The Time Lord: Welcome Robert Williams!

[brackdan70]

I wish it weren’t so, but this guy is probably the next Young. He has a skill set team could really use and his talent seems better than where he was picked. But guy is too hungover to show up for first conference call? It’s a terrible start and I’m already writing him off. Maybe he shows well at SL so we can package him in Kawhi trade like we did with Zizic last year.

Uninformed speculation. Lol.

The trade value point is interesting though As a guy with top 10 talent his value is likely better than 27th pick and if he does show will at summer league it climbs a little more. That said I don’t see a Kawhi trade happening.

[brackdan70]

Based on a couple of analysis of draft pick production that have been done like the 82games analysis. Pick like this in the late 20s gets you 250 to 300 games (rookie contract) 5 points and 3 rebounds. Basically a fringe NBA player I think his this was a good draft so we expect a little more but if Williams becomes a rotation player he is exceeding his draft position. It’s really gravy if the guy can contribute and he has the tools to do so.

[ConstableGeneva]

Capela played only 90 minutes in his rookie year.

How many will Robert play as a rookie? Hoping we"re no longer blowout-averse this season so there can be more garbage time for our summer league lineup.

[Homerclease]

Capela played only 90 minutes in his rookie year.

How many will Robert play as a rookie? Hoping we"re no longer blowout-averse this season so there can be more garbage time for our summer league lineup.

I think he’s advanced enough on the defensive side to find a role this year. He’s gonna see time with the big club and more time than we expect early on IMO. It will be spotty based on matchups but with his skill set I believe there is an opportunity for this kid right away to play

[cloverleaf]

Capela played only 90 minutes in his rookie year.

How many will Robert play as a rookie? Hoping we"re no longer blowout-averse this season so there can be more garbage time for our summer league lineup.

I think he’s advanced enough on the defensive side to find a role this year. He’s gonna see time with the big club and more time than we expect early on IMO. It will be spotty based on matchups but with his skill set I believe there is an opportunity for this kid right away to play

Yep, they'll also want to develop him enough, if they can, in the regular season for him to be another club in Brad's bag come the playoffs.

[bucknersrevenge]

Well, I'm probably the only Celtics fan who didn't like the pick. I'm aware that of the remaining players on the board he had the most "value", but I believe there's a reason he fell to 27. His BBIQ (right now) is lower than any of the other 59 draft picks, he doesn't seem to have any passion for the game, and his offensive game is painful to watch. His body measurements are great, but thats about the only positive I see in him. My guess is he's out of the league by the end of his rookie contract.

BTW I would've been down on many other possible picks Ainge could've made at 27. Most players drafted after the first 20 don't get to contribute in the NBA for long. My main point is I don't see the potential of a rotation player (you all see) in him, which is legitimate for a 27th pick.

I don't like the pick at all either. He's basically a slightly taller/more athletic Jordan Mickey who is 6'8 with a 7.3.25 wingspan and 37 inch vertical. Mickey was actually a better college player and defender than Robert Williams plus could hit a mid-range jumper, wasn't a malcontent with poor BBIQ and he didn't work out. So I have no confidence in Williams. Like Mickey, he's just not what modern NBA centers need to be. There were far too many other great players I would have preferred. We'll be comparing Williams to Musa, Okobo, Thomas, Bonga, Robinson, Kurucs, Diallo, Bates-Diop, and Vanderbilt for years to come and I have a sinking feeling most of them will be better players. I wanted a big and just think Robinson is better in every way imaginable. And FA losses/injuries could turn positions we view as strengths into weaknesses in a hurry going forward. I really hope I'm wrong because we've been searching for a big in the draft for a decade plus to no avail.

What are you basing the "malcontent with a poor BBIQ" on? And what do you think "modern centers need to be"? And based on what evidence do you assert that Robinson is better? Your whole post begs the question here. You sound like you had your mind made up before the pick was even taken that you weren't gonna like it. I'm not even sure where you get this assertion that Danny has even been specifically looking for a big man for a decade. If you really think that, that may be your first issue there. Danny does not, nor has EVER gone into a draft looking to fill a position. Check his M.O. Look at his comments. Generally, he drafts who he believes is the best player available at the time which is exactly what he said he did this time as usual. I think you have some holes in your argument.

