I think Doc screwed up by releasing Raduljica

[Clemenza]

Watching him play for Serbia in the FIBA World Cup- this guy would've been perfect coming off the bench to back up DJ. He's slow but he's a giant massive beast. He rebounds and finishes around the rim plus you can throw him on the bigs in Memphis and the likes.. He gives you a different look for different situations. I don't like Doc as a GM at all

[mj_shoefanatic]

That's fiba comp but I get what you're saying. I think with the depth we have now he just wasn't a priority. Sucks bc we sure could have used his height.

[kylem4711]

he looks cool, but the team probably wouldn't be better off with him.

[illastrate]

I'd rather have Raduljica than Hedo. However, I'd rather have Udoh than him as he fills a greater need.

[Wammy Giveaway]

Doc was going after experience. Raduljica has only been in the league for one year, so he's still a raw prospect.

[Clemenza]

That's fiba comp but I get what you're saying. I think with the depth we have now he just wasn't a priority. Sucks bc we sure could have used his height.

He just went up against Splitter, Nene, and Varejao. I could've swore they were in the NBA

[Clemenza]

Doc was going after experience. Raduljica has only been in the league for one year, so he's still a raw prospect.

He still would be a more valuable asset on the team than Big Baby Davis and Hedo Turkoglu

[Wammy Giveaway]

Doc was going after experience. Raduljica has only been in the league for one year, so he's still a raw prospect.

He still would be a more valuable asset on the team than Big Baby Davis and Hedo Turkoglu

But to Doc, he's still considered a rookie. Like Phil Jackson, Doc red shirts his rookies. You'll only play for Doc if you've completed the following:

1. Been in the league for at least five years
2. Have at the minimum one playoff appearance
3. Played more than 20 minutes per game or the equivalent of starter's minutes

He may be no different than Vinny Del Negro when we're talking about not trusting his rookies. This is one of those "you're too young" kind of things. I'd rather Doc trade his rookies instead of keeping them because, even if they're getting great experience, there's a difference of learning by sitting out than playing. How many rookies have benefited from being red shirted for Phil Jackson's teams?

[Clemenza]

Doc was going after experience. Raduljica has only been in the league for one year, so he's still a raw prospect.

He still would be a more valuable asset on the team than Big Baby Davis and Hedo Turkoglu

But to Doc, he's still considered a rookie. Like Phil Jackson, Doc red shirts his rookies. You'll only play for Doc if you've completed the following:

1. Been in the league for at least five years
2. Have at the minimum one playoff appearance
3. Played more than 20 minutes per game or the equivalent of starter's minutes

He may be no different than Vinny Del Negro when we're talking about not trusting his rookies. This is one of those "you're too young" kind of things. I'd rather Doc trade his rookies instead of keeping them because, even if they're getting great experience, there's a difference of learning by sitting out than playing. How many rookies have benefited from being red shirted for Phil Jackson's teams?

I don't know if Phil's a good example. He's always had the best of the very best players at his disposal. Rookies never mattered to Phil when you have Jordan, Pippen, Kobe Shaq, plus quality vets anchoring your teams. Raduljica behind Blake, DJ, and Hawes would not have been a back breaker. You bring him for a couple of minutes to throw an elbow to the ribs of Marc Gasol, Zbo, Ibaka, Perkins, Adams, Duncan and Splitter.. Just my opinion though

[scratch21]

yea i rather have Radman over Hedo

[Ranma]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/507593588415270912[/tweet]
I'll admit that when the Dudley trade happened, my initial reaction to Miroslav Raduljica was assuming that he was a soft Euro center. Based on what I've heard and seen since then, that was a mistaken impression on my part. He's apparently a physical and beefy post-presence albeit methodical and slow. He supposedly has some skills, which makes me wonder why he hasn't garnered more interest around the league.

Teams seem to always be looking for skilled big men, especially those of the thick and intimidating variety. Could it be that the game is moving towards the more skilled and finesse players in the post? Even still, he should have served us well in the postseason given his penchant for the rough-and-tumble aspect of playoff basketball.

I, for one, would have liked to see what he could do for us for the upcoming season, especially given the low cost of his contract and team option for next year. In any case, Doc's making the call so we'll see how it plays out. At least with him looking to head back to Europe, it diminishes the likelihood of him coming back to directly bite us in the behind.

[scratch21]

^agree

after seeing Steven Adams punk our front line in the PO we need a bruiser

[og15]

I can't speak on Doc's trust or lack thereof in relation to rookies based on one season where this team had 1 rookie, and objectively, Reggie was a very bad NBA player last season. I terms of previous seasons, has there actually been a consistent practice of him not using rookies, or is it more of a perception?

His first year in Orlando, he played Pat Garrity, a 2nd year player 18 MPG and gave rookie Maggette 17.8 MPG. He then played 20 year old rookie Mike Miller 29 MPG the next season. He also played rookie Drew Gooden a good amount after they traded for him the following year. Okay, let's skip to his better teams. In 07-08, he maintained starting young Rondo and had rookie Glen Davis and second year Leon Powe as his primary big men off the bench. Doesn't really seem bad, I mean a rookie on a good team is going to have to earn his minutes.

