Odd Man Out??? - Hunter Waived; Young Stays

[chakdaddy]

James Young is the opposite of Jaylen Brown.

Don't see it - both were pretty big deals growing up playing hoops. Both five star guys. Some differences sure - but not at all opposites.

https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/maple/104167

Hunter OTOH a 3 star guy - this guy wasn't considered a top prospect - and it turns out he wasnt.

I admit I never paid attention to Young in college and didn't see him this preseason. But in every other game I've seen him, regular season, preseason, or summer league, I've never seen someone so invisible. Hang around the perimeter, receive a pass, relay the pass to someone else on the perimeter or miss a jumper. His size is nothing special for a 2, smallish for a 3; I've never seen him use his supposed athleticism.

Meanwhile Brown drives aggressively and makes something happen constantly while in the game. Couple that with his rep as a bad shooter, and Young's rep as a good shooter: opposites.

[Kids Are Alright]

RJ at 23 is just not an NBA body despite having an NBA mind and ability to pass and shoot. James looks NBA out there.

[Parliament10]

RJ at 23 is just not an NBA body despite having an NBA mind and ability to pass and shoot. James looks NBA out there.

He can act as a 4th String PG too.
I thought that Hunter was the better choice.

[Homerclease]

RJ at 23 is just not an NBA body despite having an NBA mind and ability to pass and shoot. James looks NBA out there.

He can act as a 4th String PG too.
I thought that Hunter was the better choice.

Hopefully this is the last year we have to cut draft picks to keep journeyman scrubs at the end of our bench

[Celts17Pride]

RJ at 23 is just not an NBA body despite having an NBA mind and ability to pass and shoot. James looks NBA out there.

He can act as a 4th String PG too.
I thought that Hunter was the better choice.

Hopefully this is the last year we have to cut draft picks to keep journeyman scrubs at the end of our bench

Celtics cut a scrub to keep a scrub. What's the difference?

[GuyClinch]

I admit I never paid attention to Young in college and didn't see him this preseason. But in every other game I've seen him, regular season, preseason, or summer league, I've never seen someone so invisible. Hang around the perimeter, receive a pass, relay the pass to someone else on the perimeter or miss a jumper. His size is nothing special for a 2, smallish for a 3; I've never seen him use his supposed athleticism.

Oh I feel ya. They are opposite in that one guy seems to be great - and the other guy does seem to disappear and suck. Noted. If you are thinking of opposite that way sure..

I was thinking they are actually similar - in that they were both 'big men' on campus. They were both highly recruited guys who could have gone to top tier schools. (Brown choose to go to basketball Siberia). They are around same size and weight etc.

I feel bad for Hunter. I wonder who will make a bigger mark in the NBA? Or will Hunter play overseas? Can we fit him as a non-roster connected guy in the NBDL?

[chakdaddy]

He can act as a 4th String PG too.
I thought that Hunter was the better choice.

Hopefully this is the last year we have to cut draft picks to keep journeyman scrubs at the end of our bench

Celtics cut a scrub to keep a scrub. What's the difference?

Yeah. And let's not pretend these 2nd round picks arent scrubs. They're supposed to be cut. That can change with 2 way contracts.

[Homerclease]

He can act as a 4th String PG too.
I thought that Hunter was the better choice.

Hopefully this is the last year we have to cut draft picks to keep journeyman scrubs at the end of our bench

Celtics cut a scrub to keep a scrub. What's the difference?

The difference is one was drafted in the first round only one year ago and the other is a player on the wrong side of 30. Hopefully next year with another top 5 pick and a free agent we won't have to rely on guys like Gerald Green off the bench.

[cellar-door]

Hopefully this is the last year we have to cut draft picks to keep journeyman scrubs at the end of our bench

Celtics cut a scrub to keep a scrub. What's the difference?

The difference is one was drafted in the first round only one year ago and the other is a player on the wrong side of 30. Hopefully next year with another top 5 pick and a free agent we won't have to rely on guys like Gerald Green off the bench.

Looking at it the other way.... 1 is capable of being in the rotation for an NBA team, one (hint it's RJ Hunter) is not. I don't love Gerald Green, but he's a career 36% shooter from 3 who was in the rotation for a team that made the Eastern Semis last year. He has at least one decent NBA skill as a bench shooter, for a playoff team that last year collapsed in the playoffs because we had nobody left who could hit an open 3 that's much more valuable to have on the bench than anything RJ Hunter was bringing.

[Homerclease]

Celtics cut a scrub to keep a scrub. What's the difference?

The difference is one was drafted in the first round only one year ago and the other is a player on the wrong side of 30. Hopefully next year with another top 5 pick and a free agent we won't have to rely on guys like Gerald Green off the bench.

