JR Giddens Interview

[GreenGrizz]

I don't understand all of those negatives. I thought he was doing fine. That is a rookie we are talking about. I don't want to see him get cut and play for another team where he could make an all-rookie team. Scalabrine looks much safter to cut. He will be out of the league before you know it.

[GuyClinch]

I'd like to know how you guys are making all these judgments. He has barely played for us - and certainly we can't know how well guys will pan out just from college ball. <g>

The only way to really scout players NBA ability would be to pit them against other NBA quality players. That's why so many draft mistakes get made - extrapolating from limited data or against inferior competition is problematic. From what I have seen he has looked fine..but like I said we barely saw him.

Pete

[buckner1976]

So, when I hear an evaluation of a player that flies in the face of all the other data i've collected on a player, its hard not to be hyper critical -- we're not talking about degrees of disagreement here and its not just a matter of one man's opinion against another's - there are fundamental errors in the assessment of Giddens from cmku in a number of areas.

You've stated your 'data' consists of statistical research and the judgements and opinions of others as well as your own, so to say it is not just one mans opinion against another and that there are fundamental errors in my assessment is nonsensical. I am pretty sure we both have consistent data in the way of JR's college stats, so we are both working from the same starting point on that end. Even if we both interpret the value of those stats differently, that is still just a difference of opinion. That leaves the combined assessments of the others, which are after all merely opinions. So the most you can say is my opinion flies in the face of the overall opinion you have gathered on him. That does not mean it is a fundamentally flawed evaluation. It all comes down to relativity. Relative to his competition and to his situation, Giddens displayed certain skills and certain weaknesses. How those translate to the nba and his role with the celtics is what is important and where the debate comes in.

Regardless, I think JR was a quality pick, but i don't think he's ready to play a major role on this team at all....the next two years will be "grooming" years for him and Id doubt he's seeing more than 10-12 mpg tops over that time..

This may have as much to do with the talent level on our team, but generally a 5th years senior (he was in the same recruiting class as Perk) shouldn't need a couple years of grooming. It seems like your big on historical correlation, so maybe you might know how many wing players of his age and experience have came in, saw extremely limited action in their first couple years in the league and ended up being difference making level players. I would imagine very few if any. So this statement leads me to question why, if you believe this, you still think this was a good pick. At there very least we could have taken Walker here and not traded anything for him and we are not having the debate of who we should be cut. When you look at combined short term and long term value, to me its obvious Giddens ranks below Pruitt, BBD, Walker and O Bryant and with these guys, we are talking about 3 second round picks and discarded lottery pick written off by the team the drafted him. Plus all 4 of these guys are younger than JR, and despite his enthusiasm seem much more coachable as well. So at the very least, this has to be considered, at this point, Ainge's worst move over the last couple years. Giddens still has plenty of time to prove himself, but wether its worth while to invest the time in him to figure out if he ever will is a good question.

What is this based on?? The last couple of ays all I've hear from Ray Allen is how JR came right to him to pick his brain an ask him about pointers for the position. Ray said JR has been asking a ton of questions and seems very enthusiastic and excited to learn. JR has been quoted as saying he wants to "soak GPA up like a sponge...". On what planet does this seem like an uncoachable kid? I'm sorry but I do believe you are talking out of your butt here. JR has been described as a gym rat who is living for the opportunity he has with this team an wants to make the most of it. Talent-wise and athletically Giddens blows BBD and Pruitt out of the water. It's not even close. This kid has so many gifts its scary. Fact is Giddens plays a position where 2 of our strongest players play. That's a fact. He's not gonna get much time this year. If this was the 24 win team of a couple of years ago he's be playing more. Not to mention Tony's a veteran of several years experience in this league. As for why Walker has adjusted a little quicker has already been explained due to Giddens lack of experience playing off the ball. As Bill already stated Giddens playe the "Paul Pierce playmaker" role for New Mexico last year while Walker played behind a better player and off the ball an his game is tailor-made for the pros. Giddens will take time but we're talking about a kid I think can have a "Rondo-like" impact defensively especially because they share so many of the same physical traits as Rondo and is fundamentally solid at that end.

