Celtics Training Camp Thread

DJnVa

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Just a few stories...

Kanter and Taco:
https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2019/10/boston-celtics-enes-kanter-seeks-out-tacko-fall-after-every-practice-hes-one-strong-dude.html
“You know, not a lot of people know that, but he's got the turnaround jump shot. I call him the -- yesterday I called him the Senegalese Dirk. He's got that one-legged step back fadeaway shot. He can actually make that. It's a pretty shot.”


Obligatory "Hayward is back" story:
https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2019/10/boston-celtics-gordon-hayward-sees-offseason-work-paying-off-hes-100-percent-back.html
“The investment’s been well-documented over the summer,” Brad Stevens said. “And you can see it. You can see it.”
 

The Social Chair

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Preseason game at 6PM ET. The team looked terrible in preseason last year and we wrote it off as meaningless. I'm hoping for better chemistry today.
 

lovegtm

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Chris Forsberg tweeted Tacko is 7’ 5” and Robert Williams is 6’ 8”!
The big takeaway for me from seeing all these measurements is that there just aren't many true 7 footers out there. Also that 6-6/6-8 is plenty tall enough to play PF for guys who are strong.

I really wish they listed wingspan and standing reach however: there's a TON of variance between players there, and you don't play basketball with your head.
 

Smokey Joe

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The big takeaway for me from seeing all these measurements is that there just aren't many true 7 footers out there. Also that 6-6/6-8 is plenty tall enough to play PF for guys who are strong.

I really wish they listed wingspan and standing reach however: there's a TON of variance between players there, and you don't play basketball with your head.
Well hopefully it's involved at one point or another. But standing reach and wingspan would be nice.
 

luckiestman

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Cs seem incredibly deep at 4 spots but nothing at C. Who might they be targeting? They need a league average defender.
 

benhogan

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Anyone watch the game? Wondering how the defense looked.
First preseason game and all, but awful comes to mind. Charlotte controlled the boards and the offensive paint for the 2.5 quarters the main rotational players played.

We'll have to see if a small PG & 3 wings & a small 5 (TL) or defensively inept 5 (EK) can improve:unsure:

The good news is they have this week to work on Brad's defensive schemes before facing another large frontline (Orlando) on Friday.
 

DJnVa

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They basically have to overhaul the way they play defense and haven't had a lot of time yet. I'd imagine what Brad saw tonight helps with figuring this out, but man, he's gonna have to get creative.

Or tread water til Dec/Jan and see who's available.
 

BigSoxFan

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They basically have to overhaul the way they play defense and haven't had a lot of time yet. I'd imagine what Brad saw tonight helps with figuring this out, but man, he's gonna have to get creative.

Or tread water til Dec/Jan and see who's available.
And 2020 draft isn’t looking too promising at the position outside of Wiseman.
 

Imbricus

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Anyone see this on NBA requiring more accurate heights and weights? Interesting. Some changes that jumped out at me:

Jaylen: 6' 6" (formerly 6' 7")
Semi 6' 6" (formerly 6' 7")
Kemba 6' even (formerly 6' 1")
Marcus 6' 3" (formerly 6' 4")
Carsen 5' 11" (formerly 6' 1")
Romeo 6' 4" (formerly 6' 6")
Tacko 7' 5" (formerly 7' 7")

So not sure if this is intended to get away from "height with sneakers"? Some heights didn't change, like Tatum's or Hayward's.
 

Jimbodandy

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The big takeaway for me from seeing all these measurements is that there just aren't many true 7 footers out there. Also that 6-6/6-8 is plenty tall enough to play PF for guys who are strong.

I really wish they listed wingspan and standing reach however: there's a TON of variance between players there, and you don't play basketball with your head.
Yeah. They should have done standing reach also. If they want to know how tall someone is, standing reach is more relevant really.

Not the same, but it reminds me of finally seeing OBP on the TV broadcast of baseball games.
 

Eddie Jurak

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Thoughts from preseason game #1:

1. As mentioned above, the defense was atrocious. It was especially notable when Kanter checked in - it suddenly became very easy for the Hornets to score. Also, Rob Williams was playing overeager, out of control, help defense and failing to make plays that he could have made with a little more patience. I hope both of these are (somewhat) fixable with time - Williams hasn't played enough yet to have the game slow down for him, and the rest of the Celtics needs to learn how to play defense with Kanter at C.

