<div align="center">The X3's Rankings: <font size="3">1.</font> "Big" Al Jefferson (6.6 PPG - 3.9 RPG - 15.2 MPG) Position: F Born: 01/04/85 Height: 6-10 / 2,08 Weight: 265 lbs. / 120,2 kg. High School: Prentiss HS (MS) NOTES: BIG AL. Jefferson works hard at getting position instead of standing around in the paint hoping for the ball. He is very confident in his offensive skills. He has nice footwork, soft hands and uses the glass well. Shows a dominace in the post, combining his great strength with his high basketball IQ. Jefferson's weight has been a concern, it's believed constant gym time could make AL a entirely different basketball player, improving his quickness and leaping ability, making him even more impressive. <font size="3">2.</font> Marcus Banks (5.1 PPG - 1.4 APG - 14.1 MPG) Position: G Born: 11/19/81 Height: 6-2 / 1,88 Weight: 200 lbs. / 90,7 kg. College: Nevada-Las Vegas '03 NOTES: Personally, I see The Lakers sending Marcus Banks back to Boston as a franchise altering turn of events. Banks's ability on both ends of the floor is remarkable, his defense is beyond impressive, his speed is lightning quick, and his physique impeccable. Knows how to get to the line, understands the Boston's fastbreak style of play, and can disrupt superstars at the same postion. Playing time has been limited, 14 a game, but he's shown flashes of brilliance including a career high 28 points back in April. His court vision and passing ability have come into question, but are likely to be addressed and a new Marcus Banks to be remolded. <font size="3">3.</font> Kendrick Perkins (1.2 PPG - 1.9 RPG - 5.1 MPG) Position: C Born: 11/10/84 Height: 6-10 / 2,08 Weight: 280 lbs. / 127,0 kg. High School: Clifton J. Ozen HS (TX) NOTES: Unpolished talent. The 03-04 first rounder straight from a high school in the lone star state, physical and motivated. Visibly dropped alot of weight, gaining more muscle in the process. Works hard on improving his game, still waiting for his chance. Second season with Boston, career high minutes is only 25, jury is still out but likely to rule in his favor. <font size="3">4.</font> Tony Allen (5.1 PPG - 3 RPG - 13.8 MPG) Position: G Born: 01/11/82 Height: 6-4 / 1,93 Weight: 213 lbs. / 96,6 kg. College: Oklahoma State NOTES: Athletically speaking, he's among the elite in the NBA. He's shown his physical shape has aided his game on both ends of the floor, allowing him to finish strong at the hoop, get to the line, and uses his power and aggressiveness to disrupt opposing guards. Fits in extremely well with Danny Ainge's vision, an athletic open court player with plenty of potential. <font size="3">5.</font> Delonte West (3.5 PPG - 2 APG - 12.0 MPG) Position: G Born: 07/26/83 Height: 6-4 / 1,93 Weight: 180 lbs. / 81,6 kg. College: St. Joseph's (PA) '04 NOTES: Started all 32 games for Saint Joseph's last year, nearly going undefeated during the regular season. West averaged an impressive 18.9 points per game on an even more impressive .51% from the field. West is thought to be a very intelligent basketball player, equipped with great court awareness and decision making. Along with a very quick first step that's made twice as dangerous with his pull up jump shot ability. However, West's ability to play the shooting guard postion in the NBA is questionable, a move to the point may be in his future. To this point he's averaged just 2 assists in 12 minutes.</div>
Ha Yang from Fitchburg ma, is declaring for the 2005 nba draft Hey i heard this Japanese kid named Ha Yang is declaring for the nba draft in 2005, does anybody know any info about him, i heard he's about 7 foot 2 inches and weighs well over 370 pounds, so either hes the next Robert " Tractor" Traylor or the next George Mureson, well anybody that has info on this young prodigy please let me know asap.