[cloverleaf]

Here's a good interview with Robert's college coach, who keeps it real. Seems Robert is likable in part by appreciating everyone in the organization--and that matters a lot, that he's a good guy. (Reminds me a little of Leon Powe, who impressed the team so much by writing thank you notes at the end of the season to every single staffer he encountered. Notice how he has been invited back as a permanent member of the C's organization.) Robert is apparently a little immature and too fun-loving at this point, and conditioning was an issue in keeping him on the floor for long stretches. Also says the motor thing is something they were working on. He tends to play down to his competition too much. (As well as his shooting motion.) They all think the C's org is just what he needs and the best possible team for him at this point.

So I'll go out on a limb and say if he can just be disciplined under the C's watch re: conditioning for the next few months, he may well be able to conquer the majority of the consistency issue right there. Otherwise, of course he has a ways to go for playing down to other NBA competition--or even getting to be on the floor for long stretches.

In short, if he is with the program in terms of practice, I think he'll be with the program on the court. And it wouldn't surprise me if all the C's players are given the leadership opportunity to make sure he's with them to adopt their training habits.

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/celtics-talk-podcast-robert-williams-college-coach-billy-kennedy-discusses-cs-draft-pick

[Upperclass]

He reminds me of a Keon Clark/Larry Sanders type personality that plays ball to make ends meet. But I don't know if he's long for the league. He's the type of player that I feel will be integral for a championship team, some other team will get enticed and offer a large contract.. then you'll never see the same player again

[Bad-Thoma]

He reminds me of a Keon Clark/Larry Sanders type personality that plays ball to make ends meet. But I don't know if he's long for the league. He's the type of player that I feel will be integral for a championship team, some other team will get enticed and offer a large contract.. then you'll never see the same player again

If that was true he probably would have opted to be in the draft last year when he had a shot at being in the top 10 rather than return to college for a second season because he didn't feel ready. We can all speculate about his attitude based on some vague **** but I'm not going to jump on him before he has a chance to play in a structured environment.

[bucknersrevenge]

Here's a good interview with Robert's college coach, who keeps it real. Seems Robert is likable in part by appreciating everyone in the organization--and that matters a lot, that he's a good guy. (Reminds me a little of Leon Powe, who impressed the team so much by writing thank you notes at the end of the season to every single staffer he encountered. Notice how he has been invited back as a permanent member of the C's organization.) Robert is apparently a little immature and too fun-loving at this point, and conditioning was an issue in keeping him on the floor for long stretches. Also says the motor thing is something they were working on. He tends to play down to his competition too much. (As well as his shooting motion.) They all think the C's org is just what he needs and the best possible team for him at this point.

So I'll go out on a limb and say if he can just be disciplined under the C's watch re: conditioning for the next few months, he may well be able to conquer the majority of the consistency issue right there. Otherwise, of course he has a ways to go for playing down to other NBA competition--or even getting to be on the floor for long stretches.

In short, if he is with the program in terms of practice, I think he'll be with the program on the court. And it wouldn't surprise me if all the C's players are given the leadership opportunity to make sure he's with them to adopt their training habits.

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/celtics-talk-podcast-robert-williams-college-coach-billy-kennedy-discusses-cs-draft-pick

One of the talking heads mentioned this the other day but I think at least some of the issues relating to his "motor" or being lazy had to do with the ineffective way he was used and how he fit on that team. Playing with Tyler Davis meant having having to share space with a back-to-the-basket big who got a lot of post up opps. When the ball wasn't swung to Robert he had to spend a lot of time just watching the ball which is what happens when you'r team is based on post up. They ran almost no pick n roll for him. Guys like him should touch the ball at least a little more. Here, where Brads loves to run wing PnR out of horns sets in a flex offense means Williams will be engaged on almost every set. Just because he is such a fantastic lob threat means our high screen and roll opportunities should go up considerably and he should be able to feast with all of the playmakers and talent he's gonna get to play next to. Now he still has to do the work. He still has to commit, get in shape, be ready to play, etc. But the better the guardplay around him is, the better he will be.

In related news our Summer League team should be a monster on defense. Allen/Bird/Semi/Yabusele/Williams

[Valid]

Well, I'm probably the only Celtics fan who didn't like the pick. I'm aware that of the remaining players on the board he had the most "value", but I believe there's a reason he fell to 27. His BBIQ (right now) is lower than any of the other 59 draft picks, he doesn't seem to have any passion for the game, and his offensive game is painful to watch. His body measurements are great, but thats about the only positive I see in him. My guess is he's out of the league by the end of his rookie contract.

