The Official Off-Season Thread, part I of many

[claycarver]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/753607000693600256[/tweet]

So we lose to Cleveland in the Eastern conference finals and sooth our souls with the first or second pick in a top heavy draft? Well ok then!

[Mr. E]

viewforum.php?f=335

Just stopping by with a head's up that the RealGM Olympic Forum is back! The Mod is kind of a jerk, but it should still be fun.

[Green89]

Sasha Kaun was just traded from Cleveland to Philly, who is said to be waiving him. We need to sign him! This dude's a championship good luck magnet:

NBA Champion
NCAA Champion
5 time VTB United League Champion
5 time Russian League Champion

Teams win titles wherever he goes! He even has a bronze medal from the Olympics.

[threrf23]

My Summer League evals:

Jaylen - He looked as advertised. That is not a bad thing as he was advertised as a top talent. It is tough to make much of his SL showing; NBA play will show us exactly how bad or not so bad his awareness is. The big question is whether he will put in the right kind of work. Based on what I have read about him and his past, it seems he is largely the same player today that he was two seasons ago, a la James Young.

James Young - He shot better than 50% from 3, 67% in Utah, a big improvement from his 23% shooting last Summer League. His form looked nice and he never even got the opportunity to establish a rhythm. The rest of his game? Maybe he is bored? Yeah he doesn't look so good, but players often improve more shortly after turning 21 than they do from 18-20, especially when it comes to their three point shot. Look at a guy like Nader - at "Young" age he was a not so good player (in college) who hadn't really been showing improvement, and now look at him. If we have waited for Young this long, we owe it to ourselves to wait slightly longer. If we hold on to Young, he will be one of our better shooters next season. If we don't keep him, I think I understand. But I would rather keep him than take a flier on an older 'probably has never taken his craft seriously enough' guy like Chase Budinger.

Nader - Scoring/shooting aside, his statistical production was nearly identical to James Young's. Except he is three years older than James Young. Based on scouting reports, interviews, historical stats, and what I saw from him in Summer League, I am ready to declare him a poor man's Antoine Walker. For a 58th pick, that is arguably a very good thing, but not a good enough thing to overcome an Antoine Walker stigma. If he has not agreed to be stashed, I still don't like the pick.

Yabu - He has quick feet, but doesn't look so quick. I am not sure what that indicates. He wasn't able to make his presence felt strongly in Summer League, which doesn't bode so well for his ability to make an immediate impact on the NBA court. But he is big, has quick feet, has solid instincts, and most importantly I thought he looked better every game for the most part. Hopefully he is willing to be stashed, he is not a high upside type and his value is therefore somewhat dependent on immediate contribution upon signing. If he is not stashed, I am okay with that.

Mickey - On the plus side, he is a better PG than Marcus Thornton. He has put on a lot of weight. I don't know if it is good weight or bad weight, but last year everybody wanted him to put on weight. His shoulder had been hurt and he is probably getting used to his new body, so perhaps it was wrong to expect anything from him in SL. I am going to be optimistic and say I am looking forward to seeing him in training camp.

Marcus Thornton - If Yabu is the Dancing Bear, than Thornton is the Dancing Sock Puppet. He looked like a character from an In Living Color sketch, or like a random guy who was thrilled to have been invited by accident to some sort of fantasy camp. He will not be playing in the NBA any time soon, but he also doesn't deserve some of the hate he has gotten on this board.

Rozier - He shot better than 62% from the field and 57% from 3 in Vegas while scoring more than 26 points per 36; he was one of the best players @ SL and the improvement he has shown is very encouraging. However poor decision making was on display, and it is not clear how well he translates to the NBA beyond as an energy role player. He chose to play for Rick Pitino in college, he was a chucker at Louisville, and he was playing street ball in SL. I am open to trading him because his value may be at a high point and we have a lot of depth at his position.

