Jordan Walsh is coming into his sophomore season within the NBA after spending most of final 12 months in Maine. Baylor Scheierman is the primary first spherical draft choose of the Celtics in 4 years. Each gamers will combat for minutes off Joe Mazzulla’s bench subsequent season.
Because of the Boston Celtics roster depth, it’s unlikely we see each Walsh and Scheierman earn a task within the rotation. If we’re being sincere, each guys might spend the vast majority of their time within the G-League.
Nevertheless, within the spirit of the offseason and the enjoyable that debates can deliver, Adam Taylor and latest CelticsBlogger Robby Fletcher have sat down to debate which of the younger wings might probably impress the teaching employees sufficient to be a part of the rotation.
Picture by Monica Schipper/Getty Photographs
Who has the sting on offense?
Adam: You would possibly as nicely give me the early benefit right here.
There’s no contest on who brings extra to the offensive finish. Scheierman is a cultured three-level scorer, can create for himself and others off the bounce, and is a invaluable ground spacer as each a spot-up and motion shooter.
In accordance with Synergy, Creighton used Scheierman as a spot-up shooter on 4.5 possessions per recreation, with every possession value 1 level (technically 0.96, however we’re rounding up.)
Creighton additionally ran Scheierman off screens as an off-ball risk on 3.3 possessions per recreation; these possessions have been value 1.04 factors. He shot 53.4% when ending transition assaults and generated 1.3 factors per possession as a pick-and-roll handler.
Check out this play. Creighton runs an NBA-level set out of a sideline-out-of-bounds (SLOB) motion with Scheierman inbounding the ball, chopping to the weakside elbow, earlier than coming out to the strongside slot for the catch-and-shoot three. That’s the kind of mobility and flexibility Mazzulla likes from his offensive threats.
Scheierman’s multi-faceted offense will enable him to fit into no matter function Mazzulla envisions whereas giving him scope to counter defensive coverages, close-outs, or mismatches. I can’t see how Walsh tops that when contemplating Scheierman’s NBA-level upside on this facet of the ground.
Robby: That is the world the place Baylor’s edge is most evident.
It’s additionally an space the place Walsh should show lots of people unsuitable. He pressed rather a lot in his second Summer season League, typically forcing awkward jumpers off the dribble in addition to drives into oncoming site visitors that left him with little different than to throw the ball up and pray.
Nonetheless, a modest 27-game pattern out of the G-League warrants some optimism. He was a good 36% shooter from past the arc on 5.7 makes an attempt per recreation at that stage, displaying confidence from the perimeter that simply wasn’t there in his Summer season League play or temporary NBA minutes.
In these temporary minutes up with Boston, solely the Charlotte recreation late within the season confirmed that very same confidence from deep, as demonstrated by a pleasant raise up from the wing that resulted in a 3-pointer off the catch late within the first quarter.
Walsh can be a succesful cutter that may generate offense off the gravity of extra dependable scoring choices, of which there’d be loads on the ground surrounding him ought to he discover himself inside Mazzulla’s rotation. He’s proven a pleasant understanding of his off-ball duties throughout a number of ranges of the sport, benefiting from over-helping defenders to flash into house close to the dunker spot.
Would he be operating a lot offense? Extremely unlikely, however Walsh has put plenty of work into his off-the-dribble means, and he brazenly admitted he was urgent just a little too arduous to search out his shot this summer season. The story’s just a little totally different when defenses are tasked with forcing the ball out of the fingers of a Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown.
Adam: My common push-back right here can be that taking pictures 36% within the G-League is totally different to doing it within the NBA, however as I’m defending a rookie contemporary out of school, that will be hypercritical of me.
What I’ll say, although, is that Walsh’s function is well-defined. He’s a corner-spot-up shooter who must evolve his decision-making when trying to assault off the dribble. I worth the flexibility that Scheierman brings right here. He can fill the identical function as Walsh however has the skillset and polish to increase that function primarily based on coverages. He got here into the league as a 39% 3-point shooter in faculty and had a dependable 82% free-throw conversion price.
Walsh has loads of upside on offense, however for a contending crew, if one in all these two are wanted within the bench rotation, Scheierman’s offense is clearly a stage or two above the place Walsh is at proper now.
Who has the sting on protection?
Robby: The clearest advantage of inserting Walsh into the rotation comes on the defensive finish.
A 6-foot-6 wing with a 7-foot-3 wingspan gives a ton of alternatives for a crew that’s greater than prepared to modify matchups and dwell with the outcomes.
Even amidst his total offensive Summer season League struggles, Walsh’s mixture of size with a growing higher physique permits him to deal with stronger wing assignments together with switch-outs to extra interior-oriented scoring threats.
I believe Scheierman proved to be a capably above-average defender on the faculty stage, significantly in his paint protection, however I do fear about his means to deal with the faster slashers off the wings. In Oshae Brissett’s absence, this crew might use a jolt of vitality on that facet. Walsh fills that function, particularly in his display navigation, the place you see his lateral quickness and outrageous wingspan on full show.
Adam: I’ll give it to ya. Walsh has the benefit on protection, particularly by way of point-of-attack and passing lanes. Nevertheless, Scheierman brings a dependable presence on the glass. He ended his collegiate profession averaging 7.8 boards per recreation, and grabbed 9 per night time in his closing season. He has the dimensions and positioning to assist ease the strain when groups want to crash the boards and management the tempo.
I additionally agree with you on Walsh’s benefit when guarding faster wings who look to slash off-ball or through catch-and-drive alternatives. Nevertheless, Mazzulla has already applied a failsafe in these conditions, having his gamers peel swap to make sure any benefit is shortly eliminated.