BTW I would've been down on many other possible picks Ainge could've made at 27. Most players drafted after the first 20 don't get to contribute in the NBA for long. My main point is I don't see the potential of a rotation player (you all see) in him, which is legitimate for a 27th pick.

I don't like the pick at all either. He's basically a slightly taller/more athletic Jordan Mickey who is 6'8 with a 7.3.25 wingspan and 37 inch vertical. Mickey was actually a better college player and defender than Robert Williams plus could hit a mid-range jumper, wasn't a malcontent with poor BBIQ and he didn't work out. So I have no confidence in Williams. Like Mickey, he's just not what modern NBA centers need to be. There were far too many other great players I would have preferred. We'll be comparing Williams to Musa, Okobo, Thomas, Bonga, Robinson, Kurucs, Diallo, Bates-Diop, and Vanderbilt for years to come and I have a sinking feeling most of them will be better players. I wanted a big and just think Robinson is better in every way imaginable. And FA losses/injuries could turn positions we view as strengths into weaknesses in a hurry going forward. I really hope I'm wrong because we've been searching for a big in the draft for a decade plus to no avail.

Well, first of all, your "modern centers" comment is wrong, because both Clint Capela and DeAndre Jordan aren't floor spacers and yet they are still among the best centers in the league. Second, you said there were "far too many other great players" you would have preferred. If these guys were as "great" as you say, they wouldn't have been available at No. 27. MAYBE one of those guys will end up being an All-Star caliber player. Most of them will either be role players or end up out of the league entirely in two or three years.

Yeah, Williams could become Jordan Mickey, but he could also become Capela or Ed Davis. For the 27th overall pick, that's worth the gamble, especially for a team that is already loaded from top to bottom as is.

But, of course, I understand that some people are going to bitch no matter what the pick is or where the pick is. It could be the 58th pick in the draft and you'll have a small faction of people who are still going to complain, so I get it.

[Valid]

Well, I'm probably the only Celtics fan who didn't like the pick. I'm aware that of the remaining players on the board he had the most "value", but I believe there's a reason he fell to 27. His BBIQ (right now) is lower than any of the other 59 draft picks, he doesn't seem to have any passion for the game, and his offensive game is painful to watch. His body measurements are great, but thats about the only positive I see in him. My guess is he's out of the league by the end of his rookie contract.

BTW I would've been down on many other possible picks Ainge could've made at 27. Most players drafted after the first 20 don't get to contribute in the NBA for long. My main point is I don't see the potential of a rotation player (you all see) in him, which is legitimate for a 27th pick.

I don't like the pick at all either. He's basically a slightly taller/more athletic Jordan Mickey who is 6'8 with a 7.3.25 wingspan and 37 inch vertical. Mickey was actually a better college player and defender than Robert Williams plus could hit a mid-range jumper, wasn't a malcontent with poor BBIQ and he didn't work out. So I have no confidence in Williams. Like Mickey, he's just not what modern NBA centers need to be. There were far too many other great players I would have preferred. We'll be comparing Williams to Musa, Okobo, Thomas, Bonga, Robinson, Kurucs, Diallo, Bates-Diop, and Vanderbilt for years to come and I have a sinking feeling most of them will be better players. I wanted a big and just think Robinson is better in every way imaginable. And FA losses/injuries could turn positions we view as strengths into weaknesses in a hurry going forward. I really hope I'm wrong because we've been searching for a big in the draft for a decade plus to no avail.

What are you basing the "malcontent with a poor BBIQ" on? And what do you think "modern centers need to be"? And based on what evidence do you assert that Robinson is better? Your whole post begs the question here. You sound like you had your mind made up before the pick was even taken that you weren't gonna like it. I'm not even sure where you get this assertion that Danny has even been specifically looking for a big man for a decade. If you really think that, that may be your first issue there. Danny does not, nor has EVER gone into a draft looking to fill a position. Check his M.O. Look at his comments. Generally, he drafts who he believes is the best player available at the time which is exactly what he said he did this time as usual. I think you have some holes in your argument.

Yeah seriously. If we had been "searching" for a big in the draft for over a decade, then we would have gone with Bobby Portis over Terry Rozier in 2015. We would have picked Dragan Bender or Marquese Chriss over Jaylen in 2016. Heck, we would have gone with Jonathan Isaac over Tatum last year.

