Welcome to Boston, Xavier Tillman! – (Agrees on 2yr Contract w/Celtics)

[hugepatsfan]

He's a guy who was traded away by a team with no centers for two 2nd rounders a decade away, I don't think players like that get MLE-type money. He may play a useful role for us but his value around the league can't have been very high.

This is where I'm at. Right year, right team situation I think he could get a tax payers MLE offer somewhere. Didn't happen for him this year.

If it's true that there's no player option on the 2nd year of the minimum deal, that I do think is a great get for Brad on him. He's displayed a base competency that I think makes him a great guy to have on the team as a minimum and seems extremely likely he'll still be that next year too. And there's a plausible scenario where his shot improves a bit and he's worth more than that even, so some upside potential too. I'm not shocked he settled for the minimum, but it's surprising to me if he locked himself into that for a 2nd year. I'd have thought he'd have gotten a player option.

[165bows]

He should take the summer off and then when the games start, just jack tons of threes.

[shackles10]

Aside from the dollar figures I think it's great for Tillman that the entire fanbase seems to be excited about his return and half are surprised he came so cheap. Not an easy thing for a guy to do mid-season, playing inconsistent minutes. It definitely speaks to a title makes everyone easier to please, but he's also the kind of player you associate with "the Celtics way". I can't blame him if he leaves for more money later, but hopefully he feels the love from the fans, his teammates, and the coaching staff/management as well.

[chakdaddy]

He's also in a great situation to develop.

[Curmudgeon]

As I said before, he has school age kids and did not want to disrupt his family with another move after having to relocate mid season. New house, new schools, all of that. Those kinds of considerations often outweigh the extra money he might have gotten from another team.

[Parliament10]

As I said before, he has school age kids and did not want to disrupt his family with another move after having to relocate mid season. New house, new schools, all of that. Those kinds of considerations often outweigh the extra money he might have gotten from another team.

Good point. They have 3 Kids. The oldest is 8.

[hugepatsfan]

As I said before, he has school age kids and did not want to disrupt his family with another move after having to relocate mid season. New house, new schools, all of that. Those kinds of considerations often outweigh the extra money he might have gotten from another team.

Good point. They have 3 Kids. The oldest is 8.

25 years old with 3 kids? No wonder he looks like he’s Al’s age

[Parliament10]

As I said before, he has school age kids and did not want to disrupt his family with another move after having to relocate mid season. New house, new schools, all of that. Those kinds of considerations often outweigh the extra money he might have gotten from another team.

Good point. They have 3 Kids. The oldest is 8.

25 years old with 3 kids? No wonder he looks like he’s Al’s age

Had his first Kid at 17. And still made an NBA career.

[Hal14]

He's a guy who was traded away by a team with no centers for two 2nd rounders a decade away, I don't think players like that get MLE-type money. He may play a useful role for us but his value around the league can't have been very high.

This is where I'm at. Right year, right team situation I think he could get a tax payers MLE offer somewhere. Didn't happen for him this year.

If it's true that there's no player option on the 2nd year of the minimum deal, that I do think is a great get for Brad on him. He's displayed a base competency that I think makes him a great guy to have on the team as a minimum and seems extremely likely he'll still be that next year too. And there's a plausible scenario where his shot improves a bit and he's worth more than that even, so some upside potential too. I'm not shocked he settled for the minimum, but it's surprising to me if he locked himself into that for a 2nd year. I'd have thought he'd have gotten a player option.

Seems like an overly simplistic way to evaluate players.

I mean, Draymond doesn't shoot and he's gonna be a hall of famer.

Like, there's levels to this.

Like, maybe the Grizzlies made a stupid trade? Spurs traded White to us..does that mean he sucks? We got 2 picks in the deal for Porzingis..does that mean he sucks?

We gave up barely anything for Horford..does that mean he sucks?

Um,..maybe the Grizzlies moved him because their team was going nowhere..and it made no sense to keep this guy who is literally tailor made to be on a contendor.

