Tag Archives: Robert Williams

Why Robert Williams should be The Celtic’s Starting Center

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All offseason long we have talked about the Boston Celtic’s options at the center position. A ragtag group of unproven player who must replace Al Horford. Enes Kanter, Daniel Theis, Robert Williams, Vincent Poirier, and Tacko Fall are their options. Here are the reasons why they should go with the man nicknamed ‘Time Lord’.

Via celticsblog.com

Size and Versatility

When it comes to the perfect blend of size and two-way ability, Robert Williams is your guy. Standing at 6’10”, 240 lbs with a 7’6” wingspan is some impressive measurements. He combines this with shot-blocking and rebounding ability that is quite impressive. He also possesses court vision that is well beyond his years. His ability to use his athleticism to attack the rim will aid him in his career. A center with the playmaking ability of The Time Lord is a scary threat.

Low cost, high upside

The misconception that the highest paid player at each position should start is ridiculous. Daniel Theis is the highest paid center at the moment, and is undersized and offensively limited. Robert Williams, who is still on a rookie deal, presents athletic upside on a cheaper deal. He’s a long term answer and more effective than Theis on both ends. He also provides more of a leadership presence on the court.

Robert Williams shows his athleticism against the Memphis Grizzlies in the Summer League

Fits the team culture

The Boston Celtics have modeled this team to be built on young, raw talent. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the prime examples of this. Enter Robert Williams. The Time Lord is just 21 years old and has potential, but has limited NBA experience. He’d learn and grow on the same timetable as the rest of the team. Overall, his youth, contract, and potential is the reason that William should be the Celtics starting center for the future.

Celtics Summer League Preview: What’s next?

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After an active and hectic first couple of days of NBA Free Agency the dust is starting to settle and we look forward to next season. But first, we have the NBA Summer League beginning on July 6th as they take on the Philadelphia 76ers. Much as been made of the Celtics moves to get younger this season, and the Summer League is no exception. Here’s a full preview of what to expect:

Point Guards: Carsen Edwards, Tremont Waters, Jon Elmore, Javonte Green

Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

The name that jumps out at you here is Carsen Edwards. The ultimate ‘heat-check’, Edwards has a lot to prove after the Boston Celtics picked him in this year’s draft. Was last year a one-time thing? Can he sustain his pace and production over a season? We’ll get to see this upcoming weekend. As for the other guys, they have a lot to prove. Waters is Marcus Smart with less offense, and we’re not sure what Elmore and Green are capable of. We’ll see what they bring to the table this summer.

Wings: Romeo Langford(INJ), Aaron Harrison, Kendrick Ray, Max Straus

via bulletsforever.com

The interest of this group was diminished when the Celtics announced that Langford would sit out with a thumb injury. However, one other interesting prospect is Aaron Harrison. A former star SG at Kentucky, Harrison has had little success at the next level. This makes him a perfect guy to take a flyer on and see what he’s got. If he performs well, he could be a quality bench option for the C’s

Frontcourt: Robert Williams, Guerschon Yabusele, Grant Williams, Tacko Fall, Chinanau Onuaku

via volnation.com

This may be the most interesting position group on the entire team. Robert Williams has high expectations this season at center, and his performance here could translate to big minutes come September. Yabusele has a chance to earn a promotion from G-League play with a strong showing. Grant Williams was a first-round pick of the Celtics this year, and is shaping up to be a fan-favorite. He can amplify those claims by showing that he’s become more well-rounded. Tacko Fall is a 7’6″ center. The Celtics need height at center. If he can play hard and defend well, the Celtics could have a secret weapon this season.

What to Watch For: Young guns, Raw talent

This group is interesting because they could be the Summer League champions or not be there at all. The 2019 draft class seem to be very close with one another, and overall this Summer League team appears to be friendly with each other. The chemistry this team shows will reflect upon what we can expect come September. If the young kids can refine that raw talent into basketball production, then the future is bright for the Boston Celtics.