2. Strong offensive showings from Tatum and Hayward. Both were agressively taking it to the rim and shooting from deep. Both looking like different guys from last year. Hayward did something to his left elbow and left early. Hopefully nothing major.

3. Kemba will be fine at the point, which we knew. He finished with 12 and 4 in 20 minutes without really aggressively looking to create for himself.

4. Carsen Edwards is as advertised. He checked in in the first half and promptly drained a pair of catch-and-shoot threes. His release is as advertised, lightning quick. He was on the floor against the Charlotte scrubs during the Celtics comeback and knocked down a deep three plus a steal/layup to finish with 11 points on 4-9 shooting, 3-6 from three. I think he'll get minutes right away.

5. Grant Williams initally checked in at guard and also played a little bit of smallball C. Played about 18 minutes and led the team in rebounds (9), took a key charge late, had a huge positive +/-. Struggled with his offense (2 for 7) but looks to have role-player potential. A question is whether he can be that heady role-playing guy when the real games and real opposition starts with his lack of height and athleticism. Although he's very strong so maybe he can occassionally man up bigger guys the way Smart does.

6. Javonte Green was the story of the Celtics garbage time comeback. Incredible athlete who was (unbelievably) attending his first ever NBA game tonight. Finished 7 for 7 with a three and 5 dunks. This guy might have the inside track on the 15th roster spot despite Tacko-mania.

7. I liked what I saw of Tremont Waters at the end, too. Smaller than Walker and Edwards, but has some pure PG skills. Just knows how to run an offense.

8. Tacko played 8 minutes late and the crowd went wild. 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks. But also 2 fouls and 2 turnovers in mostly scrub time. He absolutely changed the way Charlotte offense approached the paint, and he moves pretty smoothly for a guy that big. He's clearly not at an NBA level yet in other aspects: can't dribble, can't even bring the ball down without it getting stolen from him. He's obviously the sentimental fan favorite for the 15th roster spot, but he needs to spend most of his season in the G-league whatever his roster status may be.
 

lovegtm

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2. Strong offensive showings from Tatum and Hayward. Both were agressively taking it to the rim and shooting from deep. Both looking like different guys from last year. Hayward did something to his left elbow and left early. Hopefully nothing major.
...
The Celtics probably wanted to see whether Hayward was healthy and if Tatum could take a leap before committing assets to center (free agent options were meh and salary wasn't there to match in a trade). If they both look good, it becomes a lot more palatable to trade the Memphis pick or Brown in December for a center. I'd probably even argue that it's necessary, given how wide-open the league is and how good a healthy Hayward+leap Tatum+Kemba core is.
 

benhogan

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Cs seem incredibly deep at 4 spots but nothing at C. Who might they be targeting? They need a league average defender.
With so many players moving teams this offseason, ~Dec. 15th is when the trade window really opens. There should be some upgradeable 5s available then. I agree with lovegtm's thoughts above, see if Utah Gordon is back and Tatum leaps before making an aggressive deal for a Center. Brad will try to ride with the 4 Horsman of the Apocalypse (Kanter, TL, Theis, VP) until Dec. 15. At that point, those 4 are salary ballast/throw-ins for a better Center if Brad can't scheme his way to a good defense.

I rambled on this Summer about keeping an eye on the Pacers. They have two very skilled Centers in Sabonis and Turner. Their 1st pick was Goga Bitadze and they have TJ Leaf. Turner is signed to a long/cheap deal and Sabonis is about to strike gold in UFA. BUT there was some pushback that Indy wouldn't want to deal with the Celtics, which makes sense since they are an EC competitor (even though they consummated a deal with the Bucks this offseason for UFA Malcolm Brogdon).

So the "way too early but potentially Dec 15th available/upgradeable Centers" speculation list is:
1. Sabonis or Turner if Indy can't strike a deal for Sabonis and their two BIG starting group fizzles.
2. Cheap option: Nerlens Noel
3. Expensive options: Marc Gasol, Steven Adams, Valanciunis
4. Young guy not getting a chance or blocked: Mo Bamba

Please feel free to add to my list if any names come to mind.
 
