What are your expectations from Robert Williams this year?

[CF033]

Assuming he is healthy for most of the year what do you expect from Robert Williams this season?

Personally I think he's ready to start training/playing in the NBA right away and will be with the Celts for the whole season. By late in the season I can see him making some major contributions rebounding and on the defensive end. I can see him eventually guarding guys like Embiid and Giannis very effectively.

[colincb]

Will play minimal minutes, but will stay in BOS where management can keep an eye on him and Horford and co can mentor him.

[droopdog7]

I expect him to be in Maine most of the year.  Way too early to be labeled a bust no matter what.

[slamtheking]

I figure G league the majority of the year.  no expectations other than to develop his game to be ready to contribute next year.

If he sees much court time it'll either be a really good thing or a really bad thing:

Really Good Reason #1: his play surpasses all expectations to the point he's a leading rookie of the year candidate whose play demands a lot of court time.

Really Good Reason #2: the C's crush all opposition such that 4th quarters (or second halves) are pure garbage time leading to lots of floor time for the bench to improve their games.

Bad Reason: We're hit with a major injury load to our frontcourt players necessitating the need to play Williams to fill in some minutes behind whoever's left standing from our frontcourt rotation.

[jambr380]

If Williams ever becomes a rotation player in the NBA, that will be a major success based on his draft position. We give guys like RJ Hunter, JaJuan Johnson, Fab Melo, and JR Giddens a pass because they were drafted late in the 20s.

I understand he went much later than anticipated, but that just magnifies his possible 'issues.' Williams may have a very bright future, but that would be more of a welcome surprise than an expected outcome. As Cs fans, I think we are all still riding really high from Tatum and Brown and, to a lesser extent, Rozier, Smart, and KO.

People were similarly hard on Sullinger, but he was actually a starter on a playoff team; that is pretty impressive.

As for the question, I expect Williams to spend a lot of time in Maine, but hope that he proves himself worthy of playing in Boston most of the year.

[Vino]

He's got a loooong way to go. Start with staying down on pump fakes and boxing out for rebounds.G league all year unless injuries or trade.

[fairweatherfan]

Nothing. It'd be great if he could show a few flashes in some non-garbage time here but honestly he just needs to show competence and development in the G-League and not overdose on the snooze button or whatever. 

Anyone expecting him to genuinely contribute or even be given a real opportunity to do it (barring major injury problems knock on wood) is setting the bar way too high.


EDIT: Oh for Pete's sake. I edited the throwaway joke line that's causing all the pearl-clutching. My apologies to all the feelings, and, I don't know, his mom?

[Roy H.]

Production similar to AB’s rookie season, and similar hand-wringing from fans.

[rollie mass]

Nothing. It'd be great if he could show a few flashes in some non-garbage time here but honestly he just needs to show competence and development in the G-League and not overdose or whatever. 

Anyone expecting him to genuinely contribute or even be given a real opportunity to do it (barring major injury problems knock on wood) is setting the bar way too high.

"AND NOT OVERDOSE OR WHATEVER" seems like quite an accusation and well below the belt .
There is no reason a missed flight deserves that kind of slander.-i hope you edit that
Sully had a battering ,Marcus punched out his mirror and Rondo his shower.
Pierce was in the wrong place and got knifed
Morris got caught but nobody slurs the mother of a Philly kid.
Rozier ate spaghetti sandwich's and dormitory life was really wild at Louisville.
Marcus has overslept and Sully over ate.

[JHTruth]

Nothing. It'd be great if he could show a few flashes in some non-garbage time here but honestly he just needs to show competence and development in the G-League and not overdose or whatever. 

Anyone expecting him to genuinely contribute or even be given a real opportunity to do it (barring major injury problems knock on wood) is setting the bar way too high.

WTH man. That is seriously waaaaay out of line.

Mods?

[JHTruth]

I think Williams will be a pretty high-priority project this season, more than most realize. The Celtics aren't leaving his development to wherever the wind blows, he's been assigned a personal coach and is working with him all summer and through camp.

I'd guess he'll be sort of behind the scenes working for most of the year with the hopes that he can get some playoff experience during our run. I think they think he's has starter potential otherwise why invest so much into him?

[billysan]

Back and forth to Maine to begin with and with the Celtics on road trips if he shows he can run through defensive sets. After January he will play some garbage time and short matchup minutes if Brad and Danny are happy with his progress. Best case scenario is short Minutes after the all star break to help with the learning curve.

I think if expectations are not unreasonable and he is given small goals, we can call it a success.

[rondofan1255]

G League for most of the year

[Sophomore]

Back and forth to Maine to begin with and with the Celtics on road trips if he shows he can run through defensive sets. After January he will play some garbage time and short matchup minutes if Brad and Danny are happy with his progress. Best case scenario is short Minutes after the all star break to help with the learning curve.

I think if expectations are not unreasonable and he is given small goals, we can call it a success.

I’d call that a likely outcome. I’m calling myself satisfied if his defense starts earning him rotation minutes next year and a bigger role the year after that.

Still not writing this year off though. He was DPOY two times in the SEC and obviously has tools. If a few months of drills has him ready to play team defense, he could see the court and maybe we’ll get a pleasant surprise.  But yeah, to me that would exceed expectations. This is likely his redshirt year and that’s fine.

[Csfan1984]

Think minor minutes and g-league.