NBA Draft: How the Celtics Can land the #2 Pick

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The Boston Celtics are in a bit of a pinch in terms of cap space. Even with the impending departure of Kyrie Irving the C’s still have problems. Therefore, they will be forced to improve their roster in the upcoming NBA Draft. They currently hold the 14th, 20th, and 22nd picks in the first round of this year’s draft. However, this draft holds the key to the Celtics biggest hole at PG; that answer is Ja Morant. The Memphis Grizzlies, who possess the #2 pick, are slotted to take Morant but may be willing to explore trading the pick. Here is how Danny Ainge can swing the trade.

Cap implications between Boston and Memphis make guys like Hayward and Horford (pictured) nigh untradeable.

Untradeables/Untouchables

First, lets start by outlining what won’t be on the trade table. Gordon Hayward‘s contract-production combo makes him immovable. If Horford accepts his $30M option, he would also be hard to trade due to his age and what he can bring to a team. Sean Faulkner breaks down the cap problems perfectly in his roster prediction article. Also, expect the Grizzlies to want to keep Mike Conley and Jaren Jackson Jr., quality players that they can build around without the #2 pick. Lastly, I’d imagine Jayson Tatum is untouchable, as Ainge and Brad Stevens see huge potential in him.

Trade One: C’s try the Danny Ainge low-ball

Celtics receive: #2 pick (Ja Morant), C.J. Miles Grizzlies receive: Jaylen Brown, Semi Ojeleye, #20 pick, #22 pick

Danny Ainge has made a living off of stealing picks in the NBA Draft for well under their value. Here, he places one of his excess wings (Brown) with some extra compensation and takes C.J. Miles to keep salary fairly close. Notice the Celtics lottery pick (14th overall) is not included in this trade. If Memphis sees Brown as value enough, the C’s could replace Brown at 14 with talented wings projected to be there. This would be a steal for Ainge if he can pull it off. Draft props don’t favor this result, though Ainge’s success would be a payday for any willing bettor.

Jaylen Brown is a valuable trade asset that would get a larger role elsewhere

Trade Two: Blockbuster shakeup

Celtics receive: #2 pick (Ja Morant), Kyle Anderson, Jevon Carter Grizzles Receive: Jaylen Brown, Robert Williams, Semi Ojeleye, #14 pick, #22 Pick

Ultimately, the Celtics will have to give the Grizzlies a rather nice haul if they hope to land the uber-talented Morant. This NBA Draft is top heavy, and thus drives up trade value of top-5 picks. The Celtics get to keep their 20th pick, and get a quality wing in Kyle Anderson. The Grizzlies, in turn, get young talent to bolster their roster and a lottery pick to help ease the loss of Anderson. This is the most likely trade scenario, and would give the Celtics some contract flexibility and a future star in Ja Morant.

Theis

Celtics Daniel Theis Out Indefinitely

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Boston Celtics big-man Daniel Theis is out indefinitely with a tear in his right plantar fasciitis. He suffered the injury against the Detroit Pistons on October 27. The German missed the remaining 15 games of the 2017-18 season with a torn meniscus.

In his 68 career games, Theis is averaging five points and four rebounds in 15 minutes per game. In his most recent games against Detroit, Theis recorded season highs in minutes (19:19), points (17), rebounds (8) and plus/minus (20).

Others role players will be forced to step up with the 26-year-old out indefinitely.

Although the word “indefinitely” is daunting, Brad Stevens exclaims that “the indefinite timeline sounds worse than the timeline we’ve been given”. He adds that “they think it will be a pretty quick recovery.”

Theis is expected to address the media on Tuesday, October 30.

Impact to Celtics Rotation

Aron Baynes

Teammate Aron Baynes commented on the injury stating:

“It’s unfortunate what happened to Daniel… He was starting to come along. But it’s one of those things, we dealt with a few circumstances like that last season. It’s next man up. I’m doing everything I can every single day to try to get right and be able to contribute to the team again. So as soon as they give me the clearance I’ll be ready.”