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

Kinda ironic how JR made that big play stripping CDR today. I guess he reads RealGM.

[Dogen]

Kinda ironic how JR made that big play stripping CDR today. I guess he reads RealGM.

The game within the game.

CDR hits the big shot, but then comes back next possession and turns it over to JR. I was wondering if he wanted to take it at JR to say "you picked this guy ahead of me?"

[GregB]

Kinda ironic how JR made that big play stripping CDR today. I guess he reads RealGM.

The game within the game.

CDR hits the big shot, but then comes back next possession and turns it over to JR. I was wondering if he wanted to take it at JR to say "you picked this guy ahead of me?"

Picking Giddens over CDR. Reminds me of picking Rondo over Marcus Williams. We went with athleticism and defensive prowess in both cases.

[ryaningf]

Re: Giddens v. CDR

Danny had them both in at the same time to work out against each other and Giddens absolutely destroyed CDR, especially on the defensive end. CDR has some nice offensive talent, but his defense is non-existent. That's why we went with Giddens: he can play NBA defense.

[JMillott]

Its quite obvious why Danny Ainge drafted JR Giddens, we were from time to time exposed for our lack of athletic ability on the wings last year and were facing the very real possibility of losing Tony Allen (our only athletic wing reserve) as a free agent.

We are also a title contending team with top flight front end talent on the wings in Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. The most important trait that we needed to fill that depth wasn't to draft a player who could provide instint offense but to bring in guys who can defend so we don't give up the leads that our starters project to get for us.

The major flaws in JR Giddens game are things that can be coached out of him or worked on like his free throw shooting or things we aren't going to ask him to do an awful lot like shooting off the dribble.

As Bill has already stated the likely reason why we didn't go ahead and draft a Mario Chalmers when it screamed need based on last season is likely because Danny Ainge was pretty confident that Gabe Pruitt could fill that role and he wouldn't want three PG's with less then three years expirence taking up roster spots on a team contending for a title with a premium on roster spots.

I don't think its a stretch for Danny Ainge to believe that Rajon Rondo is ready to play 35+ minutes a night now and as such that the Celtics would be fine with House, Pruitt and Cassell covering the rest of those minutes.

I think the tougher call for a guy like Danny Ainge was to lay off taking the flyer on a DeAndre Jordan, but again the Celtics are pressed for roster spots and can't carry a guy who they feel couldn't fill a role if needed this year.

I think we'll know in a couple years if that is the case if Danny Ainge tries to sign DeAndre Jordan the way he did with Patrick O'Bryant this summer. I know we considered Patrick O'Bryant during the 2006 draft process and that Danny really liked him but not enough to invest a top 7 pick on him.

[cmku]

Almost a year later and things aren't looking better on the jr giddens front. There is no argument to be made any more that can defend this pick. Hands down one of the worst moves of the ainge era.

[buckner1976]

disagree 100%. was the most consistent player in orlando. not at all timid like he was a year ago. probably a bit over-aggressive this year but that's just a kid eager to show everyone he wants it. walker on the other hand looks like little has changed. all he can do is dunk and foul right now. both guys need to shoot better but giddens' versatility is starting to show a bit. nowhere near a bad move. certainly at the very least the jury is still out.

[GuyClinch]

holy necro thread - leave it to some Ainge hater to dreg this up. A late first round draft pick in a bad draft.. Giddens has some promise considering that..

[GregB]

Does Giddens even have a 100 minutes of nba time? Outside of Giddens being a top dleaguer last year. He still is unproven at the NBA level. Wouldn't mind seeing him get a chance over Tony Allen.

[Prophet_C]

I haven't read the whole thread but cmku posts irked me calling out bfb. BFB is one of our best posters and so knowledgable of the game. He puts most posters to shame. Saying you can't take him seriously is just.....dumb

get a clue ballboy!

[Banks2Pierce]

Honestly, Giddens looks like a clear NBA talent to me. I thought he was our best summer league player, although that can also be attributed to Walker's back spasms. I still have no idea how he got into Doc's doghouse early last year, but I feel we missed out a little bit on his contributions. Doc never really let him sniff PT after training camp.

[canman1971]

Absolutely no reason to drag up this thread. None!