Bennett

[crimson_stallion]

Lol.  Kidding, of course.  Anyways, sign me up for getting Bennett for free. Kid has the tools to be a player. He just needs the right situation and time.  His potential is still there.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have found him!  The wonder of the modern world!  The freak our our times!  The Boston Celtics fan who has nicer things to say about Anthony Bennett than Marcus Smart!

Mike

I wouldn't trade smart for Bennett. I'd trade 16 for Bennett if it didn't hurt our cap situation. So obviously I'd do this trade where we get him for free

I've called smart our best asset many times.

While forcefully arguing that our "best asset" really isn't all that valuable.

Comparatively, it isn't.   B- asset.   Still better than a C or D asset, but not an A+, A-, A, B+ or B asset.

Which is fine as far as it goes.  How then can you support, let alone be positively enthusiastic, about acquiring an F asset?

Mike

Because I don't see Bennett as an "F" asset.   I wrote about why.  I think he's a kid with a bright future if you can hone in on his skillset.  He has the tools to be very good.   He could putter out, but I see more reasons to believe he's going to be a good player in this league. 

Olynyk vs Bennett is an interesting discussion.  Olynyk is probably close to what he is going to be.   I don't believe we've seen the best of Bennett at this point.

Whether he's a an F or a D, Bennett is HORRIBLE.  He's legitimately in the running for one of the worst draft busts in NBA history.  He could be one of the worst picks ever made in one of the weakest drafts ever held.  It's not like there's a bunch of guys from that draft tearing up the league, yet Bennett is still the far and away disaster of the bunch.

But you can work up more genuine enthusiasm for this walking fiasco than anyone on your supposed favorite team who just made the playoffs by having one of the best post-All Star records in the league last season?

People like you are so horrified of being "homers" like the rest of us grubby, little fans that you take your "anti-homerism" so far and become just as ridiculous as the guy who thought Bruno Sundov was a basketball star-in-the-making.

Mike

Careful how you talk about our future starting PF.  AB is a stah, son! 

Lol

Sorry to say, but I tend to agree. 

I really think Bennett is a terrible player, and one of the worst draft choices in NBA history. 

It's not even just now, in hindsight, that we are labelling it a terrible choice - the instant the pick was announced about 90% of the people on earth turned to each other like "what the?".

I don't believe that Olynyk is really that close to all he can be.  I mean sure I don't think the TYPE of player he is will change, but I see Olynyk as a guy who is pretty good at a lot of different things, and is nowhere near his peak at any one of those things.

Some examples:

1) Olynyk was a decent rebounder last year (7.7 rebounds Per 36 minutes) but not a great one.  However in his rookie year he played a not-insubstantial 20 MPG over 70 games, and over that time he averaged 9.4 rebounds per 36 minutes.  This indicates to me that the Olynyk has the potential to be a far better rebounder than this year's numbers would suggest.

2) Olynyk was a horrible defensive player in his rookie year, ranking right around the bottom of the NBA in terms of (Defensive RPM) among NBA centers while averaging 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks per 36 minutes.  This year he improved dramatically by jumping into the top 30 among centers in Defensive RPM and increase his steals average by 77% (to 1.6 steals per 36) and his block average by 40% (to 1.0 blocks per 36).  That is one of the most dramatic defensive improvements I've ever seen a player make from his rookie year to his sophomore year, and gives me a lot of confidence in Olynyk's potential to be a solid defensive player in the NBA.

3) Olynyk best shooting numbers over his first two seasons were 47.5% FG (2014/15), 35.1% 3PT (2013/14) and 81.1% FT (2013/14).  If he can put up those type of numbers throughout his career, then that is already good enough to make him one of the better shooting bigs in the NBA right now - those percentages aren't far off Kevin Love's career best season.  Yet watching him play, I can't help but feel that Olynyk has not yet reached his best as a shooter.  I honestly see the potential for him to become a pretty consistent career  48% / 38% / 82% shooter, and if he does that then he'll probably finish up his career as one of the best jump-shooting 7-footers of the past 10-20 years.