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benhogan

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Thoughts from preseason game #1:

1. As mentioned above, the defense was atrocious. It was especially notable when Kanter checked in - it suddenly became very easy for the Hornets to score. Also, Rob Williams was playing overeager, out of control, help defense and failing to make plays that he could have made with a little more patience. I hope both of these are (somewhat) fixable with time - Williams hasn't played enough yet to have the game slow down for him, and the rest of the Celtics needs to learn how to play defense with Kanter at C.

2. Strong offensive showings from Tatum and Hayward. Both were agressively taking it to the rim and shooting from deep. Both looking like different guys from last year. Hayward did something to his left elbow and left early. Hopefully nothing major.

3. Kemba will be fine at the point, which we knew. He finished with 12 and 4 in 20 minutes without really aggressively looking to create for himself.

4. Carsen Edwards is as advertised. He checked in in the first half and promptly drained a pair of catch-and-shoot threes. His release is as advertised, lightning quick. He was on the floor against the Charlotte scrubs during the Celtics comeback and knocked down a deep three plus a steal/layup to finish with 11 points on 4-9 shooting, 3-6 from three. I think he'll get minutes right away.

5. Grant Williams initally checked in at guard and also played a little bit of smallball C. Played about 18 minutes and led the team in rebounds (9), took a key charge late, had a huge positive +/-. Struggled with his offense (2 for 7) but looks to have role-player potential. A question is whether he can be that heady role-playing guy when the real games and real opposition starts with his lack of height and athleticism. Although he's very strong so maybe he can occassionally man up bigger guys the way Smart does.

6. Javonte Green was the story of the Celtics garbage time comeback. Incredible athlete who was (unbelievably) attending his first ever NBA game tonight. Finished 7 for 7 with a three and 5 dunks. This guy might have the inside track on the 15th roster spot despite Tacko-mania.

7. I liked what I saw of Tremont Waters at the end, too. Smaller than Walker and Edwards, but has some pure PG skills. Just knows how to run an offense.

8. Tacko played 8 minutes late and the crowd went wild. 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks. But also 2 fouls and 2 turnovers in mostly scrub time. He absolutely changed the way Charlotte offense approached the paint, and he moves pretty smoothly for a guy that big. He's clearly not at an NBA level yet in other aspects: can't dribble, can't even bring the ball down without it getting stolen from him. He's obviously the sentimental fan favorite for the 15th roster spot, but he needs to spend most of his season in the G-league whatever his roster status may be.
Anyone that missed the game and doesn't want to bother watching a pre-season game, Eddie nails it here.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a more confident 2nd round rookie then Carsen Edwards (Brogdon comes to mind). He belongs and knows it. Brad noted his play in the PG presser, Edwards is strong and can also be disruptive defensively. A Smart/Edwards 2nd unit pairing could be very entertaining this season.
 

Eddie Jurak

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Edwards still has the limitation that he is a 5’11” 2-guard. Efforts to find a place in the lineup for him are going to have to work around that.

One way is to have him play with Smart and/or Hayward while Kemba is on the bench.

But that shot is something to see, and very much worth working around. He doesn’t need much space or time to get it off and he can shoot it from further back than just right at the arc.

It seems like both he and Grant should earn some bench minutes early.
 

NomarsFool

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I was a bit discouraged, as I felt like Charlotte's starters were playing a lot better than our starters, at home. We only won the game because our 10-15 guys were better than their #10-15 guys.
I didn't think the ball movement overall was that great. Still a decent bit of isolation play and 2-3 guys just standing out of the way on offense.
I was impressed with Tatum. He just looked more like an NBA superstar in the making out there, not just on offense but also on defense.
I wasn't that impressed with Brown, although it seemed like he made some nice passes.
I was hoping for more from Hayward. He definitely has his aggressiveness back, but he got swallowed up a few times heading to the basket. Very small sample size for him because of the elbow.
Robert Williams is incredible as a shot blocker, but still looks a bit lost on the court both from an overall defensive standpoint and particularly on offense, although the pass and dunk from Hayward was awesome.
Edwards really seems to be instant offense off the bench. People are going to really like him.
Tacko really had a demonstrable impact on the game. When he was in the game, nobody from Charlotte went anywhere near the paint.
Green was one of the more impressive players in garbage time (he was in Vegas as well). Just seems to be a dunk machine. Hard to see a role for him on the team, however.
 