Demetrius - I had high hopes for him. His first SL game, in Utah, he looked like an NBA vet playing with a bunch of college guys. I love his composure and poise and more than anyone else on our team it felt like he was making an effort to embrace a leadership role and to rally around his teammates. I thought he showed good instincts and generally avoided bad mistakes. I would like to think that he was affected by injury in Vegas, but it seems pretty clear that he is a PG who is not a very good ballhandler; he cannot handle on ball pressure well and it feels as if the effort he must spend while dribbling through traffic leaves him with limited capacity to make decisions on the fly. I still think he is an NBA player after an adjustment period, he feels like the type of guy who will find a way to make it if he can. The question is how long of an adjustment period is required.

Ben Bentil - He is what should have been expected. His best strength as a player in college was scoring inside the arc. But with no post game and limited awareness/IQ, that did not stand to translate too much to the NBA. His body is completely filled out so he lacks the physique-related upside that other young guys have. And since he was African born, we might not know his real age (he is probably around 20 but he could pass for 26 easy). He showed good improvement his second year of college and could develop into Linas Kleiza or the equivalent, but what was discouraging is that, if anything, he got worse as SL went on. If he is okay being stashed, I definitely advocate that.

[canman1971]

Sasha Kaun was just traded from Cleveland to Philly, who is said to be waiving him. We need to sign him! This dude's a championship good luck magnet:

NBA Champion
NCAA Champion
5 time VTB United League Champion
5 time Russian League Champion

Teams win titles wherever he goes! He even has a bronze medal from the Olympics.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX9E44mClKs[/youtube]

[claycarver]

Jaylen - He looked as advertised. That is not a bad thing as he was advertised as a top talent. It is tough to make much of his SL showing; NBA play will show us exactly how bad or not so bad his awareness is. The big question is whether he will put in the right kind of work. Based on what I have read about him and his past, it seems he is largely the same player today that he was two seasons ago, a la James Young.

Geeze. I find it hard to believe that the big guy I saw on the court getting to the rim at ease, changing direction in the air, defending the way he did...I doubt he did that his junior year in high school.

[threrf23]

Jaylen - He looked as advertised. That is not a bad thing as he was advertised as a top talent. It is tough to make much of his SL showing; NBA play will show us exactly how bad or not so bad his awareness is. The big question is whether he will put in the right kind of work. Based on what I have read about him and his past, it seems he is largely the same player today that he was two seasons ago, a la James Young.

Geeze. I find it hard to believe that the big guy I saw on the court getting to the rim at ease, changing direction in the air, defending the way he did...I doubt he did that his junior year in high school.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaylen-Brown-72912/

adidas Nations Scouting Reports Part 1
August 10, 2014

Jonathan Givony

Recruiting Rankings: Scout #4, 24/7 #2, Rivals #3, ESPN #8

Strengths:
-Good size for a wing player at around 6-7
-Strong frame. Solid wingspan
-Excellent athlete
-Powerful first step. Plays above the rim with ease
-Has good shooting mechanics even if he sees inconsistent results from outside
-Capable of making shots with his feet set or off the dribble
-Attacks the rim with both hands
-Outstanding in transition
-Gets to the free throw line prolifically
-Doesn't settle for jumpers even though he can make them
-Enjoys taking contact at the rim, doesn't shy away from a hit
-Great potential defensively
-Moves feet extremely well. Does a good job staying in front of opponents
-Shows good timing as a shot-blocker
-Gets in the passing lanes regularly
-Prolific rebounder
-Unselfish player, makes the extra pass
-Plays with a chip on his shoulder. Always in attack mode
-Has terrific intangibles off the court. Very intelligent

Weaknesses:
-Jump-shot is still a work in progress. Was a non-shooter not too long ago and is still finding his consistency
-Sometimes tries to do a little too much and forces issue, causing turnovers
-Still working on his ball-handling skills. Needs to improve his left hand

Outlook: Physically gifted prospect with a great combination of toughness, athleticism and smarts. Not consistent with his offensive game yet, but shows the makings of a versatile skill-set, including the ability to create his own shot and punish defenses from the perimeter. After a strong summer is starting to get consideration for potentially being the #1 prospect in his high school class.

