ESPN Insider Amin Elhassan believes Tyler Zeller is one of the most underrated players in the NBA:
Rudy Gobert | Utah Jazz
Tyler Zeller | Boston Celtics
While the first few players I mentioned are all on teams in the thick of the playoff race, I wanted to give some acknowledgment to a couple of guys whose vacation plans come April are already booked.
Gobert has been tremendous this season as a rim protector and above-the-rim finisher, a more under-control version of JaVale McGee, and he has drawn effusive praise from several writers on TV, including Zach Lowe on the Grantland Basketball Hour and ESPN Insider’s Tom Haberstroh on NBA Coast 2 Coast (Haberstroh’s kudos were so emphatic, it led George Karl to remark, “I think he likes Gobert”). Gobert is holding opponents to 37 percent shooting at the rim and ranks third in defensive RPM among centers at plus-4.18, not to mention inhaling nearly a quarter of all available defensive rebounds when he’s on the floor.
Meanwhile, Zeller has blossomed on the offensive end in Boston, where he’s been able to take advantage of extra touches, particularly on the low block. In college, I admired Zeller’s array of Antawn Jamison-esque unconventional flip shots around the basket, and he’s used them to help him be an excellent finisher out of the pick-and-roll despite not having a ton of explosion or lift. He also has developed a nice free-throw-line-extended jumper, which can allow him to shallow roll and pull up for the open jumper.
Zeller isn’t exactly lighting it up lately (shooting 44% over last 10 games), but I think all Celtics fans are surprised at his level of offensive production this season.
Rudy Gobert is a guy to keep an eye on. The 7-1 center – who can defend the rim and rebound – was drafted 27th by the Nuggets in 2013 and traded to Utah. He’s due $1.1 million next season.
Utah has to make a decision this off-season with FA center Enes Kanter. Will they pay big-bucks for the offensive-minded Kanter or let him walk and stick with defensive-minded Gobert?
No doubt Danny Ainge will be watching.
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