The Time Lord: Welcome Robert Williams!

[leper-con]

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Whew, gotta be time zone error then

Or he got wrecked celebrating after the draft and was hung over af this morning

agreed

[Valid]

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Horford is the perfect big for him to work with.

Maybe I’m crazy but maybe his ceiling is that he becomes early Horford (when he didn’t have a 3) with more physical tools?

Good Passer shows potential of a handle. Horford could help him learn both.

His shot imo is the only thing that could lower the floor especially with how unordothox it looks but he looks like he might have a solid mid range (Baynes like) in the near future.

Another thing is that we can go small ball with a Kyrie Brown Hayward Tatum Horford lineup or go big with Kyrie Hayward Tatum Horford Baynes/Williams (future?). Insane Flexability for Brad to work with.

Don't really think he's young Horford. Let's remember that even though Horford did not have a three-pointer when he first came into the league, his offensive game was still very polished. I see Williams as more of a Capela type.

[VeryMuchWoke]

I can buy that he's BPA. But even if it turns out he can play, Williams is a pretty limited player. Non-shooter and needs work to turn his athletic skillset into defensive quality.

We clown Ainge for loving combo guards, but a good guard can play 30-35 MPG, make a shot, hit their free throws, close the game etc. The "upside" of Bruce Brown turning out to be a player is really higher than Williams, even if he isn't big and athletic. The real advantage with the Williams is addressing a need.

Are Jordan and Capela limited players? Will Bamba be a limited player?

I'm with you on this. Sometimes, the limited player ends up being a better player than the more well-rounded player because they are REALLY good at what they do. For example, I would take Clint Capela over Marcin Gortat.

I think it's important to note that Capela is also REALLY good at things that are the most important at the position. I'm thinking specifically of being able to defend switches, protect the rim, and provide spacing on offense (in CC's case it's "vertical spacing"). Robert has a pretty clear ability to master those 3 things if he puts the work in.

[BruceBanner18]

tan·ta·lize
ˈtan(t)lˌīz
verb
gerund or present participle: tantalizing
torment or tease (someone) with the sight or promise of something that is unobtainable.
"such ambitious questions have long tantalized the world's best thinkers"
excite the senses or desires of (someone).
"she still tantalized him"
synonyms: tease, torment, torture, bait

[Baller1234a]

Bamba is a better shooter but Williams is a more active player.

Thanks. Yet Bamba went 21 picks earlier?

I mean, if you're serious then: Bamba doesn't have the motor issues, character issues, medical concerns that Robert Williams has. Bamba has historic level wingspan. Bamba has shown better defending and rebounding than Williams as well as reasonable shooting potential and decent low post moves along with a 68% FT shooting in college so you can actually play him in games when it matters as opposed to Rob.

For those reasons and more Bamba is being compared to Rudy Gobert and Robert Williams to Nerlens Noel.

Rob Williams is the perfect flyer at 27 for this team as a casualty of the modern NBA and concerns if there is a role for him. But that doesn't mean Bamba isn't a significantly better prospect.

Williams however is better in pick and roll situations and is better on the perimeter. 2 thing that are very important for the modern big. Also he is very close to Bamba as a rim protecter

Player School BLK% DRB%
Mo Bamba Texas. 12.9% 28.2%
Robert Williams A&M 10%. 27.1%

Williams also showed improvement in post scoring as well

Williams has improved with the extra reps, going from the 58th percentile of post scorers nationwide as a freshman to the 85th percentile as a sophomore.

Bamba is also a historically bad passer while Williams is a good passer.

The above table includes various passing metrics for the 20 NCAA centers taken in the lottery since 2013. Among that group, Bamba ranks:

20th in AST/40
20th in AST%
17th in TOV/40 (4th-lowest)
17th in TOV% (4th-lowest)
19th in AST:TO Ratio
16th in USG%
20th in AST%/USG%

Also for “motor concerns” Bamba has them too.

For Mohamed Bamba, the nitpicking has mostly centered around his inconsistent motor

As for “injury concerns” Bamba missed a few games due to a toe injury.

Bamba is a better shooter and has a longer wingspan and is just as good as Williams in rebounding and I think both are equal in Defense with Bamba having the edge in Rim Protecteion and Williams having the edge on the perimeter.

And Williams isn’t being compared to Noel. He’s being compared to Deandre Jordon and Capela (who outplayed Gobert in the PO).

Edit. I’m not saying he is better than Bamba. I like Bamba more as a prospect. However I think it’s pretty close. Def. not a 21 pick difference.