Not a bad synopsis. Jefferson needs to bulk up and learn to play NBA defense. However, as a rookie, he's perhaps one of the most ready to play draftees in recent years and probably has the most upside. Banks really needs to develop his court sense and see the floor better. I love his athleticism and his defensive ability is nice. I personally think he's below average at finishing when he gets to the hole, which is something I hope he also works on. Perkins is still a project and will frustrate impatient Celtic fans for at least another year plus. He's going to be good, I firmly believe that. However, to say he was "unpolished" coming out of Ozen HS, would be an understatement. Allen is a stud with great physical skills and the confidence to be a very good player. Court time will be the biggest means of developing this young talent and I love his defense. West caught a bad break (literally) in his rookie season, but I think he's a solid guy who won't be the star he was in college, but will be a solid backup for years to come.
Al Jefferson is a stud. He's going to make mistakes but I honestly believe that he has All-Star potential. Tony Allen is a very gritty two guard who has proved me wrong thus far. I didn't think that he was skilled enough (or big enough) to compete for big minutes at this level but from what I've seen so far I think that he will definitely have a long productive career in the league. I haven't really seen anything from Perkins to really comment on him. He's huge so he's always going to have a job. Hopefully he can get the punk out of his heart and at least become an effective low post defender. Marcus Banks is playing the wrong sport. He'd probably be a Pro Bowler if he would switch to football. Any team that has long term plans for him playing starters minutes at the point is destined to be lottery bound. I wouldn't be surprised to see Delonte West out of the league soon. He's the southpaw version Joe Forte w/o the attitude. (These assessments are based on the few times that I've seen these players in Celtic green. I figure that yall Die Hards may feel otherwise.)
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Marcus Banks is playing the wrong sport. He'd probably be a Pro Bowler if he would switch to football. Any team that has long term plans for him playing starters minutes at the point is destined to be lottery bound.</div> I assume you're thinking of him as a RB? I can see that with his lateral quickness and ability to change speeds so well. I'm not ready to give up on him yet, but I have to admit that he generally drives me nuts when he's on the floor. Poor court vision and still thinks he's at UNLV (where he was a main component the offense). <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I wouldn't be surprised to see Delonte West out of the league soon. He's the southpaw version Joe Forte w/o the attitude.</div> I didn't see as much of West in College as I saw of Forte (I'm a UNC fan), but what I saw of West leads me to think that his transition to playing PG in the NBA would probably be easier. Also, I'm glad you brought up the attitude issue with Forte, because IMO, that and not talent is the reason he's had issues. Although, as a Sonics fan, I'm sure you know all about his attitude problems.
decent roundup, X3. the only problem I have is with your glowing assessment of Marcus Banks. I wasn't crazy aboout him when the celts drafted him. His defense was overrhyped by Ainge and his speed doesnt make him any better of a decision maker. When he was drafted there was a BIG picture of him on the front page of the globe sports section. He had a diamond/ruby serious BLING BLING NBA necklace around his neck and he had that same ugly cocky sneer/pout on his lips that he has today. In the intgerview he was talking on and on about how he was going to REFUSE to not start. Imagine that, some nobody rookie demandig to start!! PUNK!! .......Jim Obrien didnt play him that much and I thanked the lord for it. Even Doc Retard can see what a waste Banks is. Notice that DElonte West took his spot in the rotation after TWO practises. He demonstrates ZERO leadership on the court and even less court vision. Doesnt know when to pass or drive. the only thing he does thats impresssive is shake his defenders and run circles around guys and hit layups. hed be a star in street ball. But it's like Iron Sheik said, any team that has long term plans for him playing starters minutes at the point is destined to be lottery bound. I'm not completely sold on Al Jefferson yet. People have rightly been praising him for a swift adjustment to the NBA. obviously hes been leaps and bounds better than Kendrick perkins was last year but he's no FREAK nesssecarily. All the things X3 said about him are true. He deffinetly has teh tools and the smarts on offense. He needs to bulk up and work on his athleticism but that can be easier said than done. I really don't like what I see from Al on the defefnsive end to this point but yes Im willing to be forgiving