Strengths
*runs the floor well
*good passer for a center
*great touch around the hoop with either hand (shot 65% from 0-3ft)
*nice mid-range game (shot 52% from 10-16ft)
*solid athlete
All works well with Brad Steven's offense.
I hope he is better than our last NC big, Eric Montross.
That's what I was thinking as well. He seems like a very good fir in Brad Stevens' system. Apparently, Stevens recruited hard after the other Zeller brothers as well. He could be a nice little hidden gem here.
So what are we doing here, then? Assembling the Butler dream team in the NBA? You should never acquire through trades or draft players because they 'fit in someone's system,' imho. There's no proof that Stevens' 'system' will even work in the pros. He's only been a coach for one year! I just always thought that this was a no-brainer - the coach decides upon a style of play based on the type of players on the team's roster, taking advantage of their respective skill-sets to allow both the players and the team to thrive. Did I miss a memo somewhere?
That's dumb thing to say. No, clearly we aren't assembling a Butler dream team. There are no Butler players on this team. Ainge gave Stevens a 6 year deal to coach the Celtics. You don't think the coach is going to look for players that he feels will excel in his "system"/coaching philosophy? It makes sense. No? Obviously, superior talent wins in the NBA but the Celtics don't have any of that at the moment. I think if the Celtics had a James or Durant on the team it might be just a little different. But selecting players based on fit is important. Just ask the San Antonio Spurs.
Oh, I agree that fit is important, but not at the expense of talent, imo. I liked Stevens earlier in the season, especially his use of the trap, which no one seems to utilize anymore, but it's not like his 'system' has proven to be a winning one. I liked part of the offense at times when they would actually exploit a mismatch (gasp. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing), but for the most part, his offense was just pick and roll and a ton of three pointers, and it was horrible to watch, quite honestly. Your big guys should be inside. Every time they take a three pointer it bales out the defense, imho.
so success in college doesnt prove enough for you, because his style of coaching has been proven to be successful. Did you not like the Stevens hire then??
I just think if you bring a coach in, you DO think his brand of basketball can be successful, and you help build the team with players that fit that brand of basketball.
The Philadelphia Eagles situation with Chip Kelley is very similar to Stevens. Youre bringing in a guy whos only had success at the college level, but when you bring him in, you bring him in to play HIS type of game, with HIS type of players. He sacrificed talent for the good of his system.
I'm not saying that success in college is worthless or anything like that, because his record at Butler was extremely impressive. Rather, what I'm saying is that it
may not translate to the next level. I thought it was an odd hire, quite honestly, although I must admit that I was concerned about his ability to succeed offensively after watching that title 'game' between Butler and Uconn that easily set the sport back at least 30 years haha. It was atrocious, and don't try to tell me that it was great defense by both teams - if they're both missing easy and wide open shots, something is wrong with their respective offenses, imho.
Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect from Stevens, but I like his temperament and ability to make adjustments on the fly, as well as his use of the trap, but his offense needs a complete overhaul in my view. Yes, we're rebuilding, but we shouldn't have been so putrid so many times offensively. I do think that he has a bright future and that his style of play can lead to success, but I don't like the idea of 'building around a coach,' if that makes any sense.