Category: NBA

 

The first leg of the 2017 NBA summer league has concluded; there were a lot of expectations and excitement surrounding three Celtic first rounders. Of course I’m referring to last year’s number three pick Jaylen Brown,  last year’s number 23 pick Ante Zizic and this year’s third pick Jason Tatum.  For the most part, all three did not disappoint — two players excelled and the other looked average.

https://twitter.com/celtics/status/882021716632813568

Jaylen Brown truly looks like a man amongst boys. You could tell he has made significant strides since last year and that shot that everybody was worried about now looks like a thing of the past. His ball handling skills look like they have improved — although he was stripped a few times driving to the lane but for the most part he was able to blow by his defender and finish strong at the rim. We must remember that he is going up against lesser talent but it’s important that he showed he’s taken the next step. After setting the world on fire in game 1 against the 76ers scoring 29 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, he had a sub par game 2 against the Spurs with 6 points and 8 rebounds. He was held out game three which was a back to back.

https://twitter.com/celtics/status/882026857876512768

Jayson Tatum has Celtics fans the most excited. For the most part, Danny Ainge was scrutinized when the Celtics selected Jayson over Josh Jackson. Now it appears that was the right decision. Tatum out played Markelle Fultz in game 1 putting up 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Even more impressive than that stat line is the fact that with 11 seconds to go in the game, down 1 they put the ball in his hands. With 5.9 seconds left, he drained a step back jumper for the game winner. His mid range game looks fantastic — mostly getting the ball in isolation but he settled for too many off balance fadeaway jumpers. Personally, I’d like to see him attack the rim more. Offensively it looks like he can step in for the Celtics and help  but in Brad Stevens system where you have to earn your minutes, his defensive inconsistency might hold him back at first.

Ante Zizic, the 6’11” Croatian who split time playing in Croatia and Israel, did not look all that impressive. For a player who can’t shoot the three and doesn’t have a consistent 15 foot shot ,you would like to see him fly around the court blocking shots and grabbing rebounds. On a few occasions, he did take the ball from the 3 point line and drive to the rim. Although he could get to the rim — his shot looked ugly. He did average 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks a game. Although those numbers seem decent watching him play, he didn’t necessarily look impressive. I worry that he won’t have the quickness you need to play in the NBA, but maybe after a few years he can turn into a Marcin Gortat type of player.

The Celtics future looks bright. They’ve signed Gordon Haywood and traded for Marcus Morris — two players that will help the team win now. However, for sustained success we will need these three players to continue to improve if we want to be good for years to come.

It’s finally here my fellow hoop heads, draft night. After crazy trades this past week, one thing is certain — anything can happen! Will your favorite team draft this years superstar or will they be a bust like whoever the Knicks pick?

Here is a preview of how the first round of the NBA draft will shake out.

#1 Philadelphia 76ers (from BOS via BKN)

Markelle Fultz  PG | Washington
6’5″, 185 lbs
Freshman , 19 yrs
23.2 PTS 5.7 REB 5.9 AST 1.2 BLK 1.6 STL

 # 2 Los Angeles Lakers

Lonzo Ball  PG | UCLA
6’6″ , 190 lbs
Freshman , 19 yrs
14.6 PTS 6.0 REB 7.6 AST 0.8 BLK 1.8 STL

#3 Boston Celtics (from PHI)

Jayson Tatum SF | Duke
6’8″ , 205 lbs
Freshman , 19 yrs
16.8 PTS 7.3 REB 2.1 AST 1.1 BLK 1.3 STL

 #4 Phoenix Suns

Josh Jackson SF | Kansas
6’8″, 205 lbs
Freshman , 20 yrs
16.3 PTS 7.4 REB 3.0 AST 1.1 BLK 1.7 STL

#5 Sacramento Kings (from PHI)

De’Aaron Fox  PG | Kentucky
6’3″ , 170 lbs
Freshman , 19 yrs
16.7 PTS 4.0 REB 4.6 AST 0.2 BLK 1.5 STL

 #6 Orlando Magic

Jonathan Isaac SF | Florida State
6’11” , 205 lbs
Freshman , 19 yrs
12.0 PTS 7.8 REB 1.2 AST 1.5 BLK 1.2 STL

#7 Minnesota Timberwolves

Malik Monk  SG/PG | Kentucky
6’3″ , 190 lbs
Freshman , 19 yrs
19.8 PTS 2.5 REB 2.3 AST 0.5 BLK 0.9 STL

#8 New York Knicks

Lauri Markkanen PF | Arizona
7’0″, 225 lbs
Freshman , 20 yrs
15.6 PTS 7.2 REB 0.9 AST 0.5 BLK 0.4 STL

#9 Dallas Mavericks

Dennis Smith Jr. PG | NC State
6’2″ , 180 lbs
Freshman , 19 yrs
18.1 PTS 4.6 REB 6.2 AST 0.4 BLK 1.9 STL