Danny goes with BPA. Point blank. Period.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

Capela played only 90 minutes in his rookie year.

How many will Robert play as a rookie? Hoping we"re no longer blowout-averse this season so there can be more garbage time for our summer league lineup.

Scoring more than 100 a night would be cool

[GuyClinch]

Ainge is taking a flyer on the BPA. Obviously this guy has some issues or he wouldn't have dropped to 27. Honestly I bet there was a fair chance Danny just wanted to trade the pick away. Teams bristle at the idea of a guaranteed contract for a guy picked that late..
Just not enough good players for that every single year..

Your getting a guy that in theory could be a NBA starter - he has the tools. He is a very athletic guy who doesn't have a fully polished offensive game. We have seen centers build careers around that. Maybe he doesn't have the drive or work ethic but we get to find out. More fun then picking some Brian Scalabrine type..

[VeryMuchWoke]

the immaturity thing is the only drawback. yeah it could be an issue but given our locker room and the leaders we have both on the team and the coaching staff, he's in the best possible position. anyone can bust, but it's hard to imagine a more perfect situation for him to succeed.

We don't have anywhere near enough information to evaluate personality/attitude/work ethic. People that say he has a "bad attitute" and therefore don't like the pick aren't considering how complex "personality" really is. He's not just a "bad" kid, though his personality may be holding him back.

My point is not all attitude/motor/personality issues are created equal. Some are fixable, some are devastating, and some might be exacerbated/ameliorated depending on the situation. Fit matters with a player's personality just like it does with skillset. Just because he has some maturity concerns doesn't make him James Young or Royce White. Plenty of guys came into the league with attitude concerns and became productive pros. BfB professionally assesses player personalities for NBA teams and he HATED the Young pick and here is what he has to say about the Williams pick:

Read on Twitter

Also, if you were paying attention, you would have noticed the conference call started an hour late, just as it became noon in Shreveport, LA. It was most likely a time zone issue, and nobody from the C's is sweating it, so let's not blow it out of proportion.

Another thing: Robert IS a modern big, at least defensively. Why? Because he's got potential to protect the rim AND guard smalls in switches. That's rare. The lack of shooting is not ideal, but damn, we got this guy at 27 not 3. If he could really shoot he would have really gone in the lottery.

[GuyClinch]

****.. If BfB is on board - that's a bad sign. That guy is the broken clock of NBA predictors. Right up there with the brain type guy..

[VeryMuchWoke]

****.. If BfB is on board - that's a bad sign. That guy is the broken clock of NBA predictors. Right up there with the brain type guy..

Well, he was dead on with James Young. I trust him with personality stuff, and not so much with basketball scouting.

[SeizeCoup]

The rebounding encourages me, because it's an area the C's are definitely lacking. I see him as a less refined, higher ceiling Theis- minus the shooting. I see a lot of Capela as many others have said.

For now third on the depth chart. Ideally he comes off the bench and shows some flashes, and he spends this year getting his body right. Great low risk high reward pick.

[pipfan]

Bulls fan here-great pick for you all. He might bust, obviously, but the talent is there, and exactly what you need. Plus, he joins one of the best organizaitons in the league. Honestly, i could see him starting for you in 3 years

[sam_I_am]

I wish it weren’t so, but this guy is probably the next Young. He has a skill set team could really use and his talent seems better than where he was picked. But guy is too hungover to show up for first conference call? It’s a terrible start and I’m already writing him off. Maybe he shows well at SL so we can package him in Kawhi trade like we did with Zizic last year.

Uninformed speculation. Lol.

The trade value point is interesting though As a guy with top 10 talent his value is likely better than 27th pick and if he does show will at summer league it climbs a little more. That said I don’t see a Kawhi trade happening.

You are correct. I am uninformed about the real reasons he missed the conference call and for his 3 game suspension this year as well. Boston may be best situation for him, but rarely are low motor/questionable character/questionable love for game types good for Boston. Hopefully that criticism of him is also uninformed speculation.

Bamba who was taken at 6 seems to have great character and is more talented but has similar questions about motor and similar production in college. So I’m glad we didn’t give up our future assets to trade up when were able to get a similar type player in Williams at 27.

If he thrives in our culture he is a home run pick. If the red flags are as real as they seem, we have 4 first round picks next year eager to take his spot on 15 man roster.