt in the Celtics system. I will even go as far as saying if he improves his three point shot he could replace Al when Al retires. This guy is bulky, but moves his feet well. I think he has solid upside.

Has a lot of Paul Silas in his game, agreed young enough to add more.

Really glad we kept him

Cow,

Paul Silas would be a marginal vet minimum player in today's NBA.  The days of Paul Silas and Tristan Thompson are gone.  25 year old Xavier Tillman needs to add to his game if he wants to still be playing after this two year contract expires when he's still just 27.  Two years from now the Celtics might not be over the second apron and be hamstrung as to who they can sign and for how much.


Bob


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Dream scenario in two years:

Xavier Tillman becomes a great 3-point shot and becomes a poor-man's Al Horford.

Reality scenario in two years:

Xavier Tillman becomes a fair 3-point shot and becomes a poor-man's Grant Williams.

gyso wrote:Dream scenario in two years:

Xavier Tillman becomes a great 3-point shot and becomes a poor-man's Al Horford.

Reality scenario in two years:

Xavier Tillman becomes a fair 3-point shot and becomes a poor-man's Grant Williams.

GYSO,


+1.

Tillman was a .247 3pt shooter last year, .286 on half the attempts in Boston.  I would LOVE if he became a poor man's Grant Williams.  After his shaky 0-25 start Grant became a solid 3pt shooter and defended every position all over the floor.  If X gives me that for the vet minimum and I will be ebullient.


Bob


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gyso wrote:Dream scenario in two years:

Xavier Tillman becomes a great 3-point shot and becomes a poor-man's Al Horford.

Reality scenario in two years:

Xavier Tillman becomes a fair 3-point shot and becomes a poor-man's Grant Williams.

Poor man's Grant Williams. Ouch, gyso!  

I do think there is room in the NBA for old school bigs patroling the paint. Especially if a team has several shooters, like the Celtics. I think that's why we saw Clingan and Edey drafted 7 and 9 respectively.

Considering the roster has Tatum, Brown, White, Holiday, Pritchard and Hauser, I'd love to see a big 'ol dinosaur in the middle; clogging the lane, blocking shots, grabbing boards, and dishing out to shooters on the perimeter and starting the fast break. Gimme a 7', 290lb guy with an attitude at center, alongside Tatum and Brown with our current guards and wings.

Tillman may have some value just as he is, until and if/unless we can score ourselves Godzilla V2 in high-tops.

NYCelt,

Good luck with your wish for a dinosaur big. You may have to find a hot-tub time machine to go back to where that definition of player contributed to a deep run in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, we have Neemias Queta to keep you from going off the deep end too far. I'll reach out to Joe to see that he gets the proper PT.

Jorge Sierra: Money left on Jayson Tatum+Jaylen Brown contracts: $634,174,984 Kobe Bryant+Shaquille O’Neal career earnings: $620,435,435 Yeah, that’s without adjusting to inflation, but man


Bob


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Sam Cassell likely to remain with Celtics?
The departures set up Joe Mazzulla to make some internal promotions for his own coaching staff for the upcoming season. The team is already adding one of Mazzulla’s former college players God Shammgod Jr. as a player development coach. Sam Cassell was a candidate for open head coaching jobs around the league and was heavily targeted as an assistant per sources. However, it appears he will be back alongside Mazzulla for next season. 6 mins ago – via Booth Newspapers


Bob
MY NOTE:  With the loss of Charles Lee the retention of Sam Cassell is a MUCH bigger issue than normal.  Sam is a 4X World Champion:  3X as a player (Houston 1994, Houston 1995, Boston 2008) and 1X as an Assistant Coach (Boston 2024).  That's a LOT of good experience there. Charles Lee won a Championship with Milwaukee, so his leadership was critical too, but he's gone to Purgatory in Charlotte. Joe now has Championship experience too, of course, but you can never have too many "been there, done thats" on your team.