Lazy vs Crazy

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I was a bit discouraged, as I felt like Charlotte's starters were playing a lot better than our starters, at home. We only won the game because our 10-15 guys were better than their #10-15 guys.
I didn't think the ball movement overall was that great. Still a decent bit of isolation play and 2-3 guys just standing out of the way on offense.
I was impressed with Tatum. He just looked more like an NBA superstar in the making out there, not just on offense but also on defense.
I wasn't that impressed with Brown, although it seemed like he made some nice passes.
I was hoping for more from Hayward. He definitely has his aggressiveness back, but he got swallowed up a few times heading to the basket. Very small sample size for him because of the elbow.
Robert Williams is incredible as a shot blocker, but still looks a bit lost on the court both from an overall defensive standpoint and particularly on offense, although the pass and dunk from Hayward was awesome.
Edwards really seems to be instant offense off the bench. People are going to really like him.
Tacko really had a demonstrable impact on the game. When he was in the game, nobody from Charlotte went anywhere near the paint.
Green was one of the more impressive players in garbage time (he was in Vegas as well). Just seems to be a dunk machine. Hard to see a role for him on the team, however.
I'm completely with you on Hayward. Yeah he drove to the hoop, but then instead of jamming it he threw up awkward layups. That isn't going to get it done. Hope he is better than this.
 

DJnVa

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I think you guys are being a little hard on Hayward. He had a very quick first step, which he didn't show last year and broke someone down on a crossover, which he also didn't show last year. Those are things he likely hasn't done at game speed since June 2017 or so. It was 15 minutes of in preseason game 1.
 

Gash Prex

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I think people are drawing far too many conclusions based on one preseason game, positive or negative. It was fun to see basketball back in action - but that's about it at this point.
 

mcpickl

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I guess I'm in the minority, but I don't think the 5 is going to be the biggest issue on the team. I think they'll cobble together enough defense from Theis(who I'd start), offense/rebounding from Kanter(hopefully against opponents bench units), and fill in minutes from Poirier/Williams. I can't imagine the position will be a plus, but can be managed to just be below average if they can get plus play from all the other spots.

The biggest issue for me remains that I don't believe any of those four guys can be on the floor together without crushing the spacing for the other three Celtics on offense.

I think the most critical need is a big that has enough shooting ability so they can play with any of those guys, and is also big enough to play as a small 5 without any of them on the floor.

I'm going under what I think will be the likely scenario that the Celtics wouldn't be trading any of Kemba/Hayward/Smart/Tatum/Jaylen to get this guy, so I don't think there is any realistic way to get back anyone making much more than 15M(and even that would likely mean trading both Theis and Kanter).

With those restrictions, my two favorite targets are both in the state of Florida in Al Farouq Aminu and old friend Kelly Olynyk. Will likely depend on one of their teams being a disappointment come Dec 15, or Jan 15 if Theis is involved, but those are the guys I'd be keeping tabs on.
 

Montana Fan

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mcpickl, I think you're right about Theis starting. My thought is that is why RWIII started, they want to get Kanter used to his role off the bench. The problem is that unless Theis is healthy and plays 75+ games, they're going to be very thin at the 5.
 

Eddie Jurak

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I think you guys are being a little hard on Hayward. He had a very quick first step, which he didn't show last year and broke someone down on a crossover, which he also didn't show last year. Those are things he likely hasn't done at game speed since June 2017 or so. It was 15 minutes of in preseason game 1.
Who knows also when exactly he hurt his elbow.

Poirier has gotten some decent reviews on his defense. Brian Robb called him a more nimble, though less strong, version of Baynes.
 

teddykgb

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Poirier was pretty unremarkable in the game flow. Video clips feel like cherry picking facts to support a narrative. The defense was abysmal. Not just the centers, almost everyone was wretched on ball and then had nobody to bail them out. The Celtics tend to stick to the three point line over collapsing the lane but the combo of awful on ball defense and nobody who could contest without fouling led to way too many layups.

It’s only one preseason game but in my view Semi and maybe Wanamaker should be worried. I don’t think Ainge will cut bait on Wanamaker but there are too many swing man types on the roster and the team is screwed if Kemba goes down anyway. I think the backup minutes behind Kemba are better used to get Smart and maybe Hayward more minutes than anything else. Then let the young guys get some minutes at times as well. Would allow you to keep maybe Green and Tacko.

I know that NBA types keep trying to pump the brakes on Tacko but he’s such a force when he’s in the game. I think he’ll learn nothing in Maine and really needs to get a few minutes a night in Boston.
 