Memphis wasn't anywhere close to contending...so why not get picks for him?

[ConstableGeneva]

Read on Twitter

[hugepatsfan]

Getting the 2nd year on the minimum, IMO, is a huge win for the team on this deal. Usually any high end minimum signing (oxymoron, I know lol) gets a player option on year 2. It means the team gets him for a year, but the player has his options open to pursue a raise next year. Especially for younger minimum guys like this. If Tillman shows a reliably corner 3 this year, to go with his defense, he’d definitely be in line for a taxpayers MLE deal next year IMO. And even if he doesn’t, I don’t really doubt that he’ll be worthy of a minimum deal again. So it’s great for the team to have him locked down for a second year at that rate.

[darrendaye]

Read on Twitter

No Keith, none of the other lazy bums in the Twitter-verse bothered to advise us. Now get me the deets on Queta's 3rd year situation.

[BK_2020]

He's a guy who was traded away by a team with no centers for two 2nd rounders a decade away, I don't think players like that get MLE-type money. He may play a useful role for us but his value around the league can't have been very high.

This is where I'm at. Right year, right team situation I think he could get a tax payers MLE offer somewhere. Didn't happen for him this year.

If it's true that there's no player option on the 2nd year of the minimum deal, that I do think is a great get for Brad on him. He's displayed a base competency that I think makes him a great guy to have on the team as a minimum and seems extremely likely he'll still be that next year too. And there's a plausible scenario where his shot improves a bit and he's worth more than that even, so some upside potential too. I'm not shocked he settled for the minimum, but it's surprising to me if he locked himself into that for a 2nd year. I'd have thought he'd have gotten a player option.

Seems like an overly simplistic way to evaluate players.

I mean, Draymond doesn't shoot and he's gonna be a hall of famer.

Like, there's levels to this.

Like, maybe the Grizzlies made a stupid trade? Spurs traded White to us..does that mean he sucks? We got 2 picks in the deal for Porzingis..does that mean he sucks?

We gave up barely anything for Horford..does that mean he sucks?

Um,..maybe the Grizzlies moved him because their team was going nowhere..and it made no sense to keep this guy who is literally tailor made to be on a contendor.

Memphis wasn't anywhere close to contending...so why not get picks for him?

It's possible the entire league was stupid and couldn't see how great Tillman was, but most likely Tillman is just not a very valuable player in terms of his skills, physical tools, or player archetype (small big without a 3 pt shot or ball skill).

Also Memphis was the 2nd seed the season before. They were in the lotto because 80% of the team got injured or suspended or both.

[darrendaye]

It's possible the entire league was stupid and couldn't see how great Tillman was, but most likely Tillman is just not a very valuable player in terms of his skills, physical tools, or player archetype (small big without a 3 pt shot or ball skill).

The way I'd frame it is Tillman is basically a PF. Can play stretches at 5, but he's not a guy I'd put there 20+ minutes. I thought he could get 4mm not because he is universally valued, but it only takes a handful. Here he has value taking defensive burden (effort) off of Tatum, Porzingis, Horford, and even Brown and the team has a ton of shooting where his connector ability can also serve a beneficial function in the offense.

Also, Memphis while C poor, were/are pretty PF abundant.

[Hal14]

The way I'd frame it is Tillman is basically a PF. Can play stretches at 5, but he's not a guy I'd put there 20+ minutes. I thought he could get 4mm not because he is universally valued, but it only takes a handful. Here he has value taking defensive burden (effort) off of Tatum, Porzingis, Horford, and even Brown and the team has a ton of shooting where his connector ability can also serve a beneficial function in the offense.

Also, Memphis while C poor, were/are pretty PF abundant.

I actually see Tillman as the opposite. I see him as a more of a 5..who can maybe play small stretches here and there at the 4.

Tillman is like 245 - 250 lbs. Guys who are that big typically play the 5...especially if they are below average shooters (he also lacks the ball handling / driving ability that you'd like from a 4.