Theis

Via WKYC.com

Baynes has missed three consecutive games with a hamstring injury. With Theis on the shelf, Baynes will be integral for Boston. Per 36-minutes, he is averaging 18 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists in his three games this season. “Freight Train” Baynes has a plus/minus of plus 21 in just 45 minutes of play, showing he has a major impact on the court.

Boston will need Baynes to perform while Theis is absent.

Robert Williams

Williams, who has appeared in two of the Celtics six games, will surely see an increase to his minutes due to the Theis injury.

The 21-year-old was selected by Boston with the 27th pick in the 2018 NBA draft. In his two seasons at Texas A&M, Williams averaged 11 points, 9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 26 minutes per game. In 2017-18, Williams lead the SEC in an abundance of categories, including defensive rebounds (206), blocks (78), total rebounds per game (9.2), and box plus/minus (11.9).

Theis

Via Getty Images

Though Williams does not have the shooting prowess of either Theis or Baynes, he will bring the same defensive tenacity. We have not seen much of the rookie, but in eight minutes against Detroit, Williams recorded three blocks, two offensive rebounds, two points and an assist. With Theis out, we can expect more exciting performances like these from Williams in the near future.

Robert Williams Has Earned a Place with the Celtics

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Robert Williams Is Redeeming Himself to Boston Fans

Overall, the preseason for the Celtics was a bust. The team went 1-3 in four contests against the Hornets and the Cavaliers. There wasn’t much to be excited about, as the team shot poorly and couldn’t muster much on either side of the ball. However, there was a clear bright spot on the team during the four games: their young draft pick. After gaining a poor reputation early on, Robert Williams has made a strong case to take on a bigger role this season.

Why Williams Needs More Minutes

Williams suffered a rocky introduction to Celtics fans following the draft. The young center had well-documented work ethic issues early on. Many fans (I’ll admit, including myself) were worried that he was destined to be a bust for the franchise. An injury in Summer League did nothing to boost his confidence either. However, Williams has quieted the haters after his preseason showing.

If you’re looking solely at the statistics, by no means was Williams’ performance out of the ordinary. In ten minutes per game, he averaged 4.5 points and 2.0 rebounds. However, if you take a look at a little bit of game film, you can easily see what he’ll be able to bring to the table. On a team that allowed on average 107 points to the opposition per game, Williams was a defensive standout.

His energy on the defensive end was refreshing. He bounced all over the court, defending the paint and jumping out on shooters. He’s got an extremely lanky frame, and it shows. Williams stands 6’9″, which isn’t huge for a center. However, his 7-6 wingspan allows him to be adept at getting a hand in the shooter’s face. He had the game-winning block against the Hornets in the team’s second preseason game. Those long arms also allow the rookie to cause problems on the interior against bigger opponents.

On the other end of the court, Williams is also an asset. His shot needs work, which the Celtics knew when they drafted him. Where he really adds value is with his spacing. Williams has already shown potential with his energetic screen-setting, and he can really open up the whole floor. If he can improve on the raw talent he has, #44 becomes a true force on offense as well.

The Bottom Line

No, I’m not advocating that Williams plays 20 minutes a game. However, he’s shown more than enough in the preseason to be considered for minutes on a deep Celtics team. For a player who many fans expected to spend time in the G-League, the young center’s performance should cause Boston staff to take a much closer look at his playing time. With the season opening in just over a week, the intrigue is there as to what Robert Williams can do for the Boston Celtics.

Three Takeaways: Celtics 115, Hornets 112

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The Celtics came out with a win in their 2nd preseason game.

The team returned to the TD Garden to take on the Charlotte Hornets. Boston was without Al Horford for the game, who was dealing with a wrist injury. The team, having faced the Hornets on Friday, jumped out to a 64-57 halftime lead. After a mediocre first quarter, the Celtics went for 40 points in the second. The game stayed competitive through the third quarter, with the Celtics unable to pull away. The Hornets took the lead with around 6 and a half minutes remaining the game, and the score remained neck and neck until the very end, when Boston was able to pull away. Here are some key takeaways from Sunday’s game.