[Ranma]

Doesn't really seem bad, I mean a rookie on a good team is going to have to earn his minutes.

This seems like a valid point given the examples you've cited and that's without mentioning Avery Bradley, but it seems like he had to play rookies early in his coaching career out of necessity given the way those teams were built. His early Celtics were also built pretty much the same way pre-KG-trade.

I know he was frustrated with the development (lack there of) and mindset of Corey Maggette who seemed reluctant towards adapting to a more fluid game, which carried over to his Clippers career. Plus, the headaches with Rajon Rondo are well-documented. I'm all for rookies earning their PT, especially with Doc's concerns about young players "getting over themselves". However, his drafting of prospects with the short-term view of fitting into specific roles thus far is a big concern given his lack of success in developing young players. It may not be a fair assessment, but Doc is no Popovich and the GM hat may be too big to fit his head.

[mj_shoefanatic]

That's fiba comp but I get what you're saying. I think with the depth we have now he just wasn't a priority. Sucks bc we sure could have used his height.

He just went up against Splitter, Nene, and Varejao. I could've swore they were in the NBA

Lemme see him do work vs TEAM USA

[Clemenza]

That's fiba comp but I get what you're saying. I think with the depth we have now he just wasn't a priority. Sucks bc we sure could have used his height.

He just went up against Splitter, Nene, and Varejao. I could've swore they were in the NBA

Lemme see him do work vs TEAM USA

You said FIba comp but in reality it was a 3 headed monster of above average legit NBA bigs. Just clearing that up for you. Against Team USA he would be up against Cousins, Davis, Faried, and Drummond. That's damn near a tie but of course Anthony Davis puts Team USA over the edge- bigs wise

[Neddy]

to be honest, i felt the same. i guess Udoh is at this point better than MIroslov, but Miro has the side advantage that Udoh doesn't have against some of the bigger competition such as the pedobears of Tennessee. rather than resigning Hedo, it would have been nice to sport our bigs roster of DJ/Blake/Hawes/Udoh/Baby/Miroslov. we would have 4 guys who can play both PF/C and that is a lot of versatility and size. I like Hedo but after signing Hawes as our stretch big and the 3rd big in rotation, i just don't really see much usage for a stretch big who can only play the forward position.

[QRich3]

Doc was going after experience. Raduljica has only been in the league for one year, so he's still a raw prospect.

He still would be a more valuable asset on the team than Big Baby Davis and Hedo Turkoglu

While I agree with that, DJ, Blake and Hawes should take the vast majority of big man minutes. Most of the games there'll be no minutes left for a 4th big, and when there's some, it's gonna be 4-6 minutes a game. For that purpose I'd rather have Udoh than any of Raduljica, Davis or Turk, he'll give you some energy and good defense (our 2nd unit is strictly offense for the most part).

So, what you're looking for, is a couple of bigs that can give you good intensity in scrimmages and practices, and are ready to step up and play their role if/when it's needed. Davis, Turk and Udoh know their place and how to do that (and understand the need for it). Raduljica, on the other hand, is young and still searching for a place in this league. He'll be hungry for minutes and eager to show he can be more than a 4th big with a limited role. Doc doesn't need that, he needs guys who can accept they're only gonna do small things in small stretches, and know how to do them well.

[QRich3]

Doesn't really seem bad, I mean a rookie on a good team is going to have to earn his minutes.

This seems like a valid point given the examples you've cited and that's without mentioning Avery Bradley, but it seems like he had to play rookies early in his coaching career out of necessity given the way those teams were built. His early Celtics were also built pretty much the same way pre-KG-trade.

I know he was frustrated with the development (lack there of) and mindset of Corey Maggette who seemed reluctant towards adapting to a more fluid game, which carried over to his Clippers career. Plus, the headaches with Rajon Rondo are well-documented. I'm all for rookies earning their PT, especially with Doc's concerns about young players "getting over themselves". However, his drafting of prospects with the short-term view of fitting into specific roles thus far is a big concern given his lack of success in developing young players. It may not be a fair assessment, but Doc is no Popovich and the GM hat may be too big to fit his head.

Is the bolded true though? I think his reputation for not playing rookies comes from Celtics fans claiming for him to play Bradley more than he did, but was he wrong? Didn't Bradley end up developing into a good starting role player who's ended up signing a $30M+ contract?

Look at the rest of the young guys he broke in, specially the ones drafted in the lower end of the first round. Didn't Al Jefferson, Tony Allen, Big Baby, Rondo, Perkins, West, Gomes, Garrity, Chucky Atkins, Mike Miller all end up having a better career than they were projected to on draft night? Yeah, he brings them along slowly, but most of the time they end up having a role in the league, it's not usual for him to give confidence to a young guy and the guy ending up as a bust. He can coach young players with not a lot of talent to become solid role players that last a long time in the league. Even the likes of Stiemsma and Moore keep getting contracts. I don't understand why he has that reputation, he's actually a really good development coach.

[LACtdom]

I'm not sure what happens 'behind the scenes' but it seems as though he doesn't throw rookies into the deep end (for better or worse) and tries to slowly groom them into NBA players. I'm really hoping that Bullock will be a little more polished this time round and will be rewarded with more minutes.