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gyso wrote:

https://x.com/BobbyKrivitsky/status/1808649702151250063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1808649702151250063%7Ctwgr%5E4f4e9239a57fcce9e458f72bbd33576b10b01784%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsbnation.coral.coralproject.net%2Fapi%2Foembed%3Ftype%3Dtwitterurl%3Dhttps3A2F2Fx.com2FBobbyKrivitsky2Fstatus2F1808649702151250063siteID%3D112aa377-e27f-4b58-9156-5e5df25f39a2frameID%3Dframe-id-279b807b-3953-4f1c-82b3-8df7b9e1c7cc-20d1e510-399d-11ef-aa9b-89ca2c100dc2

GYSO,


Brad just hired God Shamgod Jr to be Player Development Coach. I am anticipating a year of non-stop giggling everytime I say his name. It has the potential to be even more fun than BisMACK BiiiYooooommmmmBooooo!!!

Now we just need to find someone who wants to be a head coach in Maine who sees their career path leading to an NBA assistant coaching job.


Bob


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Hope Charles will be able to bring some buzz to Charlotte.  The Hornets are like that fly that's been in your house for a while and loses its buzz and does a bunch of crazy crap all over your house, hitting walls, running slam into your face, etc.  You know you have to kill it with a firm newspaper or magazine, but you feel sorry for it and you don't wantt to mess up your read.  So you let it hang around knowing death is near.  

Good luck, Charles.  Hope you're prepared.  Could and probably will continue to get ugly there.

db

Adam Himmelsbach @AdamHimmelsbach
about 26 minutes ago
In here—Sources say former West Virginia star Da’Sean Butler, who played with Joe Mazzulla at West Virginia, is expected to join the Celtics’ coaching staff in a video/player development role.


Bob
MY NOTE:  Joe bringing in his mafia.  First it was God Shammgod Jr., who played for and was an assistant coach for Joe at Fairmont State; and now it's someone who played WITH him in college.  He has been an assistant coach in a few colleges.  He was hired as an assistant coach at Wheeling University by the head coach, whom he has known since he was 18, in 20212.  Later that year he was hired as an assistant coach to the G-League College Park Skyhawks, who are affiliated with the Atlanta Hawks.  In July 2023, just one year ago, he was hired as an assistant coach for his alma mater West Virginia.

Joe has the right to hire whomever he wants and feels comfortable with, he has earned that even if it should be granted anyway.    I know this is just a video/player development job but Butler really doesn't have much coaching experience to begin with. This is a Championship team. The players deserve coaches that can lead them and not ones they need to lead. We just lost 3 veteran coaches and are replacing them with a couple of still wet behind the ears kids.


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Right out of the gate, I'm going to cut Joe some major slack since two years ago we were all over him like a rash.  He turned out ah-ight I think!! 

Who better to bring these guys up to speed inside of one year than someone who just came through it hoisting THE trophy.  As a newbie on the coaching team, I'd take every word that proceeds from the head coach's mouth as if it were God talking through Joe, which may not be very far from the truth.

db

Bob


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https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2024/07/celtics-free-agents-turned-down-more-money-to-re-sign-with-boston.html



Celtics free agents turned down more money to re-sign with Boston



Published: Jul. 08, 2024, 5:24 p.m.


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



BOSTON — The Celtics are running it back next season with nearly the entire roster, re-signing five of their own free agents in the opening days of free agency. A number of those deals are for the veteran’s minimum for next season, a very team friendly number for a Boston squad that will be dealing with a hefty luxury tax bill.

On Monday, Celtics director of player personnel Austin Ainge spoke about how pleased he was with the team’s roster continuity this offseason while also revealing an intriguing tidbits about those deals.


“Extremely grateful,” Ainge said of free agency. “We had some guys turn down more money other places to come back. It feels really good that guys we care about a lot to come back and go for another run.”