[claycarver]

Oh, you totally threw me off with the James Young reference. Yes, I agree with that scouting report. He looks like he has the skills to be the #1 prospect in his class, just like he did 2 years ago.

[ConstableGeneva]

R.J. Hunter takes shots from Danny Ainge: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics/2016/07/rj_hunter_takes_shots_from_danny_ainge

When he isn’t picking on Hunter, Ainge speaks of him in a more encouraging, though cautious, tone.

“He’s in the process of earning a spot in the rotation,” Ainge said. “We know he can shoot and we know he’s a good passer, and he’s fighting hard for an opportunity to play.

“But you’ve got to work to be good enough at the other elements of the game — defense, rebounding, strength. You can’t just be a shooter; you have to be able to do more. There are a lot of good shooters that aren’t in the NBA because they can’t do enough on the other end of the court.”

[aim2please]

Mike Z is on twitter https://twitter.com/mikezarren

[ConstableGeneva]

Rick Bonnell ‏@rick_bonnell 4h4 hours ago
The @hornets will play the Celtics Oct. 6 in a preseason exhibition at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Rick Bonnell ‏@rick_bonnell 1h1 hour ago
Per @ESPNForsberg the @hornets and Celtics will also have a preseason exhibition at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut Oct. 8.

Preseason game against a non- Atlantic Division or European team! Preview of Eastern Conference Finals!

[Marley2Hendrix]

Fwiw, in Simmons' Friday podcast, he completely laughed off the LAC/BOS trade talks, describing them as being completely made up.

[165bows]

Fwiw, in Simmons' Friday podcast, he completely laughed off the LAC/BOS trade talks, describing them as being completely made up.

LAC is in a weird spot. They can keep as is and just get older like Doc's last crew but less successful.

They can try to get in on Westbrook's FA next summer and reinvent themselves that way.

Or they can try to go all SuperFriends. LeBron is still not locked up to a long term deal FWIW.

[rickrolled]

Fwiw, in Simmons' Friday podcast, he completely laughed off the LAC/BOS trade talks, describing them as being completely made up.

LAC is in a weird spot. They can keep as is and just get older like Doc's last crew but less successful.

They can try to get in on Westbrook's FA next summer and reinvent themselves that way.

Or they can try to go all SuperFriends. LeBron is still not locked up to a long term deal FWIW.

Simmons is reverse-jinxing a possible Blake trade to Boston. If he said yes they're having talks he will piss off Doc cause he hates him and vice versa, and Doc will probably take it personal and keep Blake.

[165bows]

Fwiw, in Simmons' Friday podcast, he completely laughed off the LAC/BOS trade talks, describing them as being completely made up.

LAC is in a weird spot. They can keep as is and just get older like Doc's last crew but less successful.

They can try to get in on Westbrook's FA next summer and reinvent themselves that way.

Or they can try to go all SuperFriends. LeBron is still not locked up to a long term deal FWIW.

Simmons is reverse-jinxing a possible Blake trade to Boston. If he said yes they're having talks he will piss off Doc cause he hates him and vice versa, and Doc will probably take it personal and keep Blake.

Ha forgot about that feud.

[Marley2Hendrix]

Fwiw, in Simmons' Friday podcast, he completely laughed off the LAC/BOS trade talks, describing them as being completely made up.

LAC is in a weird spot. They can keep as is and just get older like Doc's last crew but less successful.

They can try to get in on Westbrook's FA next summer and reinvent themselves that way.

Or they can try to go all SuperFriends. LeBron is still not locked up to a long term deal FWIW.

Simmons is reverse-jinxing a possible Blake trade to Boston. If he said yes they're having talks he will piss off Doc cause he hates him and vice versa, and Doc will probably take it personal and keep Blake.

Great point. Simmons doesn't seem well connected on BOS stuff, though he seems tuned in to some things California (although he laughed in March when Woj first mentioned KD to GS) and would have nothing to gain. I suppose, after following him for about 15 years, it was more of a "I'm not touching this, move along" dismissal."