of him because he's so young as long as he shows a dedication to not making the same mistakes again and again. Keep in mind as good as Al is doing for his age he's still barely one of the top 10 rookies this year and isn't even the top high schooler (theres a little guy named dwight howard who's averaging a double double YIKES!!). That said. I like Al and hope the celts hold on to him for a good few years to see what theyve got with him. I'm not expecting him to be a star but we'll see and don't hold your breaths for him to be another KG or Jermaine. I've already talked in another thread about Perkins. I'm really rooting for this guy. He's got more size than Ben Wallace. He's teh perfect build to be a pure center and he makes up for his lack of height with his wingspan. Of course theres also the fact that he's slow adn doesnt appear as agressive as a beast his size should be. Hopefully that will come with confidence but to gain confidence you first have to perform some. That 13 rebound explosion was a very nice first step for Perk and I hope we see a lot more than that in the near future. Everyone knows he's a project, but like I said, 6'10'' 280 lb LEVIATHANS dont just grow on trees. None of us have seen much of Delonte West in a pro uniform but from what we saw one thing is clear: hes a LOT better than Marcus Banks and deserves no comparison to Joseph Forte. He's pretty much the anti Marcus Banks as in he doesnt have dazzling physical tools but he is a BASKETBALL PLAYER who demonstrates fundimentals, smarts, vision and confidence (whereas Banks has conceitedness). I'm not sure he can be the Celtics point guard of the future, certainly he wont be considered as "sexy" a prospect as Banks but he sure as hell is more likely to be a solid point guard than Banks. can't wait for him to get back so we can get another look at him. And then there's Tony Allen and my question is this: why aren't you people FLIPPING OUT about this guy!! He's the celtics best rookie since Paul Pierce!! He IS!! YESS!! he IS!!! it seems so remarkable how much the team suffers in the 4th quarter when he, a rookie is NOT on the court. He's easily the best defender on the team right now andwe're starting to see that he can score. He got a late start so he's not considered very much throught the rest of the league but mark my words: this kid is going to be a big BIG star! Think Charles Oakley but with much better offense. Hell Tony Allen might be the next Ron Artest with out the attitude problem. He's just a balls to the wall tough guy who will go at anyone. You see it. You know it. Every time he's on the court he makes good things happen. He just looks like he wants to win more than anyone else out there. When you've got that and his undeniable athleticism, the sky is the limit. In the future we will look back on him as the great steal of his draft class. I'm lucky enough to be going to the game otnight. If you hear someone Booing marcus Banks, and Cheering and trying to start chants for "To-ny Al-len!!!!! To-ny Al-len". thatd'd be the olskoolfunktitude!!!!!
Very well done, X3. But, I have to disagree with one thing, Olskool: cause I do think that Jefferson will be a stud. He's hit a bit of a mental wall right now, but he's something special.
TONY ALLEN!!! $! $! $!$!$! TONY ALLEN!!! $! $! $!$!$! GODDAMNNNN they NEEDS to give this guy 35 minutes a game!! I SWEARRRR!! anyways, yea Als gonna be a solid player but I think KG, Duncan, Jermaine, TONY ALLEN!!!! but if he can improve significantly every year for the next 5-7 years, yea he could be something of a monster. It's fun to dream about what these young celtics could be in a best case scenario. I sure hope Ainge spends and drafts verrrrrrrrrrry smart (like JOE DUMARS smart) over then next 5-10 years. I have to say, he's off to a dubious start. I still say he couldve gotten more if he wasnt such a premie on the walker trade. And I'm sorry I just don't think Mark Blount is worth such a committment. It means theyre not going to be able to keep either Big Al or Perk or Tony or BANKS or some other players thatl probably be better than Blount.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting olskoolFunktitude:</div><div class="quote_post">I still say he couldve gotten more if he wasnt such a premie on the walker trade. And I'm sorry I just don't think Mark Blount is worth such a committment. It means theyre not going to be able to keep either Big Al or Perk or Tony or BANKS or some other players thatl probably be better than Blount.</div> True, Ainge probably could've gotten more for Antoine if he had waited until the trading deadline, but I still think he got more (Raef and Jiri) than Dallas did (Jason Terry). But, just look at the way that Blount's contract breaks down. Its less than Ricky makes, which is fine considering he's probably the 4th option behind Paul, Ricky and Raef, and this year its less against the cap than Vin Baker's buyout. Its not a cap killer by any means and if push came to shove, probably very moveable.
