Player profile: J.R. Giddens

This is the 7th in a series of profiles for all 16 players on the current Celtics roster. We'll profile at least one player each day leading up to the season opener.

J.R. Giddens

J.R. Giddens worked out at the Celtics practice facility in Waltham. (Robert E. Klein/Globe)

Born: Feb. 13, 1985
Height: 6 feet 5 inches ... Weight: 215
College: New Mexico
Years pro: Rookie
Acquired: Drafted No.30 by Boston in 2008
2008/2009 salary: $957,120
Signed through: 2009-2010, team options for next 2 seasons.
Last year's numbers: 16.3 ppg, 3.1 apg, 8.8 rpg at New Mexico.

Strengths: Giddens hasn't seen much action this preseason (9.3 minutes per game), so we'll hold off on passing too much judgment on the rookie just yet. Perhaps the best glimpse of Giddens came Thursday night against the Nets, when he stripped Chris Douglas-Roberts and converted a foul shot with 3.3 seconds remaining to seal the win for Boston. On that play, and on several others in our most extensive glimpse of the rookie, Giddens' athleticism and defensive prowess came through...

Weaknesses: ... but so did his inexperience. Giddens was erratic on offense (he's averaging 2 points per game in the preseason). He also showed a bit of his temper, staring at Bobby Simmons after Simmons gave a hard foul when Giddens was going in for a lay-up. That's a basketball play, and Giddens has to learn to let that go and move on.

What to expect: If preseason minutes are any indication, Giddens may not play much of a role with the C's this season. But don't expect him to be cut from the roster, either. There's raw potential there, and if he can mature throughout the season, Giddens could see some minutes as a defensive stopper down the stretch. He's under contract for a while, so expect the Celtics to be patient with Giddens.

Check back tomorrow for another player profile, and give us your expectations for Giddens in our comments section.