#36: Rakeem Christmas - PF/C - Syracuse

[BimboColesHair]

What's odd is this is a thread about Christmas and some here are excited about his game and to watch him play. So what? Let some of us be excited. Why bring them down?; nothing else is going on right now and we can watch his play. If some don't want to get excited or interested, fine, but why rain on someone's interest, especially in a Christmas thread?

So he hasn't played an NBA game yet. That same argument, that we should "pump the brakes" since he hasn't played an NBA game can be made for every draft pick ever made, including LeBron or Kyrie.

Fans who follow the NBA can see Christmas has offensive skills that Tristan does not and did not have as a rookie. No one is saying he is better than Tristan, just different. He may or may not pan out. I guess we'll find out.

Some of us like to watch young players develop. Others dismiss such players, especially if they are a late first round or second round pick. There are plenty of steals at these slots, including Draymond Green, who he reminds me of.

Will he come close to Green? I dunno. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe he falls on his face. Perhaps he surpasses him. If he does, that's great for Cavs fans. But pump the brakes? No way.

Some of us fanatics just like to press on the gas.

If he pans out, fans of his game will get an early "Christmas" present. The Christmas naysayers, the bah-humbugers, however, may just get coal.

Absolutely 0 people here are not excited to see this guy play. We all want to see him play. Not sure where you are getting that from anything I said.

And you really don't see the issue with someone saying "he is more talented than Tristan"? A 36th pick, who as a Senior while more physically mature than most of his competition had a massive outlier season when compared to the previous 3? You really are questioning why I would tell someone to ease off of that statement? I don't know how he turns out to be as an NBA player, for all I know he could be the next Hakeem, but I'm not going to say he is more talented than Tristan just yet, because I have seen way too much "talent" fail in the NBA, while Tristan has been successful.

Also, who here is a naysayer? I literally said "But hey, I hope you are right and he ends up being better than Tristan, cause that'll make the team better WITH Tristan" If that makes me a naysayer, then I am the most positive naysayer of all-time.

Anyways, your entire post contradicts itself. You shame me for, apparently, not letting Danny Arison express his excitement and opinion on Christmas, while doing exactly that to my post.

Whatever, I want to see the guy play, I hope Arison is right and he ends up being better than Tristan, as I have already said, but I'm not going to sit in here and say he is more talented than Tristan just yet, plain and simple.

 

[Redzone]

Absolutely 0 people here are not excited to see this guy play. We all want to see him play. Not sure where you are getting that from anything I said.

And you really don't see the issue with someone saying "he is more talented than Tristan"? A 36th pick, who as a Senior while more physically mature than most of his competition had a massive outlier season when compared to the previous 3? You really are questioning why I would tell someone to ease off of that statement? I don't know how he turns out to be as an NBA player, for all I know he could be the next Hakeem, but I'm not going to say he is more talented than Tristan just yet, because I have seen way too much "talent" fail in the NBA, while Tristan has been successful.

Also, who here is a naysayer? I literally said "But hey, I hope you are right and he ends up being better than Tristan, cause that'll make the team better WITH Tristan" If that makes me a naysayer, then I am the most positive naysayer of all-time.

Anyways, your entire post contradicts itself. You shame me for, apparently, not letting Danny Arison express his excitement and opinion on Christmas, while doing exactly that to my post.

Whatever, I want to see the guy play, I hope Arison is right and he ends up being better than Tristan, as I have already said, but I'm not going to sit in here and say he is more talented than Tristan just yet, plain and simple.

Not calling you out brother. Just responding to what I perceive to be some collective opposition to some fans' excitment. If I used your phrase, it was likely because the words stood out, not because I was responding personally to you.

I don't think anyone is saying he's better than Tristan. I think some believe he has better offensive skills.

Go Cavs!

 

[BimboColesHair]

Not calling you out brother. Just responding to what I perceive to be some collective opposition to some fans' excitment. If I used your phrase, it was likely because the words stood out, not because I was responding personally to you.

I don't think anyone is saying he's better than Tristan. I think some believe he has better offensive skills.

Go Cavs!

Then they should say that, instead of "he is more talented than Tristan"...I would have let that fly right there, and most likely agreed with it.

 

[Splitz]

They key for this guy is there a spot for him if he shows enough to fill it. I really hope that he can fill it. Going into the season depending on Varejao to give us something makes me nervous. Christmas would alleviate those fears. It's a good situation for a guy like him. It's a cohesive team with Championship level experience now.

 

[ajz20]

I've seen hundreds upon hundreds of guys who show "talent" in college and workouts videos, and then it doesn't transfer to the NBA...again, pump the breaks.

Yeah he has to prove a lot to even make the 15 man roster. No given at all.
Also may have to be given away for the TPE with Haywood. We have very little future 2's, so he may very well be sacrificed to a team like Philly for that TPE.

 

[Scar4343]

I think Lloyd Christmas was more talented...

 

[Scar4343]

Yeah he has to prove a lot to even make the 15 man roster. No given at all.
Also may have to be given away for the TPE with Haywood. We have very little future 2's, so he may very well be sacrificed to a team like Philly for that TPE.