[djFan71]

I can buy that he's BPA. But even if it turns out he can play, Williams is a pretty limited player. Non-shooter and needs work to turn his athletic skillset into defensive quality.

We clown Ainge for loving combo guards, but a good guard can play 30-35 MPG, make a shot, hit their free throws, close the game etc. The "upside" of Bruce Brown turning out to be a player is really higher than Williams, even if he isn't big and athletic. The real advantage with the Williams is addressing a need.

Are Jordan and Capela limited players? Will Bamba be a limited player?

I'm with you on this. Sometimes, the limited player ends up being a better player than the more well-rounded player because they are REALLY good at what they do. For example, I would take Clint Capela over Marcin Gortat.

Don't want to speak for him, but I don't think 24 is saying it was the wrong pick. Just that it was as much/more need as BPA - which I agree with. And, I totally agree his skillset is limited. But - it's limited to exactly what we are currently missing, so that's great. I would Yes, Yes, Yes to all 3 of Jordan, Capela and Bamba being limited players. Brad wouldn't have any of them on the floor the last 5 minutes of a tight game other than situationally on D. Maybe Capella gets in there more, but not when you have Horford around. The other 2, no way.

[Homerclease]

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[Baller1234a]

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Horford is the perfect big for him to work with.

Maybe I’m crazy but maybe his ceiling is that he becomes early Horford (when he didn’t have a 3) with more physical tools?

Good Passer shows potential of a handle. Horford could help him learn both.

His shot imo is the only thing that could lower the floor especially with how unordothox it looks but he looks like he might have a solid mid range (Baynes like) in the near future.

Another thing is that we can go small ball with a Kyrie Brown Hayward Tatum Horford lineup or go big with Kyrie Hayward Tatum Horford Baynes/Williams (future?). Insane Flexability for Brad to work with.

Don't really think he's young Horford. Let's remember that even though Horford did not have a three-pointer when he first came into the league, his offensive game was still very polished. I see Williams as more of a Capela type.

The comparison to Horford may be off but Williams can handle and pass the ball something a Capela type won’t be able to do. I was trying to think of a comp. for that and came up with Horford.

[Havlicek17]

In watching his highlight reels, there were a few things that stuck out for me.

1.) This kid is athletic as hell and moves fast for a big. On the Draftexpress strengths video, they had a whole section on Williams switching onto guards and wings. He moves his feet and can really cover these guys on the perimeter. He gives them a little space so they don't blow by him, yet still has the length to block their shots from a few feet away.

2.) Ranked # 2 in the top 100 college prospects as a shot blocker per 40. This kid can jump and has a 7'4" wingspan.

3.) Fast in transition and great hands and dunk skills.

4.) Pretty good passer out of double teams and drives to the basket.

5.) Gonna need to work on his shot mechanics. Pulls the ball up from his left side even though he's a righty. Long arms probably contribute to each shot looking different.

I think we got a steal at #27!!!

[ConstableGeneva]

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KG works out with young bigs. Maybe he wants to catch a few drills with him at the Celtics' new digs this summer. Wasn't Waltah (no longer with Cs) our big guy coach?

[GuyClinch]

At 27 if he just becomes a rotation defender/finisher type - that's an achievement. Good pick IMHO - switching to an undervalued kind of guy in the new NBA. In the old days a guy like him would have gone top 10.

[Curmudgeon]

Williams reminds me of Kenneth Faried. Williams is a little bigger, but the skill set is similar. I always like guys who can rebound, and he certainly can do that. He may be the best rebounder in this draft.

[ZeroTolerance]

So another lazy and small PF-C like yabusele and sullinger, ainge looks obsessed with these. He doesn't look fat at least, in the draft yabusele wasn't as fat as now tho, so who knows.

7'6 wingspan and big time leaper though. 240 pounds not a twig either

Yabba who?

Think this guy they drafted last night gets Yabusele's spot...He's more Robert Parish than anyone we have had on the team since....

Now, if someone can teach him to shoot close in and make his free throws, we are good!

Hard to figure that a projected lottery pick who also happens to be a big would fall to us at 27?

But I'll take it......Danny is lucky like that ....We get a top tier prospect at a position of need without having to trade up to get him...Almost like if we had had another top 5 pick handed to us....

[Gomes3PC]

The skill that could make him stand out long term is his lateral quickness. He has the ability to switch on the perimeter and contain athletic guards better than any rim protector in this class.

