Why not Pruitt

[threrf23]

What I like about Pruitt is that in the here and now, while his PG skills are still (at least hopefully) in development - he can double as a defensive oriented role player against the league's DWades and Chris Pauls. He can replace Tony's role in that capacity if needed.

That...and its just like very year we make some big fuss about adding a vet PG and then we add one and by the end of the season we don't care for the vet PG...

[Celtics_85]

If Lue was brought in it would be for the sole fact of being a veteran who could start if Rondo got injured. Pruitt is still the backup in this case and Lue the 3rd PG. If you look at this situation Rondo will play between 34 to 38 minutes a game for us. We don't need a bigtime backup, just a guy that can start if Rondo is injured, and a guy like Lue fits this bill. Lue has started in this league and could run this team if Rondo went down.

[ryaningf]

I had kinda given up hope on Pruitt, especially after Hudson got picked.

But then Hudson got hurt, and I thought Pruitt showed some new found aggressiveness during SL, especially when it came to attacking the rim. He has several nice hard dunks, some even in traffic. He was also very good at finishing at the rim, something he rarely even attempted in years past. That's improvement right there...

Going forward, then, I'd be willing to make him the backup point guard. There are 3 main reasons behind this:
1. I don't want to waste money/roster spot on someone like Lue. Pruitt's already better, younger, hungrier, and I think there are better uses of roster space. Personally, I'd pocket the LLE until midseason to increase our attractibility for bought out veterans.
2. Pruitt wasn't terrible when he got some minutes midseason (after TA's 2nd ankle injury). He couldn't hardly hit a shot, of course, but I don't think the sample size was big enough to make any long term conclusions. What he did do was facilitate the offense enough to allow the other 2nd teamers--House/Baby/Powe--to finally flourish. That's the importance right there of having a capable ball handler on the 2nd unit--or, inversely, it's the importance of keeping Eddie House somewhere far far away from any point guard responsibilities.
3. God forbid, if Rondo ever went down for a prolonged period of time, I think Pruitt (moreso than House) would be a decent long-term replacement because he can play defense, bring the ball up the court, and hit from distance. One are biggest potential roadblocks towards #18 is an injury to Rondo, and I think Pruitt is a nice insurance policy against that possibility--a better insurance policy than anyone on our team or anyone who's available for the veteran's minimum.

[ryaningf]

If Lue was brought in it would be for the sole fact of being a veteran who could start if Rondo got injured. Pruitt is still the backup in this case and Lue the 3rd PG. If you look at this situation Rondo will play between 34 to 38 minutes a game for us. We don't need a bigtime backup, just a guy that can start if Rondo is injured, and a guy like Lue fits this bill. Lue has started in this league and could run this team if Rondo went down.

What??? Lue as starter? God, what a debacle that would be. Pruitt would be the obvious choice to start in the above scenario. Lue would get the backup minutes, if those. Hell, House would probably shift to backup point in that scenario.

Nah, Lue is in the Sam Cassell stage of his career where he sits at the edge of the bench looking slightly (Please Use More Appropriate Word) and jokes with KG during blowouts.

[Hemingway]

One of the great misconceptions that exists with C's fans who obsess over every Ainge draft pick is that because THEY haven't seen much of a player, the coaching staff doesn't "know what they can do."

Doc and the assistants, along with Ainge, see Pruitt every day in practice. He doesn't get minutes. There's a cause and effect relationship there.

Hot Dog, we have a Weiner!

I too don't understand the seemingly unconditional love for some of these low picks that have yet to show anything. You can talk all you want about potential, but even if we forced Gabe minutes his ceiling is probably no better than a back up vet we could get right now. He has been here for a while and never done enough to make the rotation, if Danny believed in him he probably wouldn't have drafted another pg. Also I've said it before but that DUI did not bode well for him and his time in Boston.

[Celtics_85]

Pruitt would get eaten alive by Pierce, Allen, KG, and Wallace. He would crack under the pressure these guys would put him under. I'm all for House, but there is a reason Lue was discussed, and that is the fact that they don't like what they see if Rondo goes down. If Rondo went down for a long period of time Ainge would make a trade to bring someone else in for the long run. Lue can start for the short haul if Rondo went down temporarily, and would know how to keep these guys happy.

This thread was about Pruitt being the backup, but to be honest, I think House should be the backup with TA playing the SG. TA is head and shoulders above what Pruitt is, which in Doc's eyes makes him the choice off the bench before Pruitt.

[GuyClinch]

He can't really shoot that well and he doesn't have the court vision or aggressiveness to make up for it.

This is his problem in a nutshell. And I don't want to hear about SL. Marcus Banks last year scored like 36 points in a half.. Its a lower level of competition so guys can finish better and shoot better. Ryan Anderson was a stud in SL.