1. Boston turns it around from deep, succeeds on free throws

After a poor first game in terms of three-point shooting, the Celtics were able to flip the script. On Friday, the team shot an atrocious 9-47 from deep, for just 19%. Sunday night, however, was a much different story. The team finished with far fewer attempts from deep, going 13-31 on the night. The much higher percentage (42%) was a welcome sight. Also notable was the success from behind the free throw line. Boston converted 18 of 21 attempts from the stripe, a great sign for the regular season.

2. Tatum, Irving shine

Both Jayson Tatum and Kyrie Irving stood out in Sunday’s game. After a scoreless first quarter, Tatum caught fire in the second quarter, scoring 13 points in three minutes. That spurt included 3 three-pointers and a ferocious alley-oop jam from Terry Rozier. He finished with 16 points and 4 boards in 19 minutes of play.

Irving also had a standout game against Charlotte. He contributed his usual scoring total and made multiple eye-catching passes to set up scores for others. He’ll benefit this year from not always having to be the team’s number one scoring option. It’ll leave him more room to make plays and facilitate the offense. Irving finished with 20/4/3 in 29 minutes.

3. Williams shows flashes of potential

The rookie Robert Williams showed a lot of intriguing play in the game on Sunday. Williams had a nice dunk inside and was extremely active on both ends of the floor. Most notably, he set a lot of good screens on offense and freed up a lot of space on that end. Williams also had a clutch block in the closing seconds of the game to secure the win. He finished with 5 points, a board and an assist, as well as the aforementioned block. Though the numbers aren’t the most gaudy, it was certainly a nice performance that could help redeem him in the eyes of some fans.

Bonus: Marcus Smart is back

Good to see ya, buddy.

Boston will take the floor next on Tuesday night, when the Lebron-less Cavaliers come to the Garden. Horford is hopeful to return to action that night against the new look Cleveland team. The NBA season keeps getting closer and closer!

Williams

The Celtics With the Most to Prove this Season

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Who’s got the most to prove going into the 18-19′ season?

The Celtics enter the new season with an intriguing mix of players on the roster. They have a collection of established stars, developing contributors, long term projects, and unknowns. In this article, I’ll take a look at who on the roster has the most to prove to fans and the organization come October. Let’s get started.

Robert Williams, F/C

This one is a no brainer for most Celtics fans who have been paying attention this summer. Williams has a well-documented history of laziness. Two incidents specifically come to mind- the first where he overslept his introductory conference call. The other is when he missed his plane flight to the first summer league practice of the summer. There are certainly motivation problems here, and he needs to be whipped into shape.

The other major concern is his play style. Williams is a defensive minded player, and more than holds his own inside the paint on both ends. But his shooting is a major concern. He seems to be the only player on the roster who can’t make a shot from outside the paint. Williams has a lot to prove this season if he wants to silence his doubters.

Terry Rozier, G

I know it seems like Scary Terry has nothing left to prove after his emphatic showing at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs last year. However, this is the year where Rozier really has to show what he’s got. This is a contract year for him, and he’s got to keep up the production if he wants to get his money.

Rozier won’t get as many minutes as he got in the postseason last year, but it’s what he does in the minutes he plays that counts. It’s not like Rozier doesn’t have areas to improve in, either. A big improvement spot that comes to mind is consistency (Remember that horrendous game 7 of the ECF?). It’s time for Rozier to show out if he wants to get paid.

Gordon Hayward, F

Yes, Gordon Hayward has a lot to prove this season. After All-Star campaigns in Utah, Hayward only appeared in a Celtics uniform for five minutes this year. After Boston’s run of success, Hayward’s value became more and more downplayed as the year went on. He needs to show Boston fans the superstar player that the C’s signed last summer. He doesn’t need to post the same numbers that he was posting with the Jazz. However, he does need to show the fans that he can still play at a high level after the devastating injury that he suffered. Can he come back from it? Signs point to yes, but he needs to come out and shove it in our faces that he’s a top-tier talent.

