Giddens

[billfromBoston]

Also, Giddens is twenty-four which is old for a rookie. Second-year player Al Thornton, of the Clippers, is twenty-five (twenty-six by early next season) and has already been contributing for them. So, Giddens' ceiling is obviously not going to be high. Thus, you would like for next season to be his season. If not, he was a waste of a selection in the first round.

Not sure I follow that logic...Thornton has been allowed to do whatever he wants on an NBA court without any pressure to have it be consistent with winning basketball - I need to see JR in that situation before i can determine how he compares overall.

Age is not the end-all, be all - maturity and overall development play a large role - age is about time spent in prime years, not a limitation on potential. Giddens has had a delayed development process due to internal and external circumstance.

[sully00]

I don't buy Giddens as a better prospect than TA. Beyond the fact that circumstances that have lead to Giddens being a 24 year old rookie were specifically his own lack of maturity (not that Tony doesn't have his own share of issues), Allen started as a rookie because of his NBA level defensive ability, Giddens was behind a 21 year old Bill Walker in Boston's rotation. Compared that to Courtney Lee (who Boston was reportedly interested in) who started 42 games in ORL. I don't think TA has lived up to his talent and skills due to injury and perhaps a little lacking between the ears but he has clearly shown the ability of an NBA starter abel to play all 3 perimeter positions to some level.

Being a force in the D league isn't a bad thing but staying in the D league and not cracking the rotation even when TA was out hurt is hardly a glorious statement. Giddens has some talent but I don't know if he is skilled enough to transition to the NBA game in the current situation in Boston.

At the same time I wouldn't get all worked up about him being a "waste of a 1st round pick" it was the last pick of the round and a pick Ainge didn't even really want and he was able to get Walker in the second round and has him signed to a ridiculously team friendly contract, at least Giddens can add to the pile of expiring contracts Ainge will have to use in a possible salary dump next season.