2Mas wrote:return2glory wrote:Curmudgeon wrote:The Celtics will regret not taking Doumbouya. Once again they took the known quantity out of Indiana HS and AAU ball instead of swinging for the fences. Guys with Langford's skills are a dime a dozen in the NBA. Why invest a lotto pick in the second coming of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope?
Are you really comparing him to KCP?
Langford is a student of the game. His coach called him one player he had coached that loves to learn the game, study film, etc.
I can tell you guys stories about KCP that will get him black listed from the NBA. KCP is the opposite of Langford when it comes to preparation and caring about the game. Langford is a good human being, I would never say that about KCP. Character matters.
I like the Langford pick. I think he's gonna be good.
But boy did I want Doumbouya on this team. Man I think he's gonna be great.
Problem is it feels like Doumbouya is two years away from being two years away, and his long term fit seems in conflict with Tatum. I think both ultimately wind up as small-ball 4's once they get stronger, and frankly Tatum is just better and has a brighter future.
Now, it's highly unlikely this all works out so perfectly, but a long-term lineup of Smart/Langford/Brown/Tatum/[choose your center] looks like a team built for the modern NBA. That wing/backcourt has elite defensive potential, with 4 guys who have the upside to take and make difficult shots without much help. It is predicated on a few things, namely:
1. Smart can continue to expand his game into a true PG and that his shooting last year wasn't a total fluke (I tend to think not, but I am sure others disagree)
2. Tatum can get strong enough to hold his own at the 4
3. One of Tatum or Brown can expand their game to be a primary playmaker on the wing for us (ie, average 5+ APG)
4. Langford can develop a decent outside shot to keep defenses honest
If you squint though, the potential is there. Behind Smart and Langford you can add a gunner Lou Williams type for some instant offense/spacing (hello Carsen Edwards!), and all of a sudden you've got the makings of a pretty tough team to play against.