Coaching camp battle: Jordan Walsh vs. Baylor Scheierman

Jordan Walsh is coming into his sophomore season within the NBA after spending most of final yr 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.

As a result of Boston Celtics roster depth, it’s unlikely we see each Walsh and Scheierman earn a task within the rotation. If we’re being trustworthy, each guys might spend nearly all of their time within the G-League.

Nonetheless, within the spirit of the offseason and the enjoyable that debates can carry, Adam Taylor and latest CelticsBlogger Robby Fletcher have sat down to debate which of the younger wings might probably impress the teaching workers sufficient to be a part of the rotation.

Photograph by Monica Schipper/Getty Photos

Who has the sting on offense?

Adam: You would possibly as properly 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 precious ground spacer as each a spot-up and motion shooter.

In response to Synergy, Creighton used Scheierman as a spot-up shooter on 4.5 possessions per sport, with every possession value 1 level (technically 0.96, however we’re rounding up.)

Creighton additionally ran Scheierman off screens as an off-ball menace on 3.3 possessions per sport; these possessions had 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, reducing 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 permit him to fit into no matter position 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 aspect of the ground.

Robby: That is the realm the place Baylor’s edge is most evident.

It’s additionally an space the place Walsh must show lots of people mistaken. He pressed quite a bit in his second Summer season League, typically forcing awkward jumpers off the dribble in addition to drives into oncoming 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 sport at that stage, displaying confidence from the perimeter that simply wasn’t there in his Summer season League play or transient NBA minutes.

In these transient minutes up with Boston, solely the Charlotte sport late within the season confirmed that very same confidence from deep, as demonstrated by a pleasant elevate 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 lots 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 area close to the dunker spot.

Would he be working a lot offense? Extremely unlikely, however Walsh has put a variety of work into his off-the-dribble capacity, and he overtly 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 arms of a Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown.

Adam: My ordinary 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 recent out of school, that might be hypercritical of me.

What I’ll say, although, is that Walsh’s position 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 position as Walsh however has the skillset and polish to increase that position based mostly on coverages. He got here into the league as a 39% 3-point shooter in school and had a dependable 82% free-throw conversion charge.

Walsh has loads of upside on offense, however for a contending crew, if certainly one of 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 supplies 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 feel Scheierman proved to be a capably above-average defender on the school stage, notably in his paint protection, however I do fear about his capacity to deal with the faster slashers off the wings. In Oshae Brissett’s absence, this crew might use a jolt of vitality on that aspect. Walsh fills that position, particularly in his display screen 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 when it comes to point-of-attack and passing lanes. Nonetheless, Scheierman brings a dependable presence on the glass. He ended his collegiate profession averaging 7.8 boards per sport, and grabbed 9 per night time in his closing season. He has the scale 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. Nonetheless, Mazzulla has already applied a failsafe in these conditions, having his gamers peel swap to make sure any benefit is rapidly eliminated.

Scheierman has the polish, expertise (as a five-year school product) and measurement 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 feel he does carry some upside to that aspect of the ground, and having somebody with an outlined defensive position isn’t unhealthy for a crew filled with pitbull defenders.

Robby: All legitimate factors, notably in Scheierman’s capacity to crash the glass.

I feel through the pre-draft course of, that was an space that was most shocking in his sport, definitely not one thing I had seen a complete lot of throughout dwell video games. Underneath the microscope, he performs quite a bit greater than your common perimeter wing. It’s one thing that might simply swoon the teaching workers past his multi-faceted scoring capacity.

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 most effective crew within the NBA. Nonetheless, I feel Scheierman has a substantial benefit over Walsh, right here.

Hear me out.

Mazzulla likes his gamers to be two-way threats. He needs 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 sport actually shackles his total sport. Scheierman, however, can match right into a system protection, rebound, assist, lure, and many others… He’s additionally a dependable offensive choice 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 sort of manufacturing on either side of the ground, and it might permit Scheierman to take part in a number of rotation mixtures and substitution patterns.

Robby: I agree, that is definitely a troublesome space to find out, particularly as a result of they’re each such totally different gamers.

Mazzulla does in actual fact 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 material of a younger Sam Hauser. It’s clear what he supplies within the speedy future. On that finish, it’s a little bit of a thriller field with Walsh, an space the place rising pains may be widespread. And I feel that’s okay. Surrounded by an unimaginable supporting solid permits him room to develop, particularly within the earlier months of the season.

Add within the aforementioned defensive versatility that positively matches their id and I feel it’s a match that possibly isn’t fully 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 start out 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 feel I worth the defensive vitality Walsh brings just a bit bit extra. Each might simply have success round a roster this good, however I hold considering again to what Brissett supplied final yr, and that relentless vitality positively influenced just a few 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, however it’s the form 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 honest factors. Walsh is arguably higher suited to “energizer bunny” position. Nonetheless, I feel in relation to total influence, 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 a much bigger position long-term — and for me, that’s Scheierman.

Walsh is strong 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. After I’m taking a look at an impact-now choice with real upside for the longer term, 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 spite of everything that, can we agree on a winner?

So, in spite of everything of this, has both of you managed to sway the opposite?

Robby: Effectively…possibly.

It’s arduous to disclaim the extra balanced skillset of Baylor Scheierman. If I had been to put cash on it, I’d in all probability say Mazzulla prefers that choice as properly. I’d say you’ve made the proper factors on his match, so I’ll allow you to take the win there. I nonetheless have hope for Walsh, and possibly one other yr with prolonged G-League motion isn’t out of the query, however I’d wish to see his development in 12 months 2 play out in Boston.

Adam: VICTORY!!

Solely joking 🙂

You made some robust 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 considering 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 position participant within the NBA. I simply don’t suppose he’s prepared but, and that position is probably not 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 sport.

It is sensible to offer Scheierman no matter developmental minutes are on provide. And in order for you a deeper dive into what he brings to the roster, I’ve a size scouting report from a month or two again.

I want to see Walsh get a chance, 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 robust argument you made for him.

Now, although, I want 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…