The Celtics officially signed Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman and Neemias Queta all to veteran’s minimum deals last week. Queta was a restricted free agent so the Celtics would have had to match an offer sheet for him. With Kornet and Tillman being unrestricted free agents, it is likely the duo had a chance to play elsewhere. A league source told MassLive that Kornet had multiple other suitors in free agency but eventually opted to return on a one-year deal. Tillman’s new deal is for two years guaranteed at the league’s minimum. Queta is also signed on a three-year deal but just the first year of the contract is fully guaranteed.

Brad Stevens spoke back in June about how much he valued continuity heading into this upcoming season.

“Everybody on our roster we love having here,” Stevens said. We’ll continue to work on filling out our roster for the upcoming season, but there’s no doubt that we’ll really value continuity of that.”

Queta will suit up for the Celtics Summer League team in Las Vegas where he will see action at center. All three returning bigs could be in the mix for minutes early in the season with Kristaps Porzingis sidelined until December following offseason leg surgery.


Bob


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Adam Himmelsbach @AdamHimmelsbach
3 hours ago
Tatum said that after he signed his extension Saturday, coach Joe Mazzulla couldn’t help himself. “Joe was already trying to draw up shoot for next season. I was like, ‘Joe, flip that. We just won the championship.’”


Bob


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cowens/oldschool wrote:

bobheckler wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:

Celtics17 wrote:Very happy with the Tillman signing. I really think he will improve with a year under his belt in the Celtics system. I will even go as far as saying if he improves his three point shot he could replace Al when Al retires. This guy is bulky, but moves his feet well. I think he has solid upside.

Has a lot of Paul Silas in his game, agreed young enough to add more.

Really glad we kept him

Cow,

Paul Silas would be a marginal vet minimum player in today's NBA.  The days of Paul Silas and Tristan Thompson are gone.  25 year old Xavier Tillman needs to add to his game if he wants to still be playing after this two year contract expires when he's still just 27.  Two years from now the Celtics might not be over the second apron and be hamstrung as to who they can sign and for how much.


Bob


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You have really lost your mind and your views seem softer and softer, how can you say that about Paul Silas? He is a much better defender and rebounder than Draymond Green, who punked us in 22 Finals. Nobody on that team was willing to stand up to him, we never would have had that problem with Paul Silas on the roster.

Cow,


Paul Silas has a career fg% of 43%.  That is an AWFUL  shooting percentage for a player who ONLY shot at the rim.  He was a career 67% frito shooter.   He averaged 9.9 rpg career.  Drummond's is 12.4pg.

His frito shooting is better than Drummond's (whose isn't?) but other than that he isn't as good.  He didn't rebound as well, he didn't block shots as well.  Paul Silas is to Perk as Cowens is to KG.  Without Dave Cowens Paul Silas would have been too limited as a player.  Perk was mediocre, at best, until Kevin Garnett arrived.  Then he was good. When Silas wentto Denver and Seattle his numbers dropped precipitively.  If Andre Drummond isn't a vet minimum player in today's NBA he's real damn close. Silas was a below-the-rim player.

Silas was All-Defensive First team 2X and Second Team 3X.  Draymond was a DPOY.  He's been All-Defensive First Team 4X and Second Team 5X.  ASG selections are BS, but All-Defense are not.  I've watched Draymond Green for years now.  He is extremely disruptive on defense.  Have you already forgotten how he blew us up in the Finals a few years back?


Bob


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Baller Shooterman and his sidekick, Watson, after doing some community activity with one of my favorite Celtics all-time (not best or favorite player, just my favorite person) Leon Powe.  Not technically Summer League stuff, just Celtic news.


Baylor was asked about Joe Mazzulla.  He said that Joe told him to "shoot 3s, play defense and rebound", and Baylor said "sounds good to me".