Got any you felt were left off the list? Any you think shouldn’t have made it? Tell me on Twitter: @jackbuffett_

Boston Celtics’ Rookie Robert Williams Still Not Cleared for 5-On-5 Action

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Robert Williams has been battling knee tendonitis since the end of his college tenure with Texas A&M. The big man managed to play in only six minutes of Summer League before colliding with a 76er, and missed the rest of the action after reaggravating the injury.

With Training Camp Around the Corner, Williams Looks to Get Back on Track Quick

Training camp is just a few weeks away, but Williams has been working hard to make a comeback as efficiently as possible.

“Still taking it day by day,” Williams said. “There’s people that have a lot of time, a lot of money invested in you now, they don’t want to mess up what they got going. But I’m thankful for the trainers and the coaches, just taking it day by day.”

He understands the situation he is in and just wants to get back to healthy playing shape as soon as possible. Williams has spoken highly of the Celtics organization and their patience in dealing with his injury. He also see’s this down time as an opportunity to learn the X’s and O’s of the offense and all of the other technical aspects of being an NBA player.

“Just strengthening places I need to strengthen,” Williams said. “Obviously my knee, obviously knowing what’s going on out there on the court, knowing the calls before (Brad Stevens) throws in me a 5-on-5 game. He’s been teaching me actually the past couple days, just hammering in the calls, all the play names, all the big names for things, so it’s just been a great perspective, a great opportunity.”

Williams Expected to Be ‘Full Go’ by Training Camp

After a rough start to his career with the post Draft issues, Williams already looks like he is maturing and beginning to take a more level-headed approach moving forward.

Brad Stevens expects a fully healthy roster by the start of training camp, so chances are Williams will be cleared for 5-on-5 in the near future. Hopefully the big man can stay healthy this season, as he will have his plate full proving that he deserves a spot on this already loaded roster.

The Celtics and Warriors go toe to toe in 2k19’s Player Ratings

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The two juggernauts could go to battle in the finals this season. Let’s see how 2k19 rated these star studded rosters.

Both Golden State and Boston enter this season with sizeable expectations. How will these rosters look in video game form you ask? No need to fear, as 2k19 has officially released team rosters for all 30 teams. While the team overall ratings have not yet been released, we can speculate those rankings fairly easily. But i’ll leave that open for interpretation.

Ratings for Golden State

  1. Kevin Durant sf, 97
  2. Stephen Curry pg, 95
  3. Demarcus Cousins c, 90
  4. Klay Thompson sg, 89
  5. Draymond Green pf, 87
  6. Andre Iguodala sf, 77
  7. Jordan Bell pf, 76
  8. Jonas Jerebko pf,76
  9. Shaun Livingston pg, 75
  10. Quinn Cook pg, 75
  11. Nick Young sf, 74
  12. Patrick McCaw sg, 73
  13. Kevon Looney pf,71
  14. Damian Jones c,70
  15. Chris Boucher pf,69

Golden State’s Takeaways

Demarcus Cousins receiving a 90 overall after missing almost two-thirds of last season comes as a bit of a surprise. What’s an even bigger surprise is the fact that he received a higher ranking than Klay Thompson. A pleasant surprise is the rankings of Jordan Bell and Kevin Durant. While many thought of Durant as a 99 overall talent, he still ranks in the top 5 again in this edition. Bell is a unique player that will develop over time. Fans could expect his overall to only rise from here.

Celtics lineup ratings

  1. Kyrie Irving pg, 93
  2. Gordon Hayward sf,88
  3. Jayson Tatum sf, 87
  4. Al Horford c, 88
  5. Jaylen Brown sf, 84
  6. Marcus Smart pg, 80
  7. Marcus Morris pf, 78
  8. Terry Rozier pg, 78
  9. Aron Baynes c,75
  10. Shane Larkin pg, 70
  11. Daniel Theis c, 70
  12. Guerschon Yabusele pf, 69
  13. Semi Ojeleye pf, 68
  14. Kadeem Allen sg, 68
  15. Jabari Bird sg, 67
  16. Robert Williams c, not yet rated

 Boston’s Takeaways

Although Boston’s roster is lower ranked that Golden State, this team still looks impressive. One point to mention- Shane Larkin is on the 2k roster, but has signed overseas during the offseason. While Al and Theis look a little underrated, the rating will adjust throughout the season thanks to the various amounts of game updates. While it is undetermined as of now, the rating for Robert Williams will be interesting to watch. Kyrie comes in as the 2nd highest rated point guard in the league behind Curry, and Jayson Tatum got a very favorable 87 overall after just one season. Brown rounds out the top 5 on the C’s frontline with an 84, but that number could easily rise by mid-season.