#10 Sacramento Kings (from NO)

Zach Collins PF/C | Gonzaga
7’0″ , 232 lbs
Freshman , 19 yrs
10.0 PTS 5.9 REB 0.4 AST 1.8 BLK 0.5 STL

#11 Charlotte Hornets

Frank Ntilikina PG | Strasbourg IG
6’5″, 175 lbs
International , 18 yrs

#12  Detroit Pistons

Luke Kennard  SG | Duke
6’6″ , 196 lbs
Sophomore , 20 yrs
19.5 PTS 5.1 REB 2.5 AST 0.4 BLK 0.8 STL

#13 Denver Nuggets

Donovan Mitchell SG | Louisville
6’3″, 211 lbs
Sophomore , 20 yrs
15.6 PTS 4.9 REB 2.7 AST 0.5 BLK 2.1 STL

#14 Miami Heat

John Collins PF | Wake Forest
6’10”, 225 lbs
Sophomore , 19 yrs
19.2 PTS 9.8 REB 0.5 AST 1.6 BLK 0.6 STL

#15 Portland Trailblazers

Harry Giles PF | Duke
6’11” , 232 lbs
Freshman , 19 yrs
3.9 PTS 3.8 REB 0.3 AST 0.7 BLK 0.3 STL

#16 Chicago Bulls

Justin Patton C | Creighton
6’11”, 229 lbs
Freshman , 20 yrs
12.9 PTS 6.2 REB 1.2 AST 1.4 BLK 0.9 STL

#17 Milwaukee Bucks

Jarrett Allen C | Texas
6’10”, 234 lbs
Freshman, 19 yrs
13.4 PTS 8.4 REB 0.8 AST 1.5 BLK 0.6 STL

#18 Indiana Pacers

O.G. Anunoby SF | Indiana
6’8″, 232 lbs
Sophomore, 19 yrs
11.1 PTS 5.4 REB 1.4 AST 1.3 BLK 1.3

#19 Atlanta Hawks

Ike Anigbogu C | UCLA
6’10”, 252 lbs
Freshman, 18 yrs
4.7 PTS 4.0 REB 0.2 AST 1.2 BLK 0.2 STL

#20 Portland Trailblazers (from MEM via DEN and CLE)

Justin Jackson SF | North Carolina
6’8″, 201 lbs
Junior , 22 yrs
18.3 PTS 4.7 REB 2.8 AST 0.2 BLK 0.8 STL

#21 Oklahoma City Thunder

TJ Leaf PF | UCLA
6’10”, 222 lbs
Freshman, 20 yrs
16.3 PTS 8.2 REB 2.4 AST 1.1 BLK 0.6 STL

#22 Brooklyn Nets (from WSH)

Isaiah Hartenstein PF/C | Žalgiris
7’1″, 250 lbs
International, 19 yrs

#23 Toronto Raptors (from LA via MIL)

Terrance Ferguson
SG | Adelaide
6’7″, 184 lbs
International. 19 yrs

#24 Utah Jazz

Ivan Rabb
PF | California
6’10”, 220 lbs
Sophomore, 20 yrs
14.0 PTS 10.5 REB 1.5 AST 1.0 BLK 0.7 STL

#25 Orlando Magic (from TOR)

Bam Adebayo PF/C | Kentucky
6’10”, 243 lbs
Freshman, 19 yrs
13.0 PTS 8.0 REB 0.8 AST 1.5 BLK 0.7 STL

#26 Portland Trailblazers (from CLE)

Jawun Evans PG | Oklahoma State
6’0″, 185 lbs
Sophomore, 20 yrs
19.2 PTS 3.4 REB 6.4 AST 0.1 BLK 1.8 STL

#27 Los Angeles Lakers (from BKN via BOS)

Tony Bradley C | North Carolina
6’11”, 249 lbs
Freshman, 19 yrs
7.1 PTS 5.1 REB 0.6 AST 0.6 BLK 0.3 STL

#28 Los Angeles Lakers (from HOU)

Josh Hart SG | Villanova
6’5″, 209 lbs
Senior, 22 yrs
18.7 PTS 6.4 REB 2.9 AST 0.3 BLK 1.6 S

#29 San Antonio Spurs

Anžejs Pasečņiks C | Gran Canaria
7’2″, 230 lbs
International, 21 yrs

#30 Utah Jazz (via GSW)

Tyler Lydon
SF/PF | Syracuse
6’10”, 215 lbs
Sophomore, 21 yrs
13.2 PTS 8.6 REB 2.1 AST 1.4 BLK 1.0 STL

The Boston Celtics own the number one draft pick in the 2017 NBA Draft and there has been a lot of speculation as to what they will do with it. One option is to trade the pick and a few other pieces to acquire a star player like Paul George or Jimmy Butler . Each player would make the Celtics instant contenders and give them a real shot at reaching the NBA finals for the first time in seven years. By trading the pick the Celtics would immediately go into a win now mode which could potentially last 4-5 years.