It's amazing the difference, listening to almost 24 year olds Scheierman and Watson vs 19 year olds.  These guys talk like men, not boys.  JD Davison, with 2 years in the league, is still only 21 years old.  Jordan Walsh, with one year in the league, won't be 21 until March.  It will be interesting to see how these extra years, and preparation in college, reveal themselves on the court in Summer League.  Do they play like the rookies they are, or do they play like 2nd or even 3rd year Summer League players?  Inquiring minds want to know and, in 4 days, our questions will begin to be answered.  I expect JD and Jordan to play well in Game 1, my expectations are lower for these two are lower for Game 1.  One game to get their feet wet, let some of the shine come off, and then we'll see.





Bob


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cowens/oldschool wrote:

bobheckler wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:

bobheckler wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:

Celtics17 wrote:Very happy with the Tillman signing. I really think he will improve with a year under his belt in the Celtics system. I will even go as far as saying if he improves his three point shot he could replace Al when Al retires. This guy is bulky, but moves his feet well. I think he has solid upside.

Has a lot of Paul Silas in his game, agreed young enough to add more.

Really glad we kept him

Cow,

Paul Silas would be a marginal vet minimum player in today's NBA.  The days of Paul Silas and Tristan Thompson are gone.  25 year old Xavier Tillman needs to add to his game if he wants to still be playing after this two year contract expires when he's still just 27.  Two years from now the Celtics might not be over the second apron and be hamstrung as to who they can sign and for how much.


Bob


.

You have really lost your mind and your views seem softer and softer, how can you say that about Paul Silas? He is a much better defender and rebounder than Draymond Green, who punked us in 22 Finals. Nobody on that team was willing to stand up to him, we never would have had that problem with Paul Silas on the roster.

Cow,


Paul Silas has a career fg% of 43%.  That is an AWFUL  shooting percentage for a player who ONLY shot at the rim.  He was a career 67% frito shooter.   He averaged 9.9 rpg career.  Drummond's is 12.4pg.

His frito shooting is better than Drummond's (whose isn't?) but other than that he isn't as good.  He didn't rebound as well, he didn't block shots as well.  Paul Silas is to Perk as Cowens is to KG.  Without Dave Cowens Paul Silas would have been too limited as a player.  Perk was mediocre, at best, until Kevin Garnett arrived.  Then he was good.  When Silas wentto Denver and Seattle his numbers dropped precipitively.  If Andre Drummond isn't a vet minimum player in today's NBA he's real damn close.  Silas was a below-the-rim player.  

Silas was All-Defensive First team 2X and Second Team 3X.  Draymond was a DPOY.  He's been All-Defensive First Team 4X and Second Team 5X.  ASG selections are BS, but All-Defense are not.  I've watched Draymond Green for years now.  He is extremely disruptive on defense.  Have you already forgotten how he blew us up in the Finals a few years back?


Bob


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Bro you are so misinformed, Andre Drummond was not part of the conversation and DG has never avg close to 12.4 rebounds a game. Ofcourse DG is a good defender, Silas was a better one, we don’t acquire him that great 70’s team doesn’t have enough big man play to get past Knicks. DG never avg double digits in rebounding once, our Jayson Tatum is a much better board cleaner than DG right now. Silas was there for the defense and had many double digit rebounding years so any offense was gravy, who’s to say he couldn’t further have adapted his game if coaches told him earlier to do so….your turning soft, sad

Cow,

Your point about how any offense from Silas was gravy is exactly my point.   That won't work in today's NBA, not if you want even solid rotation minutes, much less start like Silas.  Tillman is a Silas-like physical, below-the-rim defender.  He's our 3rd string center when our 1st string center is out or our 2nd string center is having a spa day and Tillman’s offense is better than Silas'.

And Paul Silas was 6'7", 220#.  That's Jaylen Brown.   Do you think Jaylen Brown would be playing in today's NBA with Paul Silas' game?

On your next trip back to the past could you try to find my missing car keys for my 1967 Dodge?  I lost them in 1974.


Bob


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