I dont think anyone would take Mark Blount in a trade. Maybe a second round draft pick is all we could get if we wouldnt pay his salary
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting olskoolFunktitude:</div><div class="quote_post">I dont think anyone would take Mark Blount in a trade. Maybe a second round draft pick is all we could get if we wouldnt pay his salary</div> I seriously hope your kidding. The reason we had to pay him as much as we did is because other teams were in the bidding for him, Philly and Miami (obviously before they traded for Shaq) just to name a couple. Yeah, his hands are like bricks, but he's 7', runs the floor well, defends and rebounds. He'll always have a job in this league.
i guess but people were bidding for him expecting to get what he was in the second half of last season. The celtics arent getting that. He just looks weak. He cant hold on to the ball to save his life and every now and then he "explodes" for 18 points. Raefs been much more consistant
yeah, but Raef makes 9 million more a season and he was a top five pick. Blount was a second rounder and out of the CBA. I'm not disagreeing with you that Raef is probably better, but he's paid better as well.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Iron Shiek:</div><div class="quote_post">Marcus Banks is playing the wrong sport. He'd probably be a Pro Bowler if he would switch to football. Any team that has long term plans for him playing starters minutes at the point is destined to be lottery bound.</div> I don't know. He can't be a true point guard as far as I'm concerned. I think he can be a great scoring point guard, and if he ever is allowed to showcase his scoring ability on a consistent basis, I think he could thrive.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 44Thrilla:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't know. He can't be a true point guard as far as I'm concerned. I think he can be a great scoring point guard, and if he ever is allowed to showcase his scoring ability on a consistent basis, I think he could thrive.</div> Exactly. I don't think you'll ever see him average 8, 9, or 10 assists, unless he plays for an ALL-STAR team, but I do believe he could play a similar game to Dwyane Wade or Steve Francis. One thing that impresses me is the passion he seems to play with on both ends of the floor. I remember a game last season where he completely shut down Allen Iverson to the extent where he couldn't get off a clean look. He plays full speed at both ends, full hearted, and he's extremely quick but yet doesn't seem to slow down or fatigue. I believe if Banks can get a starting role somewhere, even if it's not in Boston, and plays along side the right players, he could easily become a superstar in this league. He seems to what to improve his game, he's always shows up ready to play, and he's still young and able to be molded. The scoring ability has been shown, the defense has been displayed, it's simply a matter of working on his decision making and passing ability if he hopes to be a starting point guard somewhere...
his defense isn't that great. Baron Davis made him look ATROCIOUS the other night. And I dont think hes that much more committed to improving his game than the next kid. He seems just as satisfied to run down the court and drive by people and score everytime he's not sending the ball sailing blindly out of bounds or into an opponents hands. If marcus banks turns into a superstar for the Boston Celtics Ill buy u a beer. Hell I'll buy u a KEG!! If I had the money Id say Id buy you a house but we all know its irrelevant bcause marcus banks will never be a starting point guard let alone a superstar
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting KJX3:</div><div class="quote_post">I believe if Banks can get a starting role somewhere, even if it's not in Boston</div>That's one of my worries. I can picture him being the next Billups or Johnson, in respects to him being let go by the C's before he can prove he's worth keeping.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Consistency may still be an issue with the Celtics ?Young Guns?, but look for this list of impressive performances to grow as the Celtics young players get more comfortable. And as this list grows, so should the wins, as the excitement of six young players continues to mesh with the experience of players like Paul Pierce, Gary Payton, Ricky Davis, Raef LaFrentz and Mark Blount. The future definitely looks bright as Al Jefferson, Tony Allen, Marcus Banks, Jiri Welsch, Kendrick Perkins and Delonte West continue to leave Celtics fans in awe with their contributions to a team on the rise</div>Celtics.com - Top Performances by The Young Guns.
how bright IS the future for the celtics? thats what were al wondering. We're seeing potential and youth from the team right now but those are the terms that have been thrown at us by the celtics for the last 12 years