Looking at it the other way.... 1 is capable of being in the rotation for an NBA team, one (hint it's RJ Hunter) is not. I don't love Gerald Green, but he's a career 36% shooter from 3 who was in the rotation for a team that made the Eastern Semis last year. He has at least one decent NBA skill as a bench shooter, for a playoff team that last year collapsed in the playoffs because we had nobody left who could hit an open 3 that's much more valuable to have on the bench than anything RJ Hunter was bringing.

We have no real idea what RJ Hunter could do here because he was buried on the bench and then axed before ever given a real oppertunity. Green may have been a good shooter at one point but he shot the ball worse than even Smart in the preseason. They don't need him here playing minutes ahead of Smart or Jaylen Brown. But hey I guess it's fine to cut first round draft picks so we can have another Gerald Wallace waving a towel on the end of the bench

[Andrew McCeltic]

Hunter's going to end up in a rotation somewhere, and he'll probably have a few flashy box scores. But we made the right decision.

[Andrew McCeltic]

I admit I never paid attention to Young in college and didn't see him this preseason. But in every other game I've seen him, regular season, preseason, or summer league, I've never seen someone so invisible. Hang around the perimeter, receive a pass, relay the pass to someone else on the perimeter or miss a jumper. His size is nothing special for a 2, smallish for a 3; I've never seen him use his supposed athleticism.

Oh I feel ya. They are opposite in that one guy seems to be great - and the other guy does seem to disappear and suck. Noted. If you are thinking of opposite that way sure..

I was thinking they are actually similar - in that they were both 'big men' on campus. They were both highly recruited guys who could have gone to top tier schools. (Brown choose to go to basketball Siberia). They are around same size and weight etc.

I feel bad for Hunter. I wonder who will make a bigger mark in the NBA? Or will Hunter play overseas? Can we fit him as a non-roster connected guy in the NBDL?

I think the hope with Young is that his shot clicks at some point- he was the go-to scorer as a 17 year old freshman at Kentucky, hitting shots like Avery or Rip Hamilton off curls, with two defenders on him. That kind of minor offensive role is probably still his floor in the NBA. And we got him so young, he could have more upside as a scorer. If he's going to make a big leap, it'll be this season or next, otherwise he's just a spot up shooter.

[chakdaddy]

I admit I never paid attention to Young in college and didn't see him this preseason. But in every other game I've seen him, regular season, preseason, or summer league, I've never seen someone so invisible. Hang around the perimeter, receive a pass, relay the pass to someone else on the perimeter or miss a jumper. His size is nothing special for a 2, smallish for a 3; I've never seen him use his supposed athleticism.

Oh I feel ya. They are opposite in that one guy seems to be great - and the other guy does seem to disappear and suck. Noted. If you are thinking of opposite that way sure..

I was thinking they are actually similar - in that they were both 'big men' on campus. They were both highly recruited guys who could have gone to top tier schools. (Brown choose to go to basketball Siberia). They are around same size and weight etc.

My main point is Brown's aggressive play and Young's lack thereof.

[GuyClinch]

My main point is Brown's aggressive play and Young's lack thereof.

Yeah and your point is totally valid - was explaining how I read your comment - not that it was incorrect. Don't think Young will get any burn but if he does he needs to be aggressive in taking his Js. That's how he can do damage in NBA.. Kyle Korver it..

[sully00]

Hopefully this is the last year we have to cut draft picks to keep journeyman scrubs at the end of our bench

Celtics cut a scrub to keep a scrub. What's the difference?

The difference is one was drafted in the first round only one year ago and the other is a player on the wrong side of 30. Hopefully next year with another top 5 pick and a free agent we won't have to rely on guys like Gerald Green off the bench.

It is the opposite it will happen more and more. This team is going to be digging in trying to win a championship developmental roster spots will be limited and the team is going to more interested in carrying guys who can come of the bench and make a play or fill a role than taking a flyer and hoping this or that will happen in 3 years.

The real hope is Ainge is picking at 28 or worse year after year and having to deal with this problem.

[Homerclease]

Celtics cut a scrub to keep a scrub. What's the difference?

The difference is one was drafted in the first round only one year ago and the other is a player on the wrong side of 30. Hopefully next year with another top 5 pick and a free agent we won't have to rely on guys like Gerald Green off the bench.

It is the opposite it will happen more and more. This team is going to be digging in trying to win a championship developmental roster spots will be limited and the team is going to more interested in carrying guys who can come of the bench and make a play or fill a role than taking a flyer and hoping this or that will happen in 3 years.

The real hope is Ainge is picking at 28 or worse year after year and having to deal with this problem.