While he does have the ability to move his feet and slide laterally to defend guys out on the perimeter, his overall mobility is kind of slow - mobility that is more like a 5 than a 4.

Basically, guys who have size but are limited in terms of driving/shooting/athleticism/mobility typically play the 5..even if they're a small ball 5.

While Tillman is kind of short for the 5, he did measure 6'8.5" in shoes at the combine, with a 7'2" wingspan..and he's strong as hell so he can defend pretty much any 5 in the league. But if he's at the 4, then you're likely going to be a little bit limited in terms of team speed and offensive skill..

This has been discussed a little bit on here before, but PF is basically no longer really a position anymore. Most of the time you have a bigger wing at that spot (like Derrick Jones Jr, PJ Washington, KD, Tatum, Brown, Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, Jaquez, Tobias Harris or Josh Hart) or you have a team going double big with like Al/KP, Giannis/Lopez or Towns/Gobert..

A guy like John Collins or Aaron Gordon are true PF's, but they're a dying breed..

[darrendaye]

The way I'd frame it is Tillman is basically a PF. Can play stretches at 5, but he's not a guy I'd put there 20+ minutes. I thought he could get 4mm not because he is universally valued, but it only takes a handful. Here he has value taking defensive burden (effort) off of Tatum, Porzingis, Horford, and even Brown and the team has a ton of shooting where his connector ability can also serve a beneficial function in the offense.

Also, Memphis while C poor, were/are pretty PF abundant.

I actually see Tillman as the opposite. I see him as a more of a 5..who can maybe play small stretches here and there at the 4.

Tillman is like 245 - 250 lbs. Guys who are that big typically play the 5...especially if they are below average shooters (he also lacks the ball handling / driving ability that you'd like from a 4.

While he does have the ability to move his feet and slide laterally to defend guys out on the perimeter, his overall mobility is kind of slow - mobility that is more like a 5 than a 4.

Basically, guys who have size but are limited in terms of driving/shooting/athleticism/mobility typically play the 5..even if they're a small ball 5.

While Tillman is kind of short for the 5, he did measure 6'8.5" in shoes at the combine, with a 7'2" wingspan..and he's strong as hell so he can defend pretty much any 5 in the league. But if he's at the 4, then you're likely going to be a little bit limited in terms of team speed and offensive skill..

This has been discussed a little bit on here before, but PF is basically no longer really a position anymore. Most of the time you have a bigger wing at that spot (like Derrick Jones Jr, PJ Washington, KD, Tatum, Brown, Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, Jaquez, Tobias Harris or Josh Hart) or you have a team going double big with like Al/KP, Giannis/Lopez or Towns/Gobert..

A guy like John Collins or Aaron Gordon are true PF's, but they're a dying breed..

I always see the PG, SG, SF, PF, and C as defensive distinctions. Offensively, he's a "5" as you describe. But even Al with his 8'11" standing reach has challenges keeping longer strong guys off the offensive boards. You deal with that because his shooting is such a threat and benefit. Tillman checks in at 8'10", 1/2" shorter than Tatum. Tillman can bang with them, for sure, but I'd much rather take my chances with him defending PG than I would Embiid.

[darrendaye]

Probably already posted in the thread but, good article.

https://www.clnsmedia.com/xavier-tillman-managing-knee-pain-and-says-hes-75-acclimated-to-celtics/

[cloverleaf]

Probably already posted in the thread but, good article.

https://www.clnsmedia.com/xavier-tillman-managing-knee-pain-and-says-hes-75-acclimated-to-celtics/

Managing knee pain? And we thought Queta was gonna be the new Rob!

[ConstableGeneva]

Only got to watch this now.

Watch on YouTube

EDIT: Might have been a Romeo Langford cameo on there near the end.

Watch on YouTube

[BK_2020]

Probably already posted in the thread but, good article.

https://www.clnsmedia.com/xavier-tillman-says-hes-75

I knew it....