Amir Johnson could be a steal for the Celtics

http://www.celticsblog.com/2015/9/18/9350805/amir-johnson-could-be-a-steal-for-the-celtics



Amir Johnson could be a steal for the Celtics

By TimMacLean  @MacLeanNBA on Sep 18, 2015, 8:00a 3





Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports




The summer of 2015 was an odd one for the Boston Celtics. Not because of the moves the team did or didn’t make, but because for the first time in nearly twenty years, the franchise had something other teams around the league like to call "cap space."

Rather than go after one of the off-season’s bigger fish, though, Danny Ainge decided to remain patient and shelled out $12 million to sign Amir Johnson away from the Toronto Raptors.

The move was admittedly very surprising, especially when you consider how often the Celtics were connected to guys like Kevin Love, Greg Monroe and Tobias Harris throughout the 2014-15 season. But Boston nailed this deal.

Getting a guy like Johnson, who can singlehandedly begin to address some of the Celtics’ biggest issues—rim protection, low-post scoring, three-point shooting—could wind up being a steal. The only question is: where does he fit in?

The Celtics already have an embarrassment of serviceable big men and adding Johnson to the mix will make minutes even harder to come by. However, the 10-year pro is a chameleon of sorts, as he’s able to impact games at some level no matter who he’s playing alongside.

Stick him out there with Tyler Zeller; he’ll space the floor.

Send him into a game with Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk or David Lee; he’ll grab boards and protect the paint.

There really isn’t anything he’s not willing to do to help his teams win ball games. And with so many young, impressionable players on the Celtics’ roster, Johnson will also serve as a guy that can show the youngsters how to play NBA basketball at a high level.

If one thing is certain, though, it’s that Johnson isn’t lacking confidence as he enters his first season as a Boston Celtic.

"I definitely feel like I’ll fit in," Johnson said in July, via Marc D’Amico of Celtics.com. "… I’ve got a lot to bring to the table."



bob
MY NOTE: I've always been leery of the view "he kills us, we should go get him". Just because he kills us doesn't mean he can kill the other 28 teams in the league. I didn't watch enough Raptor basketball to know how he did against other teams but they did steadily improve with him as the starting PF alongside a less-than-stalwart defensive center, Jonas Valanciunas.

$12M/year stuck in our throats, but that's Danny's job. It will be interesting to see how this works out.


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you know Bob, I was one who couldn't make any sense out of the Amir signing when it happened. i may have even blew my top a bit on this board about it (I can't remember, frankly).

But over the last few months I have tried to educate myself more on Johnson and his skillset. the First thing that I noticed is that he is a legit 6-10, 240# or more NBA player now. he is no longer the 6-9, 210# 18YO kid that came out of high school 10 years ago. So size wise he closer to being a typical center type than i realized at first.

Amir has become a very good defensive player inside and hard worker on the boards. We need both. While his outside shot is adequate and he seemingly has worked on it, he doesn't take a lot of 3's (like say Kelly O.).

so IMO, I see Amir as playing a lot what we would have called "center" in the past. Sharing time with Zeller as the primary low post "centers" for us.

so  once I determined that in my mind, then I looked at the other "centers" who were either FA's or available for trade this off-season and are better or similar to Amir in talent.

M. Gasol- wasn't leaving Memphis and wasn't an option. I bet Ainge would have tried though if he was.

D. Jordan- Ainge seemingly didn't get involved with the chase for the big man. Either he felt there was no chance he would sign here or Ainge/Stevens didn't want him.

G. Monroe- About the same size as Amir, better low post scorer, but worst defensive player. He signed a mutli year deal starting at around $16M.

E. Katner- he was a restricted FA and OKC signed him to a deal starting at $16M also. Talk about over paying for a guy! Amir is a better player today, IMO.

T. Chandler- Phoenix signed hm for $13M and while most of us would agree that Chandler is a better TRUE NBA center than Amir, he is around 4 years older than Amir also.

Robin Lopez- Lopez signed for $13M also and frankly I still would have rather seen Ainge sign him over Amir myself. Similar defensive type player, though Amir may be a better offensive player. Lopez is both younger and bigger, which sways it for me.

O. Asik- got $11M to stay at NO, but frankly the glow has been off of him some since his days at Chicago. I think Amir is an overall better player today.

K. Koufos- got a 4year /$30M deal with the Kings. has more size than Amir, but may not be as good a total player. I could have lived with Ainge signing Koufos instead of Amir to pair with Zeller at center, but Ainge and Stevens obviously thought Amir was the better player.

R. Hibbert- Was traded to the Lakers for a second round pick. on the last year of his deal at $15M. IF Ainge and Stevens were looking for an "old School" type NBA center, he would have been a no brainer pick up from Bird. we are NOT going with that type of big men obviously.


so by MY count we have up to FIVE centers who would/could have been an upgrade over Amir this off-season.

With Gasol and Jordan not interested in Boston and Ainge not interested in Hibbert, we are down to TWO players who I feel are better overall players than Amir.

Chandler- OLDER

Robin Lopez



I guess I could have just wrote:

Amir has grown on me

Could be the steal of the year. If not he comes very cheap to sit and have a cup of coffee with the Celtics to see what he has.

112288

112288 wrote:Could be the steal of the year.   If not he comes very cheap to sit and have a cup of coffee with the Celtics to see what he has.

112288

112288,

$12M/year is cheap?



bob



.

Bob,

Sorry, you are right.112288

bobheckler wrote:

112288 wrote:Could be the steal of the year.   If not he comes very cheap to sit and have a cup of coffee with the Celtics to see what he has.

112288

112288,

$12M/year is cheap?



bob



.

112288,


Now, if you had said Perry Jones III might be the steal of the year and he comes cheap you'd have my vote. You don't get cheaper than free.

Well, ok, maybe not free. Barring a 2-fer trade Danny would have to eat someone's contract on a buyout to keep Jones.



bob



.

That is who I got mixed up on........too many new faces & names!

112288

bobheckler wrote:

112288 wrote:Could be the steal of the year.   If not he comes very cheap to sit and have a cup of coffee with the Celtics to see what he has.

112288

112288,

$12M/year is cheap?



bob



.

$12M/yr ain't cheap, but with the new cap, it might not be as much as it seems (as if $12M is anything other than $12M???). Ainge pounced on him, so he and Brad must see something. Have a feeling this guy is a glue guy, who makes his team better. This could end up being a Belichikean-type signing, where Danny was just ahead of the curve and a year from now everyone will wonder how Amir slipped under the radar.

But then again, he could end up being a guy we pay $12M/year to put up numbers a decent player still on his rookie contract puts up....