I disagree, they have three first round picks and a boatload of cap room for next season.

Horford/Zizic/Mickey
Griffin/Giles/Yabusele
Crowder/Brown/Young
Bradley/Smart
IT/Rozier/Jackson

If they are relying on vet min scrapheap guys next year then something went horribly wrong

[sully00]

The difference is one was drafted in the first round only one year ago and the other is a player on the wrong side of 30. Hopefully next year with another top 5 pick and a free agent we won't have to rely on guys like Gerald Green off the bench.

It is the opposite it will happen more and more. This team is going to be digging in trying to win a championship developmental roster spots will be limited and the team is going to more interested in carrying guys who can come of the bench and make a play or fill a role than taking a flyer and hoping this or that will happen in 3 years.

The real hope is Ainge is picking at 28 or worse year after year and having to deal with this problem.

I disagree, they have three first round picks and a boatload of cap room for next season.

Horford/Zizic/Mickey
Griffin/Giles/Yabusele
Crowder/Brown/Young
Bradley/SmartIf r
IT/Rozier/Jackson

If they are relying on vet min scrapheap guys next year then something went horribly wrong

Correct the boatload of cap room removes the need to automatically fill roster spots with rookie contracts. The roster expansion for the D league will greatly benefit Boston no doubt. But the value in a first round draft picks is threefold. 1 Talent Acquisition, 2. Cost Control, 3. Trade Capital. You seem very stuck on long term talent acquisition. Boston is no longer prioritizing that at all costs. That said they took one of the youngest and most raw prospects in the draft in Brown because of the premium upside but he looks ready to play. Boston is not going to be overly invested in roster spots to guys who can't play in hopes of them being able to play in 3 years.

I don't think there is a big separation between Young and Hunter as far a hard look at projecting them into the future. The reality is Young is better equipped to help now. But the cold reality is they are going to be lucky to be Gerald Green in the future. Boston is not going to be able to commit more than 2 or 3 roster spots to guys who can't contribute. That is why the Spurs are always drafting Euro stash guys or adding 4 year senior pgs who can contribute right away to fill that 3rd PG role and but may not even finish their rookie deal on the roster.

So yes Boston has more picks in the future and guys with draft rights overseas. That doesn't mean that there are going to be less Gerald Greens and Jonas Jerebko's it means that we will be talking about some other former first or second round pick who is moving on because they haven't progressed enough.

[Banks2Pierce]

We have no real idea what RJ Hunter could do here because he was buried on the bench and then axed before ever given a real oppertunity. Green may have been a good shooter at one point but he shot the ball worse than even Smart in the preseason.

I agree with you on Green skepticism, but Hunter did have an opportunity. A 22 year old in the D League needs to be a cut above. A 22 year old in his second summer league needs to be a cut above. He wasn't. Opportunities don't exclusively present themselves in NBA games.

[Gomes3PC]

They made the right call. That 15th spot is basically a lottery ticket, and Young still holds more upside. And in the near-term, I think Young can be a similar caliber spot-up shooter if pressed into action. Worse defender, but a better rebounder than Hunter.

Hunter will get another shot, but I saw enough progress and flashes from Young to feel it was the right call. Hunter was far from consistent himself during his time here so it's not like he is some known commodity.

[ryaningf]

Boston is not going to be overly invested in roster spots to guys who can't play in hopes of them being able to play in 3 years.

The reality is Young is better equipped to help now.

Really having a hard time squaring these 2 statements. If Boston isn't overly concerned about roster spots for guys who can't play right now, why keep Young, a guy you need to make a decision on by next week regarding whether you give him a 4th year guaranteed? By not cutting him now, aren't you basically committing to him for 2 more years? And if you aren't picking up his option, and he's eminently unplayable at this point in his career, what's the point of keeping him around this year?

While I disagree vehemently that Young is better equipped to help right now, I guess that's an argument that can be made. The problem is and always will be with drafting 19 year olds outside the lottery is that they don't pay off (*if* they pay off) until their 2nd contract and I just don't see a scenario where we're going to take that gamble here with James. Too many better similarly aged guys at his positions who are better prospects. So we're basically holding on to Young to secure the end of the bench on the low percentage chance that he shows enough in the D-League that he gets some team interested in him as a trade throw-in.

If you don't think RJ Hunter is better than James Young and you're not going to pick up Young's 4th year because he hasn't shown enough to warrant it (and he hasn't because just last week you were thinking of cutting him and/or trying to trade him for a 2nd rounder), I think the best move is probably to cut them both. Whatever the reasons are for keeping Young, I'm pretty sure there's a better talent on the street or in the D-League who could both help us more this year as well as into the future.