4) As a passer I don't think Olynyk's numbers will jump that much, but he's already an excellent passer so they don't really need to.  his assist percentage of 12% and 13% over his first two seasons are already outstanding for a 7 footer and for a PF (especially for somebody who is both)

5) The biggest thing that has held Olynyk back from having a major breakout season has been his in ability to stay on the court.  Olynyk has averaged 5.6 fouls per 35 minutes over his first two seasons, an that's held him to only 21.1 MPG over those two seasons.  However Olynyk (to my eyes, at least) seems to have no issues with conditioning, so if he can learn to play defense without fouling I have no reason to believe he's have any issues playing 32 minutes a night. 

If Olynyk did play 32 minutes a night I could see him averaging something like 15/8/2 in those minutes...which is more than I see Bennett averaging...ever haha

[LooseCannon]

Because I don't see Bennett as an "F" asset.   I wrote about why.  I think he's a kid with a bright future if you can hone in on his skillset.  He has the tools to be very good.   He could putter out, but I see more reasons to believe he's going to be a good player in this league. 

The road to team hell is paved with players with good tools who have nothing else to offer.

[LarBrd33]

nobody is arguing that Bennett has been good.  He hasn't.   But he has the tools to be a good player.  I'd like to see him get an opportunity before writing him off.

I didn't say I'd trade Olynyk for Bennett.   I said Bennett is probably a better prospect than what is available at #16.  My point about Olynyk is that he's probably peaked.  We don't even know what Bennett is yet.  Olynyk is a solid role player with the potential to remain a solid role player.  I think Bennett has the tools to become a starter in this league.   A combination of explosiveness, size, athleticism, mobility and shooting stroke that COULD translate into success for him.  Whether or not it happens, time will tell.  For my many thoughts on Bennett, see this thread:  http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=78383.0

[ssspence]

LarBrd33 ~~ what's ur POV on what Bennett becomes? No 'poor mans' please... who can he become?

Trap! Don't do it, unless you say Biyombo.

Not at all -- legitimately interested in what he sees, since I've not seen Bennett play much.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Bennett is currently nothing more than an expiring contract. If seen as such, then a deal can occur. But honestly, it can't be at a high/mid first round pick, that price is too high merely on potential and an expiring contract.

Team options for rookie deals occur on Oct. 31, that means we don't have the luxury of waiting and seeing to then decide if he's worth to keep around or not, and at his price tag, high chances that the team option will be declined (doesn't mean he can't be signed as a free-agent later on, with bird rights).

But what this also means is that Bennett's value and role in all of this will merely be that of an expiring contract, which in some ways will have some value during the season, particularly at the trade deadline if anything + armed with all our picks, something can come out of it.

But I don't think it's prudent, despite of how much one would want to believe in his potential, to give up some real value for him at this point.

Surprised no one has responded to these assertions of mine.

[Who]

One of the things that bothers me about Bennett is that I haven't seen him show any real ability to create his own offense in the NBA. I rarely saw him attack the basket off the dribble or create his own shot. Saw him settling for long jump shots over and over again. When he was drafted, I thought he could be an Al Harrington type PF but without that ability to create off the dribble there is no chance of that. That drops Bennett back to being a 12-14ppg scorer who struggles defensively and is a so-so rebounder.

To backup this up a bit with stats -- Bennett only 17 isolations in 57 games / 900 minutes last season. Only managed to take around 5 FGAs in 15 minutes a night. He did have 32 post ups in those 57 games / 900 minutes but that is still fairly small figure. Only 13 shots off of screens. Showed no real capacity to generate shots for himself. Reliant on others to create him looks. About 45% of his offense came from spot up shooting or pick and roll play. Another 22% of cuts and offensive rebounds. That is 67% of his offense. 8% in transition (a disappointing number for young somewhat athletic PF). 75% of his offense.

Based on Bennett's troubles creating his own offense ... I think I overestimated his offensive potential coming into the league. The lack of shot-creation worries me about his upside offensively. I don't think he has that much upside. I think he is more likely to develop into a role player level scorer who can shoot the J. Than a guy who can be a main (2nd, 3rd) scoring option or even a complementary scorer off the bench (6th man type like Al Harrington).

I think the hope for Bennett is that he can improve his shooting, defense and rebounding enough to be a below average but solid starting PF. And if he doesn't achieve to do that in all three areas, he'll be stuck as a 15-20mpg bench player (assuming he actually improves beyond his current point which is 3rd stringer borderline NBA player).