ZERO chance of that happening.... you don't give him away to generate a TPE. You give away guys like Christian Eyenga.

 

[Walter White]

They key for this guy is there a spot for him if he shows enough to fill it. I really hope that he can fill it. Going into the season depending on Varejao to give us something makes me nervous. Christmas would alleviate those fears. It's a good situation for a guy like him. It's a cohesive team with Championship level experience now.

I have a good feeling about this guy. Guess we will see what he can do in summer league. If he shows a decent mid range game, finishing strong at the rim, and plays good defense, I think he could be a solid 4th/5th big for us. I love the prospect of adding an athletic big because we really don't have one.

His defense more than anything is what I'll be watching. If he plays good D, he will have a spot in the league no matter what.

 

[ajz20]

ZERO chance of that happening.... you don't give him away to generate a TPE. You give away guys like Christian Eyenga.

We dont have a 2nd rounder till 2019, we have to make it worthwile for the other team. Joe Harris, Christmas and USman are what a team like Philly will want if we need to make a last minute deal for a TPE. You realize we will have very little leverage. Plus Christmas is an average prospect, you act like he is a lottery pick. He is def in play for the TPE trade.

 

[stowfan]

I may not know what I'm talking about a lot of the time, but I know talent. This kid is a keeper. I hope he's not let go to give a roster spot to anymore of LBJ friends. They were collectively worthless, during the playoffs. The good news is, LBJ wants to win now, and he also knows a bit about talent. My bet, Christmas makes the roster.

 

[Scar4343]

We dont have a 2nd rounder till 2019, we have to make it worthwile for the other team. Joe Harris, Christmas and USman are what a team like Philly will want if we need to make a last minute deal for a TPE. You realize we will have very little leverage. Plus Christmas is an average prospect, you act like he is a lottery pick. He is def in play for the TPE trade.

Sig bet on this? You're REALLY overvaluing the "compensation" needed for a team to take on a player(that they don't have to pay a nickel to) and waiving him immediately. This is considered more of a favor or a common courtesy than a transaction. Giving up a late, late 2nd-round pick(like we did last year) is about the same value as Christian Eyenga. Giving up a guy picked in the high 2nd round is a completely different level of compensation.

Again, ZERO percent chance Christmas is traded to generate a TPE.

 

[ajz20]

Sig bet on this? You're REALLY overvaluing the "compensation" needed for a team to take on a player(that they don't have to pay a nickel to) and waiving him immediately. This is considered more of a favor or a common courtesy than a transaction. Giving up a late, late 2nd-round pick(like we did last year) is about the same value as Christian Eyenga. Giving up a guy picked in the high 2nd round is a completely different level of compensation.

Again, ZERO percent chance Christmas is traded to generate a TPE.

It will probably be Kaun or Sirdomick but a team like Phily would be doing us a a huge favor, otherwise we would have to pay Haywood 10.5 mil to keep that trade chip alive. I dont think it will be him, but it is possible that is what a team asks for. Christmas is considered an average prospect, no one even knows if he is good enough to secure a 15 man spot, these are the type of guys that are "filler"
We need to see who else we sign because if we bring back james Jones, sign Prince and Harris is not traded, we may not have any room for him. We are not going to cut a guy like Mike Miller to make room ( due to his relationship with LBJ)

 

[Douglar]

Again, ZERO percent chance Christmas is traded to generate a TPE.

Griffin gave up 4 second round draft picks to make a $5Mil TPE last year. I don't have any insider info, but given Griffin's record, I think we all should agree that there's a very good chance that the Cavs could trade any draft rights they got on any given day, Christmas or otherwise.

 

[Randolphkeys]

It will probably be Kaun or Sirdomick but a team like Phily would be doing us a a huge favor, otherwise we would have to pay Haywood 10.5 mil to keep that trade chip alive. I dont think it will be him, but it is possible that is what a team asks for. Christmas is considered an average prospect, no one even knows if he is good enough to secure a 15 man spot, these are the type of guys that are "filler"

Frankly, I think it's two weeks too early to lay judgement on the league wide value of Christmas. I don't own a crystal ball and I don't practice saneria, but if this guy shows he can score out of a pick and roll/ pick and pop and defensively at least alter some shots, his value could climb. His biggest knock was only looking like an NBA player his senior year. Well, who cares about the past at this point? Can he show the ability to help a team this year? Players raise their stock in summer league every year. In the summer of 2002, I saw Boozer prove he was a better player than lottery pick Dajuan Wagner. I DONE SEENS IT!

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Griffin gave up 4 second round draft picks to make a $5Mil TPE last year. I don't have any insider info, but given Griffin's record, I think we all should agree that there's a very good chance that the Cavs could trade any draft rights they got on any given day, Christmas or otherwise.

Yes, but didn't that deal require that actual salary be eaten? There was a cost to the other side for giving us that TPE. Here's, there's zero cost Take the guy in trade, cut him.