Who gets the last roster spot? RJ Hunter, James Young, Bentil or Holland?

[chambers]

Who and why?
I prefer RJ or Bentil.

RealGM article about reminded me this will be tough for a few of these guys...

The Boston Celtics will have R.J. Hunter, James Young, John Holland and Ben Bentil will compete for their last roster spot.

Young and Hunter have guaranteed deals, Bentil has a partial guarantee, and Holland is non-guaranteed. Young and Hunter are former first round picks.

Hunter is the favorite to emerge from the group.

“I’m a competitor, so it’s just absolutely motivation for me,” Hunter said in a telephone interview. “I think it just adds an extra competitive spirit to training camp, which is a great way to get the year started.

“So I’d rather have it that way, because now I have no reason not to be on my toes on every possession and at every practice. So I’ll try to use it to my advantage.”

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/243183/RJ-Hunter-James-Young-John-Holland-Ben-Bentil-To-Compete-For-Final-Celtics-Roster-Spot

[Ed Hollison]

I think there's still a chance that Ainge could pull off a trade before the start of the season that would help thin out the roster. But assuming he doesn't, I think the guy you need to prioritize is Hunter.

Hunter has shown you a couple of skills that could be extremely valuable as an NBA roll player, assuming he continues to develop: 1) the ability to shoot from well beyond the 3-point line, and 2) good length/positioning/instincts on defense. If he works on his body a bit and adds some strength and explosiveness, you're in business.

[Moranis]

Hunter has the most trade value I believe, so he is the guy you keep.

[number_n9ne]

I'd like a trade to be able to keep Hunter and Bentil but I feel like that's doubtful at this point. If it had to be one it would be Hunter, he has the most upside and trade value.

[tankcity!]

My boy Hunter is going to win that role. Don't get all the hate for Hunter. He shot really well in the Summer League.

[BitterJim]

It'll probably be Hunter.  I don't think Young and Holland have a chance at staying on this roster (barring some major changes)

[dannyboy35]

Tough call. I think Young WILL be a guy who scores in the teens down the road. Hunter is better now but I think young is the better shooter. End of the pine guys but I still wouldn't want to make that decision.

[Fireworks_Boom!]

If you look at roster management and minutes added/subtracted, there are some interesting directions we could go in (including the potential of signing another player like Ray Allen for limited minutes)

Last Year MPG (projected ratio of min allocated year over year)
1   Avery Bradley   33.4 (1:1)
2   Isaiah Thomas   32.2 (1:1)
3   Jae Crowder   31.6 (1:1)
4   Marcus Smart   27.3 (1:1)
5   Amir Johnson   22.8 (1:1)
6   Kelly Olynyk   20.2 (1:1)
7   Jonas Jerebko   15.1 (1:1)
8   Tyler Zeller   11.8 (1:1)
9   R.J. Hunter   8.8 (1:1)
10   Terry Rozier   8.0 (+7 to 15)
11   James Young   6.9 (-7 to D League or waived/traded)
12   Jordan Mickey   3.6 (+7 to 11)
Players Subtracted
1   Evan Turner   28.0 (-28)
2   Jared Sullinger      23.6 (-23)
3    David Lee    15.7 (-16)
Total: -67 minutes
Players Added (Roster)
1   Al Horford (estimate 30)
2   Gerald Green (estimate 10)
3   Jaylen Brown (rookie min estimate 10)
4   Demetrius Jackson (rookie min estimate 6)
Total: +56 minutes

Year over Year Minutes Delta: 11 minutes (i.e. we have 111 minutes to distribute).

My preferred path forward:
1. Incubate Demetrius Jackson in D League
2. Waive/Trade James Young (package with Jordan Mickey or someone else + Future Pick for Nerlens Noel)
3. Either sign Ray Allen to fill our void of outside shooting or promote Demetrius Jackson to 15th roster spot. I like adding Ray and sending Jackson to D League moreso. Ray can mentor all of our young kids but most importantly Jaylen Brown and RJ Hunter.

Players Added (D League/Overseas)
1   Abdel Nader
2   Ben Bentil
3   Guerschon Yabousele
4   Ante Zizic

[Tr1boy]

The day Young does this. The day he will come alive.  He is too nice right now.  Acting his age.  He needs an attitude change on the court.  And also inability to handle right will always be his biggest weakness. He needs to work on that 24/7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvKXAnlVQE4

[Fireworks_Boom!]

My gut tells me his mental makeup is his impediment and he will never achieve this at an NBA level. I realize he is young, but he is just not progressing at the pace at which we are developing as a team.

Will we kick ourselves for getting rid of him? Maybe, in the future.

[Tr1boy]

My gut tells me his mental makeup is his impediment and he will never achieve this at an NBA level. I realize he is young, but he is just not progressing at the pace at which we are developing as a team.

Will we kick ourselves for getting rid of him? Maybe, in the future.

just too tentative.   and perhaps not a good fit under CBS who doesn't accept mistakes. Very tough coach

Young secretly might want to be cut and start fresh somewhere else

[chambers]

The day Young does this. The day he will come alive.  He is too nice right now.  Acting his age.  He needs an attitude change on the court.  And also inability to handle right will always be his biggest weakness. He needs to work on that 24/7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvKXAnlVQE4

He's just a soft kid. He overthinks too much and gets anxiety on the court. Some guys have it and some guys don't. James Young just doesn't have it.

I'm going to brag, but 15 minutes after we drafted him I created a topic on CB that said he was a terrible, horrible pick and Young was nothing close to being an NBA player.
This was up there with Fab Melo misses. Why? Because he's too timid and can't handle physicality or NBA athleticism and he doesn't have the winners mindset.