However, if they choose to keep the pick and add another young player to join Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, we would be looking at a team that could be competitive for the next ten years. In this years draft, there are three players that could make GM Danny Ainge think long and hard about trading this pick — Markelle Fultz, Jayson Tatum and Josh Jackson.

Markelle Fultz

• Height: 6’4″
• Weight: 195 lbs
• Wingspan: 6’10”
• College: Washington
• Age: 19

The consensus number 1 pick has to be Fultz. He is a fantastic athlete and widely considered the most athletic in the draft. Fultz is a shoot first guard that can play on and off the ball which is key if you want to play him with Isaiah Thomas. He has the ability to score on all three levels — he can drain the three ball but his mid range shot and ability to finish at the rim is what makes him special. He is such a smooth player — he has the ability to change speeds much like all star James Harden, where he can lull you to sleep and then burst by you in and take it to the rim. It looks so effortless.

What impressed me the most is the fact that in high school he didn’t make his varsity team until his junior year. He faced this adversity like a champ, he put in the work and eventually became the number 1 ranked high school player in America. He’s also still growing — in college he grew 1/2 an inch and since he’s so young, odds are he could continue to grow and would make him more versatile on the defensive end.

One criticism of Fultz is that he played for a terrible Washington team that finished the season at a dismal 9-22. Does Fultz have the ability to make his team better? Can he be a great passer and generate open looks for his teammates?

Although he is an elite scorer, one area of concern is in college almost all the threes he shot were right up against the line — does he ultimately have the range to step back and drill an NBA three win consistency?

Jayson Tatum

• Height: 6’8″
• Weight: 204 lbs
• Wingspan: 7’0″
• College: Duke
• Age: 19

Tatum is an option for the Celtics but not at number 1. He should only be considered if the Celtics were to drop to 3 or 4. With that being said, he is an exciting player to consider. Playing at an elite school, we were able to see him play on a consistent basis.

He is a player that has great size, who can defend multiple positions. Although he mainly played power forward/center at Duke, he has the speed and athleticism to defend small forwards in the NBA. Not only is he a versatile defender, but he’s also versatile on the offensive end. He possesses the ability to knock down the mid range shot but also has proven to be an excellent scorer with his back to the basket. One area of his game that shouldn’t be overlooked is his ability to knock down free throws, last year he shot 85% from the line. This is an issue for most big men, but the fact that he shoots well from the line shows he has a shooters touch — which means with time he’ll become a more consistent scorer.

Although Tatum is a versatile scorer he is not as consistent on the offensive end as some would like. Despite having great size, he has a slow first step off the dribble and is an eratic ball handler. In college he took a ton of difficult shots that went in, but you would have to imagine that once he’s in the NBA, going up against elite defenders — those shots wouldn’t fall at the same rate. With that being said, he did improve his ball handling over the year and I expect that to continue to improve. Defensively he had issues down low against bigger players —  he was pushed around and often wouldn’t pickup his defender until it was too late. He will need to add muscle over the next few years if he wants to become a better defender.

Josh Jackson

• Height: 6’8″
• Weight: 203 lbs
• Wingspan: 7’0″
• College: Kansas
• Age: 20

The player whose name is buzzing around twitter is Josh Jackson. He is a Danny Ainge type of player — mean, tough, versatile, and one heck of an athlete. He is easily the best defender in this years draft. Being an explosive athlete with fantastic foot speed, he can guard any where from the shooting guard to the power forward. If the Celtics were to draft him, you can just picture him playing the power forward position — not backing down and battling with LeBron James for 48 minutes. A good comparison for him would be Kawhi Leonard. Although he doesn’t possess the same shot making ability like Leonard, he is a brilliant slasher who can get to the rim and dunk it home.

He doesn’t have he best looking shot and the numbers back that up. He only shot 37% from three and a dismal 56% from the line. At times it looked like he gave up and wanted no part in playing offense — he will need to focus this offseason on the offensive end. That means free throws, mid range three pointers and ball handling. Just like Jaylen Brown, a shot can get corrected as long as you put in the work.

The big area of concern is his temper. According to Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune, “Jackson was charged with one count of misdemeanor criminal damage to property after allegedly kicking the door and tail-light of a car belonging to a Kansas women’s basketball player outside a bar Dec. 9. An affidavit released the day before the NCAA tournament began said Jackson threatened to “beat” the woman.” He was suspended last year for 1 game and had to attend anger management meetings as part of his punishment. Most fans and teams would not want a guy like this on this so it will be interesting to see where he goes.

Ultimately in the end,  I believe the Celtics will select Markelle Fultz.

He is exactly what they need, someone that can create there own shot and score on a regular basis. In the end let’s hope we can raise his number 20 into the rafters.