Conclusion

While we cannot debate a potential match-up off of a video game ratings list,  we can have fun playing it. This is one of the few variables that you can control in the palm of your hands. So enjoy 2k19 when it comes out, but do remember it is a video game. Let’s keep Jacksonville in our hearts as we play these competitive games in the future.

All ratings and info were received from 2kratings.com 

Bring Back Baynes?

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Aron Baynes averaged 6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season. He only played 18.3 minutes per game, despite making 67 starts. He is technically a free agent this offseason. And yet, the Celtics seem locked in on re-signing him, despite spending a first round pick on rim-running big Robert Williams. Baynes even represented the team during Monday night’s NBA Awards Show.

It’s a surprising level of commitment to a center who has averaged only 5.4 PPG and 4.4 RPG over the course of his career. However, it makes perfect sense. Believe it or not, the Celtics actually, sort of, need Baynes.

Frontcourt Question Marks

Even after adding Williams to the mix, finding a way to retain Baynes is crucial for the Celtics’ frontcourt depth. Williams is plenty talented, but questions surrounding his attitude off the court played a major part in his slide to the Celtics at pick 27. His disappearing act the following day didn’t do much to assuage those concerns.

Even if Williams is a model citizen, Boston would still likely be reticent to lean on him from the jump. Rookies, especially bigs, often have a steep NBA learning curve. It’s tougher to make an impact offensively when you have to depend on others to get the ball, and your mistakes are more glaring on the other end when you serve as the last line of defense at the rim. Williams may mature into a Clint Capela or DeAndre Jordan caliber center eventually, but he won’t be there in October.

Daniel Theis showed flashes of promise as a 25-year-old rookie from Europe last year. Unfortunately, he tore his meniscus in March. The Celtics expect him to be ready to go for training camp, but there’s no guarantee he’ll hit the ground running right away.

Of course, Al Horford figures to start his fair share of games at center this season with the return of Gordon Hayward. However, if Boston wants him fresh for the spring, they’re going to have to pair him with another reliable big.

That’s where Baynes comes in. In addition to being extraordinarily reliable (he’s played 81, 75, and 81 games over the last 3 seasons), he’s, well, big. Theis is listed at 6-9, and Horford and Williams at 6-10. Baynes, while also listed at 6-10, is a full 15-20 pounds heavier than his fellow Celtic big men. He provides a different look and skill set, and some extra beef to stick at the rim when Boston plays larger lineups.

Aron Baynes Photos - 27 of 428

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Improved Shooting

Then there’s the matter of what happened in the postseason this spring. Baynes, who was 3-of-21 from behind the arc in the regular season, was 11-of-23 (47.8%) from three in the playoffs. At the risk of putting too much into a small sample size, this could be a substantial development. If Baynes’ new shooting touch is the real deal (and not coach Brad Stevens pulling a rabbit out of a hat) it paves the way for Boston to run 5-out line-ups nearly 100% of the time.

In a league where shooting is king, that would only raise the Celtics’ ceiling.

Other factors may come into play here. Marcus Smart may sign a max offer sheet, and the Celtics could match. Such a move may put Boston in luxury tax territory earlier than it’d like. Another team might offer Baynes a contract worth more than the C’s are willing to pay. Boston would have to opt for a more cost-effective option in that scenario.

Ultimately, Baynes is a perfect fit, and the Celtics would be foolish to move on from him too quickly. He’s a role player to be sure, but he serves a role no one else on the roster currently does. For a team with championship aspirations, the more players who fit that description, the better.