Watching the clueless Bill Simmons fist pump at Young's selection was comical at the time.


Honestly it's like...when the hell has this guy actually worked on his game? What has he added to his game since draft night? His defense went from terrible to bad. His shooting sucked. He has no handles, no vision and only goes left off his incredibly poor, slow first step.

James Young is a bum. Plain and simple.

[Tr1boy]

The day Young does this. The day he will come alive.  He is too nice right now.  Acting his age.  He needs an attitude change on the court.  And also inability to handle right will always be his biggest weakness. He needs to work on that 24/7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvKXAnlVQE4

He's just a soft kid. He overthinks too much and gets anxiety on the court. Some guys have it and some guys don't. James Young just doesn't have it.

I'm going to brag, but 15 minutes after we drafted him I created a topic on CB that said he was a terrible, horrible pickand Young was nothing close to being an NBA player.
This was up there with Fab Melo misses. Why? Because he's too timid and can't handle physicality or NBA athleticism and he doesn't have the winners mindset.


Honestly it's like...when the hell has this guy actually worked on his game? What has he added to his game since draft night? His defense went from terrible to bad. His shooting sucked. He has no handles, no vision and only goes left off his incredibly poor, slow first step.

James Young is a bum. Plain and simple.

you could be right but on draft night he had many things going for him.  He shot the 3 ball at a very good rate in the 2nd half of college ball and in many ways was a key guy for Kentucky (to make the finals)

But of course with some of the uncertainties/weaknesses you mentioned,  he was not chosen in the top 10

and now those weaknesses are "glaring" at the NBA level.    Team scouting report on how to defend him is probably make him go right.  Don't stay too close and let him shoot the ball.  He will just end up becoming ineffective on the floor

Ok with all this said, i still remember that one game last season where he looked really good.  Made a difficult runner underneath the basket. Shot that crucial transition 3 pt shot.  Those two big rebounds on the defensive end.   He needs to play like this 24/7.   Forget about anybody else, CBS.  Just play this way

[loco_91]

If you look at roster management and minutes added/subtracted, there are some interesting directions we could go in (including the potential of signing another player like Ray Allen for limited minutes)

Last Year MPG (projected ratio of min allocated year over year)
1   Avery Bradley   33.4 (1:1)
2   Isaiah Thomas   32.2 (1:1)
3   Jae Crowder   31.6 (1:1)
4   Marcus Smart   27.3 (1:1)
5   Amir Johnson   22.8 (1:1)
6   Kelly Olynyk   20.2 (1:1)
7   Jonas Jerebko   15.1 (1:1)
8   Tyler Zeller   11.8 (1:1)
9   R.J. Hunter   8.8 (1:1)
10   Terry Rozier   8.0 (+7 to 15)
11   James Young   6.9 (-7 to D League or waived/traded)
12   Jordan Mickey   3.6 (+7 to 11)
Players Subtracted
1   Evan Turner   28.0 (-28)
2   Jared Sullinger      23.6 (-23)
3    David Lee    15.7 (-16)
Total: -67 minutes
Players Added (Roster)
1   Al Horford (estimate 30)
2   Gerald Green (estimate 10)
3   Jaylen Brown (rookie min estimate 10)
4   Demetrius Jackson (rookie min estimate 6)
Total: +56 minutes

Year over Year Minutes Delta: 11 minutes (i.e. we have 111 minutes to distribute).

My preferred path forward:
1. Incubate Demetrius Jackson in D League
2. Waive/Trade James Young (package with Jordan Mickey or someone else + Future Pick for Nerlens Noel)
3. Either sign Ray Allen to fill our void of outside shooting or promote Demetrius Jackson to 15th roster spot. I like adding Ray and sending Jackson to D League moreso. Ray can mentor all of our young kids but most importantly Jaylen Brown and RJ Hunter.

Players Added (D League/Overseas)
1   Abdel Nader
2   Ben Bentil
3   Guerschon Yabousele
4   Ante Zizic

Nice breakdown, TP. I'd use the 11 minutes to bring Smart up to 30mpg, bring Jaylen up to 15mpg, and bring Kelly up to 25 mpg. I expect that we'll see Horford play >30mpg as well, but ideally we won't be leaning too hard on him in the regular season.

[csfansince60s]

The day Young does this. The day he will come alive.  He is too nice right now.  Acting his age.  He needs an attitude change on the court.  And also inability to handle right will always be his biggest weakness. He needs to work on that 24/7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvKXAnlVQE4

He's just a soft kid. He overthinks too much and gets anxiety on the court. Some guys have it and some guys don't. James Young just doesn't have it.

I'm going to brag, but 15 minutes after we drafted him I created a topic on CB that said he was a terrible, horrible pick and Young was nothing close to being an NBA player.
This was up there with Fab Melo misses. Why? Because he's too timid and can't handle physicality or NBA athleticism and he doesn't have the winners mindset.

Watching the clueless Bill Simmons fist pump at Young's selection was comical at the time.


Honestly it's like...when the hell has this guy actually worked on his game? What has he added to his game since draft night? His defense went from terrible to bad. His shooting sucked. He has no handles, no vision and only goes left off his incredibly poor, slow first step.

James Young is a bum. Plain and simple.

I am very down on Young and agree on the "bum" part. Not just during games, but I have seen him many times both pre-game and half-time warmups where it looks like he doesn't give a crap: poor body language and TOO casual.

On draft night, though, he was a good pick. He actually slipped in the draft. He was projected in many late mocks as lottery, but because of a car accident, he couldn't work out for teams and "slipped" to us....lucky us