Scheierman has the polish, expertise (as a five-year faculty product) and dimension to thrive as a system defender who elevates the crew’s total rebounding whereas being consigned to the weakside nook whereas his defensive skillset catches as much as his offense.
I believe he does deliver some upside to that facet of the ground, and having somebody with an outlined defensive function isn’t dangerous for a crew filled with pitbull defenders.
Robby: All legitimate factors, significantly in Scheierman’s means to crash the glass.
I believe throughout the pre-draft course of, that was an space that was most shocking in his recreation, actually not one thing I had observed an entire lot of throughout dwell video games. Below the microscope, he performs rather a lot greater than your common perimeter wing. It’s one thing that would simply swoon the teaching employees past his multi-faceted scoring means.
I, nevertheless, stay on Group Walsh for this specific space. And there’s nothing you are able to do to cease me.
Who matches higher within the Celtics system?
Adam: That is the hardest space for me…I imply, we’re speaking about two very inexperienced gamers making an attempt to earn minutes on the perfect crew within the NBA. Nevertheless, I believe Scheierman has a substantial benefit over Walsh, right here.
Hear me out.
Mazzulla likes his gamers to be two-way threats. He desires them to have a dependable offensive presence but additionally contributes on the defensive finish. Scheierman is nearer to a ready-made two-way expertise than Walsh.
Sure, Walsh is a greater defender, however his restricted offensive recreation actually shackles his total recreation. Scheierman, then again, can match right into a system protection, rebound, assist, lure, and many others… He’s additionally a dependable offensive possibility as each an off-ball and on-ball weapon, and that’s earlier than he begins trying to create for others.
Mazzulla would doubtless worth that kind of manufacturing on each side of the ground, and it might enable Scheierman to take part in a number of rotation mixtures and substitution patterns.
Robby: I agree, that is actually a tricky space to find out, particularly as a result of they’re each such totally different gamers.
Mazzulla does in truth worth a two-way participant, one thing that matches extra in-line with Scheierman’s present skillset. I imply, the way in which he flies off screens feels minimize from the identical fabric of a younger Sam Hauser. It’s clear what he gives within the fast future. On that finish, it’s a little bit of a thriller field with Walsh, an space the place rising pains is likely to be frequent. And I believe that’s okay. Surrounded by an unimaginable supporting forged permits him room to develop, particularly within the earlier months of the season.
Add within the aforementioned defensive versatility that undoubtedly matches their identification and I believe it’s a match that perhaps isn’t utterly good proper now, however in time could make sense for what they want out of an eleventh or twelfth man.
Even with Kristaps Porzingis sidelined to begin the season, the Celtics have the luxurious of 10 actually high quality gamers locked into spots inside the rotation. That doesn’t go away a ton of minutes to both Walsh or Scheierman. In these minutes, I believe I worth the defensive vitality Walsh brings just a bit bit extra. Each might simply have success round a roster this good, however I maintain pondering again to what Brissett offered final 12 months, and that relentless vitality positively influenced a couple of notable video games, like their early contest towards Miami on Oct. 27, and even Sport 2 of the Convention Finals with Indiana. It’s hardly flashly stuff, nevertheless it’s the type of soiled work I wish to see out of a twelfth man, and one thing I really feel Walsh might present in 12 months 2.
Adam: You make some truthful factors. Walsh is arguably higher suited to “energizer bunny” function. Nevertheless, I believe in the case of total affect, I desire a man who can provide some upside on protection and work as a launch valve on offense. It additionally makes extra sense to me for the Celtics to spend the small variety of developmental minutes on somebody who can develop into an even bigger function long-term — and for me, that’s Scheierman.
Walsh is stable on protection, however his body doesn’t fill me with confidence that he can cling bodily, and he has proven that his positioning wants work, too. Once I’m an impact-now possibility with real upside for the long run, Scheierman is my winner, primarily as a result of he comes into the crew with a excessive ground and decrease ceiling. He doesn’t want as a lot growth as Walsh, and for a contending crew, that’s exactly what you need.
Okay, in any case that, can we agree on a winner?
So, in any case of this, has both of you managed to sway the opposite?
Robby: Nicely…perhaps.
It’s arduous to disclaim the extra balanced skillset of Baylor Scheierman. If I have been to put cash on it, I’d most likely say Mazzulla prefers that possibility as nicely. I’d say you’ve made the best factors on his match, so I’ll allow you to take the win there. I nonetheless have hope for Walsh, and perhaps one other 12 months with prolonged G-League motion isn’t out of the query, however I’d prefer to see his progress in 12 months 2 play out in Boston.
Adam: VICTORY!!
Solely joking 🙂
You made some sturdy factors on Walsh. I needed to sit again and actually take into consideration this debate and whether or not I nonetheless had my spot on Scheierman island. Seems that I do. I’m pondering of buying some real-estate right here. Perhaps a rental with a pleasant boat and a pool out again.
Jokes apart, Walsh has all of the instruments to be a real three-and-d function participant within the NBA. I simply don’t suppose he’s prepared but, and that function will not be with the Celtics because of the competitors for enjoying time. Baylor joins the crew as a ready-made addition and nonetheless has room to enhance his recreation.
It is sensible to present Scheierman no matter developmental minutes are on provide. And if you need a deeper dive into what he brings to the roster, I’ve a size scouting report from a month or two again.
I wish to see Walsh get a possibility, so long as it’s not at Scheierman’s expense. And it doesn’t matter what, I’ll be watching just a little nearer after the sturdy argument you made for him.
Now, although, I wish to open this debate as much as the feedback and see who the readers would select between these two and whether or not our factors have helped sway their minds…
