The Best Fit for Rakeem Christmas?

[Col. Bleep]

http://www.celticsblog.com/2015/6/9/8747231/rakeem-christmas-nba-draft-2015-syracuse-celtics

He would fit in well.

But if some team would be smart to grab him in the first round.
While others rest on their accomplishments, he's shown that he's going to keep working and keep improving. That alone is worth a lot.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Poll
Should the Celtics target Rakeem Christmas with their second round pick?

• 89% Yes (526 votes)
  
  
• 11% No (62 votes)
  

588 votes total

 

[Trueblue25]

Poll
Should the Celtics target Rakeem Christmas with their second round pick?

• 89% Yes (526 votes)
  
  
• 11% No (62 votes)

588 votes total

You could insert and team in the league, and second round pick, and the results would be similar.

I think his best fit is wherever Durant may get traded too, San Antonio or Memphis.

 

[jordoo]

As a second round pick he will be a steal. The real question is going to be the should the teams from 20 on take him in the first round getting an immediate contributor or should they roll the dice on a potential player down the road. Much of that will come down to personal and how close they think they are to breaking through in the playoffs.

 

[Trueblue25]

There's comments on the posted article claiming that Rak is too passive.

R u kidding me?

 

[Brooky03]

He's the perfect fit for a title contender that's trying to build depth but stay below the salary cap. Teams like this should have little interest in his future potential. They just need him to come in a be ready to give them some solid minutes right away.

 

[UnderHisOwnPower]

http://www.celticsblog.com/2015/6/9/8747231/rakeem-christmas-nba-draft-2015-syracuse-celtics

He would fit in well.

But if some team would be smart to grab him in the first round.
While others rest on their accomplishments, he's shown that he's going to keep working and keep improving. That alone is worth a lot.

He is Antonio Davis Redux, and should be gone by the 2nd round.
Career NBA statistics
Points 9,041 (10.0 ppg)
Rebounds 6,755 (7.5 rpg)
Blocks 889 (1.0 bpg)

 

[reedny]

I really would like to see him taken in the first round. The second round gets weird (although a couple years ago Kris Joseph went at the last minute to the Celtics). At any rate, once they start with the draft/stash nonsense with Europe and Asia, it's downhill from there.

 

[Full_Rebar]

The Celtics are more likely to draft for potential than Rak. Ainge is trying to hit home runs with his group, and unless Rak is replacing someone from their rotation who gets dealt, it seems like it's not a great fit. Golden State would be interesting because Rak's athleticism would fit their roster.

 

[RF2044]

He's the perfect fit for a title contender that's trying to build depth but stay below the salary cap. Teams like this should have little interest in his future potential. They just need him to come in a be ready to give them some solid minutes right away.

Agreed. There are lots of teams that fit that bill at the end of the first round [minus Brooklyn].

Like Reed [above], would LOVE to see Rak slide into the first round.

 

[jekelish]

I really would like to see him taken in the first round. The second round gets weird (although a couple years ago Kris Joseph went at the last minute to the Celtics). At any rate, once they start with the draft/stash nonsense with Europe and Asia, it's downhill from there.

Yup. Always feels like right around pick 40, everyone just goes nuts swinging for the fences with projects and overseas stashes.

 

[weedsportwarriors]

If we are talking the best fit or best place that would help Rak, I would have to believe the answer would be San Antonio. If you could learn from arguably the best PF in the game and one of the top five coaches of all time in Coach Pop, this in my opinion would be ideal. As a Spurs fan I think my heart is speaking a little here as well. But my head also says for Rak's development this would be an ideal location for him to go.

 

[reedny]

Yup. Always feels like right around pick 40, everyone just goes nuts swinging for the fences with projects and overseas stashes.

There are many on this board with more knowledge of the NBA than I have-- I'd like them to tell me why Rak wouldn't be an improvement as a PF over, say, Draymond Green? I've been watching Green in the playoffs and remember SU playing against him at MSU. He's a good defender, but is 2 inches shorter than Rak, 20 pounds lighter, and has trouble finishing inside over size. On offense, Green has a marginal outside game, and even inside 15 feet (80% of the time) I think Rak's offensive game is superior. Rak can't shoot 3's (yet), but neither can Green with any consistency. Can Rak stay in front of other NBA power forwards on D? This remains to be seen. I don't think he could stay with Blake Griffin, but no one else can either.

Rak dominated at the draft workouts .. which didn't surprise me. He's athletic, long, has a nice stroke and I think he can develop a mid-range game to go with his low-block game that would make him a rotation PF at the very least.

 

[jordoo]

There are many on this board with more knowledge of the NBA than I have-- I'd like them to tell me why Rak wouldn't be an improvement as a PF over, say, Draymond Green? I've been watching Green in the playoffs and remember SU playing against him at MSU. He's a good defender, but is 2 inches shorter than Rak, 20 pounds lighter, and has trouble finishing inside over size. On offense, Green has a marginal outside game, and even inside 15 feet (80% of the time) I think Rak's offensive game is superior. Rak can't shoot 3's (yet), but neither can Green with any consistency. Can Rak stay in front of other NBA power forwards on D? This remains to be seen. I don't think he could stay with Blake Griffin, but no one else can either.

Rak dominated at the draft workouts .. which didn't surprise me. He's athletic, long, has a nice stroke and I think he can develop a mid-range game to go with his low-block game that would make him a rotation PF at the very least.