NomarsFool

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Of course it's the first pre-season game. Noted. It's a heck of a lot more fun to watch basketball and talk about it afterwards than to not watch basketball and discuss what might happen next season.

One other thing I forgot, Semi was one of (if not) the first person off the bench, but seemed like a non-factor. This is a big season for him, I think. He either starts to play regular minutes, or he's just going be buried in the bottom third of the roster. Wannamaker also got a lot of playing time (more than I might have expected).
 

Imbricus

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It’s only one preseason game but in my view Semi and maybe Wanamaker should be worried.
If I were Semi, I'd be worried for sure. Less than 2 months from his 25th birthday, third year in the league ... this may be close to peak Semi, and it's not great. For one, his three-point shooting never really came around. He seems quite expendable. He's got those quick feet and guards Giannis well, but he's a surprisingly poor shot blocker for someone who's supposed to have a great vertical leap.

Ainge needs to find a way to keep Tacko. Channel his inner Bill Veeck if nothing else. If Tacko gets away, there'll be a lynch mob outside his office. Tacko is surprisingly fluid for a guy who's seven and a half feet. And, as has been noted, he absolutely shut down the paint last night when he was in the game. He's also fun to watch and this could be a year when some Celtics games aren't very fun to watch at all.
 

benhogan

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If I were Semi, I'd be worried for sure. Less than 2 months from his 25th birthday, third year in the league ... this may be close to peak Semi, and it's not great. For one, his three-point shooting never really came around. He seems quite expendable. He's got those quick feet and guards Giannis well, but he's a surprisingly poor shot blocker for someone who's supposed to have a great vertical leap.

Ainge needs to find a way to keep Tacko. Channel his inner Bill Veeck if nothing else. If Tacko gets away, there'll be a lynch mob outside his office. Tacko is surprisingly fluid for a guy who's seven and a half feet. And, as has been noted, he absolutely shut down the paint last night when he was in the game. He's also fun to watch and this could be a year when some Celtics games aren't very fun to watch at all.
There are 2 spots (2-way & roster spot) for 3 players: Tacko, Strus, Green

Semi could go 0 for the preseason and he is a lock to make the roster. He moves his feet well, is strong and knows Brad's system. Wannamaker is also definitely making the roster, he wasn't bad last season.

I agree that the fan base would be upset if Tacko was let go. We heard a lot in the offseason, from Brad, about having a good locker room, it seems like the vets have taken to Tacko. I imagine he will be added and it will be between Strus/Green for the final spot.
 
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Jimbodandy

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There are 2 spots (2-way & roster spot) for 3 players: Tacko, Strus, Green

Semi could go 0 for the preseason and he is a lock to make the roster. He moves his feet well, is strong and knows Brad's system. Wannamaker is also definitely making the roster, he wasn't bad last season.

I agree that the fan base would be upset if Tacko was let go. We heard a lot in the offseason, from Brad, about having a good locker room, it seems like the vets have taken to Tacko. I imagine he will be added and it will be between Strus/Green for the final spot.
I won't be surprised if Tacko does or doesn't make the roster. Green and Strus are longshots, and so is Tacko. If any of those three makes a mark in the league, it will be a huge surprise.

But I wouldn't not buy a house if I were Wanamaker. I love the guy, and it's nice having a stable veteran around. But I think that both Edwards and Waters are better players now.
 

Eddie Jurak

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Poirier was pretty unremarkable in the game flow. Video clips feel like cherry picking facts to support a narrative. The defense was abysmal. Not just the centers, almost everyone was wretched on ball and then had nobody to bail them out.
The thing is, unremarkable in that game flow was a positive thing, given he only played 6 minutes. Rob was unfocused, all over the place, and bad; Kanter was Kanter. They both were turnstiles when it came to letting players on the other team get to the rim. In his few minutes, Poirier stayed between his man and the rim. I'm not voting him for the All-Defense team or anything, but it is something.
 

lovegtm

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...
With those restrictions, my two favorite targets are both in the state of Florida in Al Farouq Aminu and old friend Kelly Olynyk. Will likely depend on one of their teams being a disappointment come Dec 15, or Jan 15 if Theis is involved, but those are the guys I'd be keeping tabs on.
Olynyk actually becomes pretty interesting on a team that has Brown, Tatum, and Hayward adding lots of length and size at the wings compared to when he was last here. In general, the list of guys who work at center gets longer when you just need a guy who can absorb a little banging, play positional defense, and hit some 3s.
 

benhogan

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I guess I'm in the minority, but I don't think the 5 is going to be the biggest issue on the team. I think they'll cobble together enough defense from Theis(who I'd start), offense/rebounding from Kanter(hopefully against opponents bench units), and fill in minutes from Poirier/Williams. I can't imagine the position will be a plus, but can be managed to just be below average if they can get plus play from all the other spots.