[ConstableGeneva]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics/celtics_insider/2016/07/tom_brady_celtics_made_big_impression_on_kevin_durant

“I was ready to just say, ‘All right. Let’s go. I’m ready to go,’ seeing Tom Brady there,” Durant said. “Just seeing someone so successful at his craft and just a great ambassador for the game of football and the city of Boston, it was just great to be in the presence of greatness.

“But at the same time, I knew I couldn’t let that distract me. But he was great. It was great to see him.”

Those who doubt the lure of Brad Stevens and his potential to attract free agents will be disappointed by Durant’s reasoning in choosing the Celtics as one of just six teams with whom he’d even meet. If it wasn’t clear from the unsolicited comments from opposing players in praise of what the Celts are building, Durant put it simply.

“I just like the way they play,” he said. “I like their coach. I feel they have some good pieces.”

People can be sour about KD's decision but like I said even before he agreed to meet with the Celtics, just getting a chance to pitch to him can only reflect well on the organization and what they're trying to build in Boston. Other players will see that too, if they haven't already. Future's still bright, with or without KD.

[jrob23]

LAC is in a weird spot. They can keep as is and just get older like Doc's last crew but less successful.

They can try to get in on Westbrook's FA next summer and reinvent themselves that way.

Or they can try to go all SuperFriends. LeBron is still not locked up to a long term deal FWIW.

Simmons is reverse-jinxing a possible Blake trade to Boston. If he said yes they're having talks he will piss off Doc cause he hates him and vice versa, and Doc will probably take it personal and keep Blake.

Great point. Simmons doesn't seem well connected on BOS stuff, though he seems tuned in to some things California (although he laughed in March when Woj first mentioned KD to GS) and would have nothing to gain. I suppose, after following him for about 15 years, it was more of a "I'm not touching this, move along" dismissal."

Simmons isn't in the know. He's generally disliked for a variety of reason mainly is mouth and people in the industry can't believe he calls games and figure it's just because he's controversial so nobody is feeding him information. It's only a matter of time before Doc jumps ship like he did in Boston.

[chrisab123]

Here is how I would fill out the rest of the roster

Sign and Trade Zeller and send Marcus Smart to Philly for Okafor
Sign Dion Waiters to a 1 year deal
Sign JR Smith to a 1 year deal

Thus giving us this rotation.

Guards IT Bradley Smith Waiters Rozier
Forwards Brown Crowder Amir Horford
Center: Okafor Amir Horford

10 deep. JJ would be kept as a reserve guy for when someone gets hurt.

Then you can screw around with the rest of the roster. Maybe bring Larry Sanders in on a 1 year deal. McGee maybe as a filler. But what Smith and Waiters do is give you offense. It takes pressure off guys like IT in those types of situations. Smith is an absolute turd but I think you sign those two then you solve the issue that has plagued the team the last two seasons. If Stevens was able to coach up "Big Balls" and Turner then I'd like to see if he can get the potential out of Waiters and Okafor.

[aim2please]

Here is how I would fill out the rest of the roster

Sign and Trade Zeller and send Marcus Smart to Philly for Okafor
Sign Dion Waiters to a 1 year deal
Sign JR Smith to a 1 year deal

Thus giving us this rotation.

Guards IT Bradley Smith Waiters Rozier
Forwards Brown Crowder Amir Horford
Center: Okafor Amir Horford

10 deep. JJ would be kept as a reserve guy for when someone gets hurt.

Then you can screw around with the rest of the roster. Maybe bring Larry Sanders in on a 1 year deal. McGee maybe as a filler. But what Smith and Waiters do is give you offense. It takes pressure off guys like IT in those types of situations. Smith is an absolute turd but I think you sign those two then you solve the issue that has plagued the team the last two seasons. If Stevens was able to coach up "Big Balls" and Turner then I'd like to see if he can get the potential out of Waiters and Okafor.

Where is Olynyk? Mickey? Hunter? Young? Jerebko? Our 2nd rounders? There's no need or room for Smith and Waiters on our roster. They don't fit the culture and we would have to cut some of our young guys just to make roster spots.

Besides, Celtics don't have enough space to sign both of them. JR alone is reportedly asking around $15m per year.