SL really doesn't tell you much. You can be a stud in SL and fail in the NBA. You can look mediocre in SL and do well in the NBA. Both Delonte West and Rajon Rondo were underwhelming in recent SL's for example.

Doc is fine with a scoring point. We don't need a real PG. But in NBA games there has been absolutely no indication he can be a scoring point like a West or an Arenas. Is he showing something in practice? I don't see that either as Doc has been reluctant to use him. If he was a consistent dominant force in practice I think Doc would stick with him despite his shooting woes ala BBD.

I rather cut him lose and bring in Hudson. Hudson has the mental make up of an NBA player from what I have seen. He has the TA aggressiveness. is he good enough? I don't know. But its sure looking like Pruitt won't make it. Sure Pruitt has some talent but so did Joe Forte.

Pete

[recruiter]

Pruitt has only gotten 460 mins in 2 seasons that is not being given a shot. Delonte was hurt as a rookie and played 500 mins in one season, Tony Allen played over 1200 mins as a rookie. That was on a playoff team. I am not saying Pruitt is worth that maybe he isn't but you have to actually give him some real burn to find out if he can play.

Obviously, the point sails over your head, so let me try again:

He's getting BURN in practice, and he's not getting the job done. It's beyond idiotic to give a player minutes in games if the practice time tells you the guy's not a player.

Read the tea leaves. Who did Ainge draft with 58? A guard. How much time did Pruitt get in blowouts? Not a lot.

You guys are going to have to get over Pruitt. Doc and the staff get plenty of opportunities to see him in practice. They obviously don't like what they see because he doesn't play. He's not a player. Give it up.

Good grief.

[ryaningf]

Pruitt would get eaten alive by Pierce, Allen, KG, and Wallace. He would crack under the pressure these guys would put him under. I'm all for House, but there is a reason Lue was discussed, and that is the fact that they don't like what they see if Rondo goes down. If Rondo went down for a long period of time Ainge would make a trade to bring someone else in for the long run. Lue can start for the short haul if Rondo went down temporarily, and would know how to keep these guys happy.

This thread was about Pruitt being the backup, but to be honest, I think House should be the backup with TA playing the SG. TA is head and shoulders above what Pruitt is, which in Doc's eyes makes him the choice off the bench before Pruitt.

Given what's out there, I'm ready to roll with House *OR* TA (at least in the beginning of the season), but not both and definitely not with House at point guard. His play at point guard was the #1 reason our bench didn't get going until January. We've 'replaced' him at backup point for 2 years running, so what makes you think he's capable next season?

Pruitt isn't a point guard either, but he can handle the ball at least and get out of the way of playmakers. He'd be FINE in the starting lineup. He'd just have to bring the ball up, pass it, and then stand in the corner. He'd be open ALL NIGHT LONG. It would just be a matter of hitting open shots and he'd average 10 a game, easy...

*edited*

[GuyClinch]

Pruitt isn't a point guard either, but he can handle the ball at least and get out of the way of playmakers. He'd be FINE in the starting lineup. He'd just have to bring the ball up, pass it, and then stand in the corner. He'd be open ALL NIGHT LONG. It would just be a matter of hitting open shots and he'd average 10 a game, easy...

Listen when your .eFG% from jumpshot is 38% and 91% of your shots were jumpshots you better be Pistol Pete with the basketabll. His handle might be better then Eddie's but thats not going to win you any time. There are about two dozen D-league/foreign dudes that you could bring in right away that would have a better handle then Pruitt and shoot say 40% from the field.

Pruitt NEEDS TO SHOOT BETTER. His shooting was horrendous last year. Like Hubie Brown says you need a go to skill with your bench player. The don't need to do mutiple things at a high level but when you bring them in they had better do something at a high NBA level.

With House it's his shooting. With Powe it was his low post scoring. With TA it was his defense. You got to bring something even its "hustle" or "energy" like Walter McCarty and Mikki Moore. With Pruitt...?

Pete

[Celtics_85]

When Ainge talked about the bench he talked about scoring, not a PG. The two things he was more worried about was size and someone to back up Pierce. Right now he is looking, but at the same time is OK with Walker, Giddens, and TA. When you look at the backup PG spot there is really noone that can start if Rondo went down, and this area is probably what is being looked at the most right now. The problem I see is trying to find the right fit to play alongside House. Now House is just fine playing the backup minutes, but not starting at the point. If you have TA in there with him you can get the ball up the court just fine, and with our style of offense you don't need a pure PG for the second team, just guys that can score and defend. This is where I think Lue comes in as he can come in and play if Rondo or House go down for a short stint, but if Rondo goes down for a long period Ainge makes a trade for a viable starter.