Green is a very good defender and rebounder for his size and an excellent ball handler and distributor for his size. He is extremely versatile. Not many PF's can get the rebound and run the break themselves. He also has the ability out of the pick and role to make the right decision and give the defense fits with his passing, handling and at least the threat of making jumpers. Green will get a big pay day and I expect his shot to continue to improve the next couple of seasons if he stays with Golden State where he gets a lot of good looks. As good as Green is though he is and always will be a complimentary player but because of his overall array of skills he's a great complimentary player since he can make the defense pay for overplaying your stars in a number of different ways.

Christmas may well wind up being very versatile but it will be playing the 4/5 and allowing teams to go small without really going small. His length and athleticism could allow teams to play him at the 5, still have a post guy/rim protector but also run up and down the floor with all guards and forwards. I actually think handling, passing and shooting Rak is under rated a tad and will improve all of these aspects as he moves forward in the NBA. If he did that and could play the 4 and 5 he might be looking at a big second contract payday much like Green is.

 

[Full_Rebar]

Draymond is able to defend inside and on the perimeter. He's shown better ball-handling than Rak, and it makes him a bit more versatile. I actually think GS could look to draft Rak as part of a group potentially replacing Green should they lose him in free agency (I haven't looked at their cap situation).

 

[Knicks411]

Green hasn't been great in the finals, and i know he was a second rounder, but he's miles ahead of Rak right now. Green is incredibly versatile on both the offensive and defensive end. If Rak is 85% of the player Green is he's going to make a lot of money and play a long time.

Draymond is able to defend inside and on the perimeter. He's shown better ball-handling than Rak, and it makes him a bit more versatile. I actually think GS could look to draft Rak as part of a group potentially replacing Green should they lose him in free agency (I haven't looked at their cap situation).

They're pretty much going to have to match him, I think. Cap is jumping enough in the next few years they should be ok.

 

[moqui]

Agreed. There are lots of teams that fit that bill at the end of the first round [minus Brooklyn].

Like Reed [above], would LOVE to see Rak slide into the first round.

I just don't see it happening . . . you don't give guaranteed money to a guy who is going to be 24 early in the season and whose role projects to be an undersized backup 5.

it's really weird, but he has great value at pick 31 but is a reach at 30

 

[reedny]

Green hasn't been great in the finals, and i know he was a second rounder, but he's miles ahead of Rak right now. Green is incredibly versatile on both the offensive and defensive end. If Rak is 85% of the player Green is he's going to make a lot of money and play a long time.



They're pretty much going to have to match him, I think. Cap is jumping enough in the next few years they should be ok.

Interesting. It's hard for me to see (in the NBA) how Rak would not be much more effective closer to the basket at both ends than Draymond. I can buy that Draymond (much smaller) is a better perimeter defender and more versatile/stretch-4 on offense as you point out. However, do you think Green can play the 5 (Rak can), block shots over the rim (Rak can) or finish over size inside (Rak can)?

 

[Knicks411]

Interesting. It's hard for me to see (in the NBA) how Rak would not be much more effective closer to the basket at both ends than Draymond, although as you point out Draymond's quicker defensively and more of a stretch 4 on offense. That said, Green can't play the 5, block shots over the rim or finish over size either .. and it seems like Rak would play much bigger closer to the basket.

But .. your take is what it is.

I'd imagine Rak would be more effective closer to the basket, but Green has a ridiculous wing-span that belies his height a little. And he's a really good passer. He's not a full time center or anything, but the Warriors do play lineups with him at the 5 (including OT of game 1 of the finals). Green can guard a ton of positions on defense, is a good facilitator of offense, and has acceptable range out to the 3 point line. Green does a lot more well than Christmas does.

 

[Knicks411]

Green shot 67% at the rim this year, anyone have any idea where to get college splits? Curious how Rak did.

 

[two3zone]

Any team he has an opportunity to play 5-10 minutes a game is the best fit. He's a borderline first round pick and his opportunity to show he's an NBA talent is going to be short. It's unfortunate that the league is like that but it is what it is and he has to capitalize. He has very little margin for error after he is drafted. I hope he is able to take the opportunity that he has and becomes a beast in the league, I've always been a huge fan of his.

 

[Dave85]

To be successful in the NBA he's going to need a really good jump-shot.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Interesting. It's hard for me to see (in the NBA) how Rak would not be much more effective closer to the basket at both ends than Draymond. I can buy that Draymond (much smaller) is a better perimeter defender and more versatile/stretch-4 on offense as you point out. However, do you think Green can play the 5 (Rak can), block shots over the rim (Rak can) or finish over size inside (Rak can)?

Green blocked Lebron at the rim at the end of game 2. All they had to do was hold onto the ball and they would be up 2-1 right now.

I agree he's a better interior scorer, but he to would struggle against who Green is going up against right now.

 

[Cusefan0307]

To be successful in the NBA he's going to need a really good jump-shot.

That's a myth. None of the 4's or 5's playing in the NBA Finals have a jumper outside of Draymond, and he hasn't hit anything in a month.

 

[Knicks411]

That's a myth. None of the 4's or 5's playing in the NBA Finals have a jumper outside of Draymond, and he hasn't hit anything in a month.

Mo Speights!

Oh, you said "playing" in the finals.