Player Grades: Bigs

The final instalment in this mini-series

Recently, we’ve graded out the Boston Celtics guards and forwards. Today, we’re wrapping this mini-series by looking at the big man rotation.

Let’s dive right in.

Kristaps Porzingis: C

Porzingis missed the opening 17 games of the Celtics’ season. In total, he suited up on 42 occasions. Of the 40 regular-season games he played, Porzingis was probably working his way back to fitness in 20 of them. If it wasn’t his recovery from surgery, it was his recovery from the mysterious illness that reoccurred during the postseason.

That means—and I’m guessing here—that Boston got 20 games of Porzingis at 90%+. Sure, in those 20 games, we saw the value he brings to the roster. The spacing was elite, the rim protection immaculate, and the additional dimensions he provided the offense on the interior were all salivatingly good additions to the overall system.

It’s that rim protection that is the first key point. Without Porzingis in the rotation opposing teams attacked the rim on 29.1% of their total offensive possessions; however, they shot just 67.2%. With Porzingis on the floor, teams got to the rim less frequently (27.2% of their total offense) and shot considerably worse (59.2%).

It’s clear, then, that Boston’s rim protection and rim deterrence were both better with Porzingis on the floor. Of course, that’s an easy deduction to make. He’s 7-foot-2, primarily plays drop defense, and is mobile enough to get in front of cutters, slashers and pull-up shooters. Still, there are plenty of 7-foot bigs that don’t provide that level of defensive impact and deterrence when on the floor. Teams find a way to scheme around them, and exploit their limited hip flexibility and/or foot speed.

We see a similar picture on offense, too. Without Porzingis on the floor;

• 51.4% of the Celtics’ offense came from 3-point range.

• 23.1% came from the mid-range

• And 25.5% came at the rim.

In those non-Porzingis lineups, the Celtics shot:

• 37.7% from deep

• 43.9% in the middle

• And 70.6% at the rim.

Put Porzingis into the lineup, and the offensive approach became marginally more balanced. The Celtics’ offense consisted of:

• 47.4% from 3-point range

• 26.5% from the mid-range

• And 26.2% at the rim

In those Porzingis lineups, the Celtics shot:

• 36.5% from 3-point range

• 44.1% from the middle

• And 71.1% at the rim

Not the huge impact you'd expect, but enough to believe that Porzingis adds a little more balance to the Celtics’ shot diet — even if it is marginal.

The problem is that the diet was inconsistent. And the problem with inconsistent dieting is that it leads to bad habits—as someone currently fighting to get back in shape, I know this all too well—and that’s where the problem lies.

No one is arguing that Porzingis isn’t a high-level player who can play a key role. The problem is, his health issues aren’t something this team can afford to deal with moving forward. With Porzingis entering the final year of his contract, moving on from him could make sense for the Celtics.

So, while I enjoyed the games where Porzingis was healthy and rolling, his inconsistencies and consistent health issues left me wanting more. For that reason, I found it tough to give him higher than a C.

Luke Kornet: A+

Granted, I’m a big Luke Kornet guy.

Nevertheless, there’s no denying that he took a step up in terms of role and production this season. I’ve highlighted his off-ball movement for the past 12 months. The way he’s found a niche as a non-shooting big man in a five-out system is something that future big men should study.

Kornet has laid out a blueprint for thriving in a perimeter-based offense, and that blueprint could unlock rim-running bigs worldwide.

It all began with Kornet’s short-roll ability. He consistently made the right read on when to slip screens or when to allow the contact before diving through the middle. Furthermore, his passes were consistently on target without being overly ambitious. He stuck to the game plan and trusted his teammates, two highly underrated traits for a role player.

Kornet developed a two-man game with each primary ball-handler in the rotation. The high-pocket pass offense he ran with Jayson Tatum was especially effective. His willingness to get the rock out of his hands is shown in the limited tracking of Kornet as a pick-and-roll big, with NBA Stats having him consume less than 1 possession per game as a genuine roller.

Instead, Kornet did his work in the short roll. Still, when he wasn’t operating as a secondary creator, he was thriving as a dribble hand-off hub on the perimeter, primarily in zoom and pistol actions — or, he was leaning into his size and being a willing and mobile screener.

Everything Kornet did was to spring others free without clogging their route to the bucket.

His impact was just as important on the defensive end. I’ve long said that one of Kornet’s most underrated skills is his ability to contain the ball-handler when guarding the PnR. His mobility makes him a viable PnR defender who can pick up the ball-handler, tag a roller, or drop back to protect the rim.

Without Kornet on the floor, opposing defenses attacked the rim on 29.2% of their total offensive possessions, shooting 66.4% at the rim. With him on the court, teams got to the rack on 27% of their offensive possessions, shooting 61.1%. The rim protection and rim deterrence were only slightly below what Porzingis provides, even though Kornet’s minutes came at a fraction of the price (in terms of salary) and he commanded a significantly lower usage rate and minimal amount of touches.

Kornet’s growth into one of the best backup big men in the NBA has been fun to watch. Unfortunately, it means he’s also earned himself a pay rise. And given that he’s entering unrestricted free agency this summer, that could spell trouble for the Celtics.

Nevertheless, given his growth, importance and impact in the context of his role, he thoroughly deserves his A+ rating.

Neemias Queta: C+

Queta came into the season mired in a roster battle with Kornet. Both bigs were duking it out to earn the spot as the primary backup big. Neemy had some impressive games early on; however, his impact waned as the season got deeper.

In total, Neemy played in 62 games, starting 6 of them. He gave the Celtics a dimension no other big could due to his physicality and never-ending motor. Queta is more of a prototypical rim runner. He defends the rim, runs the floor, sets screens and dives to the rack. You’re not going to ask him to operate in the short-roll too often.

The problem is, his touch around the rim is still a work in progress. Too often, he gets great position, shows good footwork, only to smoke the layup. If he can improve his release and allow his hands to get softer, then he could take a decent-sized jump in the coming years.

Out of all the bigs on the current roster, Neemy is the only one that feels like he’s guaranteed to be with the team next season — unless he’s added to a trade to make the money work, of course.

He has shown steady improvement since joining the Celtics, and could easily step into a larger role next season. There’s still a bunch of untapped potential there. However, in grading this past season, he didn’t do enough to really stand out for me.

He was solid in his 13.9 minutes per game, but looked seriously susceptible when hunted by guards or pulled out to the perimeter. His limitations, on both sides of the ball, are certainly a concern. However, he does a lot of things well, including rebounding the ball, which will be at a premium next year.

Neemy gets a C+ from me, but he's the definition of a player in transition. The raw tools are there, the motor never stops, and he's only going to get more opportunities. Furthermore, the Kornet's blueprint is right there for him to build on. So, whether he capitalizes on any future opportunities will determine if this grade looks generous or harsh in hindsight.

Neemy gets a C from me, but there’s a chance we could be having a very different conversation this time next year.