The biggest issue for me remains that I don't believe any of those four guys can be on the floor together without crushing the spacing for the other three Celtics on offense.

I think the most critical need is a big that has enough shooting ability so they can play with any of those guys, and is also big enough to play as a small 5 without any of them on the floor.

I'm going under what I think will be the likely scenario that the Celtics wouldn't be trading any of Kemba/Hayward/Smart/Tatum/Jaylen to get this guy, so I don't think there is any realistic way to get back anyone making much more than 15M(and even that would likely mean trading both Theis and Kanter).

With those restrictions, my two favorite targets are both in the state of Florida in Al Farouq Aminu and old friend Kelly Olynyk. Will likely depend on one of their teams being a disappointment come Dec 15, or Jan 15 if Theis is involved, but those are the guys I'd be keeping tabs on.
Aminu/K-Rex would be good additions, keep a casual eye on Florida.

I'd be interested in seeing Theis start, he's capable of drilling open 3s, and sticks his nose into the defensive paint.

The Celtics 2 biggest issues: (1)how to stop the opposing team from getting points at the rim, while (2)also getting more scoring for the Celtics at the rim via layups/FTs. We'll see if Brad is willing to adjust his rotations to address those issues. Starting TL was a bit out of leftfield, so he's probably willing to shake things up this season.
 

lovegtm

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Aminu/K-Rex would be good additions, keep a casual eye on Florida.

I'd be interested in seeing Theis start, he's capable of drilling open 3s, and sticks his nose into the defensive paint.

The Celtics 2 biggest issues: (1)how to stop the opposing team from getting points at the rim, while (2)also getting more scoring for the Celtics at the rim via layups/FTs. We'll see if Brad is willing to adjust his rotations to address those issues. Starting TL was a bit out of leftfield, so he's probably willing to shake things up this season.
Watching the preseason game, it was pretty obvious that all of Brad's rotations are up for grabs, and he's going to experiment with anything to find something that works at the 5. I bet we even see Tatum there sometimes against teams that don't have a postup center (he's about the same size/strength as Theis). It's going to be pretty patchwork/ugly until trade possibilities open up on Dec. 15th.
 

joe dokes

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The thing is, unremarkable in that game flow was a positive thing, given he only played 6 minutes. Rob was unfocused, all over the place, and bad; Kanter was Kanter. They both were turnstiles when it came to letting players on the other team get to the rim. In his few minutes, Poirier stayed between his man and the rim. I'm not voting him for the All-Defense team or anything, but it is something.
I think this is a fair assessment of Poirier's time in 1 game. Whether he can do it against serious NBA talent is another question, but the fact that it's what he did do it al is not insignificant.
As an aside, Tacko's not as athletic, but it appears to me that even he has better defensive instincts than RWiliams, who jumps through the roof at every opportunity, but has never seemed able to make defensive plays less than 24 inches off the ground. That's damning with faint praise, and certainly doesn't suggest that Tacko is ready for regular NBA playing time, but my point is that I dont think RWilliams is either.
 

mcpickl

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There are 2 spots (2-way & roster spot) for 3 players: Tacko, Strus, Green

Semi could go 0 for the preseason and he is a lock to make the roster. He moves his feet well, is strong and knows Brad's system. Wannamaker is also definitely making the roster, he wasn't bad last season.

I agree that the fan base would be upset if Tacko was let go. We heard a lot in the offseason, from Brad, about having a good locker room, it seems like the vets have taken to Tacko. I imagine he will be added and it will be between Strus/Green for the final spot.
I agree with everything here.

I would also guess that the 3 way battle for the last two spots are two different battles in my mind.

Tacko/Green for the 15th man
Tacko/Strus for the second two way contract

I would guess Javonte Green would just return to Europe for more money if he's not the 15th man rather than go to the G League.