As HOU has shown, you can have a non shooters on the floor if the rest of the lineup spaces well. That's where I could see Williams shine.

What he needs to brush up on is cleaning up his off ball D and becoming a dominant pick-setter so his tremendous roll /finish abilities shine in P&R. If he can succeed there, Kyrie and Hayward will be feeding him 2-5 dunks per night.

[cloverleaf]

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Horford is the perfect big for him to work with.

Maybe I’m crazy but maybe his ceiling is that he becomes early Horford (when he didn’t have a 3) with more physical tools?

Good Passer shows potential of a handle. Horford could help him learn both.

His shot imo is the only thing that could lower the floor especially with how unordothox it looks but he looks like he might have a solid mid range (Baynes like) in the near future.

Another thing is that we can go small ball with a Kyrie Brown Hayward Tatum Horford lineup or go big with Kyrie Hayward Tatum Horford Baynes/Williams (future?). Insane Flexability for Brad to work with.

Don't really think he's young Horford. Let's remember that even though Horford did not have a three-pointer when he first came into the league, his offensive game was still very polished. I see Williams as more of a Capela type.

But look at the players who didn't really have a 3 or a great 3 until they started playing for Brad--e.g., Horford, Baynes, Tatum. (Smart of course the exception that proves the rule...)

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KG works out with young bigs. Maybe he wants to catch a few drills with him at the Celtics' new digs this summer. Wasn't Waltah (no longer with Cs) our big guy coach?

Interesting. Danny and the C's of course have have a long working relationship with Duffy.

[cloverleaf]

So another lazy and small PF-C like yabusele and sullinger, ainge looks obsessed with these. He doesn't look fat at least, in the draft yabusele wasn't as fat as now tho, so who knows.

7'6 wingspan and big time leaper though. 240 pounds not a twig either

Yabba who?

Think this guy they drafted last night gets Yabusele's spot...He's more Robert Parish than anyone we have had on the team since....

Now, if someone can teach him to shoot close in and make his free throws, we are good!

Hard to figure that a projected lottery pick who also happens to be a big would fall to us at 27?

But I'll take it......Danny is lucky like that ....We get a top tier prospect at a position of need without having to trade up to get him...Almost like if we had had another top 5 pick handed to us....

I think of him as the modern NBA version of Perk. Perk needed to learn to work, including work on his body, and was actually quite a bit behind Williams in that he was just an overweight high school player when drafted (at the same spot in the draft). Of course, Perk became a team leader beyond his talent, and was even employed last year just for that sort of leadership and discipline.

Thus, I could see him as a defensive stalwart and 5th starter on a championship team--just as Brad described, with four other shooters on the floor. In that context, his not needing a lot of touches becomes a feature rather than a bug. That he can switch and defend out to the perimeter of course is also perfect for Brad's system.

[Homerclease]

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[Spin Move]

7'6 wingspan and big time leaper though. 240 pounds not a twig either

Yabba who?

Think this guy they drafted last night gets Yabusele's spot...He's more Robert Parish than anyone we have had on the team since....

Now, if someone can teach him to shoot close in and make his free throws, we are good!

Hard to figure that a projected lottery pick who also happens to be a big would fall to us at 27?

But I'll take it......Danny is lucky like that ....We get a top tier prospect at a position of need without having to trade up to get him...Almost like if we had had another top 5 pick handed to us....

I think of him as the modern NBA version of Perk. Perk needed to learn to work, including work on his body, and was actually quite a bit behind Williams in that he was just an overweight high school player when drafted (at the same spot in the draft). Of course, Perk became a team leader beyond his talent, and was even employed last year just for that sort of leadership and discipline.

Still, I could see him as a defensive stalwart and 5th starter on a championship team--just as Brad described, with four other shooters on the floor. In that context, his not needing a lot of touches becomes a feature rather than a bug. That he can switch and defend out to the perimeter of course is also perfect for Brad's system.

Perk was younger, but I see what you are saying, he is a big bruiser, Perk is less athletic and heavier, but I agree a modern perk, a poor mans Clint Capela, etc.

[CharlesBradleyLikesToDunk]

I like the pick for where we were, and I like the Capela comparisons, but sleeping through you introductory press conference? Sounds like there are some other red flags as well which caused him to drop like he did and I hope he doesn't turn out to be like that Sean Williams kid from BC a few years back.

At any rate, I like the pick while recognizing it's a risk. He could provide something this team is lacking. Just hope he's not a knucklehead.