CELTICS GREEN BLOG by and for boston celtics fans: Fiddlin and Diddlin on 6/10

The Celtics have completed their first workouts with Brewer and Thornton and start another round next week with Noah and Horford coming in along with a trip to see Jeff Green in DC. MetroWest Daily reports that Danny was very impressed with Thornton's offense. The Sun Sentinel discusses the Brewer and Thornton workouts. And SportsinBoston reports that Yi and Brewer dominate in workouts. Brewer against other players and Yi against a chair. I don't mind telling you that Yi's fears of working out against other players and his failure to attend the measurement session in Orlando has me a bit worried about picking him. Makes you wonder what he is hiding from. I know that Danny has seen him play several times, but it just sounds fishy that he won't workout against another player, even in a structured situation. Does he maybe have a promise from a GM (like Danny, for instance) so that they are doing the chair thing and pulling out of Orlando so as to disuade other GM's from taking him? Makes me wonder.

The Globe has one of Peter May's columns on everything under the sun including Vincent and Iavaroni paying their dues, the player's association weighing in on Telfair's situation, a funny Chris Wallace story, trade talks and more. One thing caught my attention above everything else.

"We want to attack the opponent," said Iavaroni. "We want to make sure that the opponent is feeling uncomfortable. We want to bring out the energy, the talent, the athleticism that we have in our players. We want them to play instinctively. They can't do that unless it's simple. I'll be a simplicity and execution coach."

A coach with less experience in the NBA might not have the confidence to advocate simplicity.

Just when I get resigned to Doc as our coach, I read something like this. Red Auerbach always preached simplicity. Keep it simple and let the players use their strengths. Doc has so many plays and calls one just about every time down. If a player doesn't execute the play to his satisfaction, expect him to be pulled, not to be seen again for awhile. We have players looking over their shoulders all the time expecting to be pulled from the game after every mistake. I remember Doc saying at the end of training camp last season that he was implementing 3 more defensive sets (on top of the 8 that were mentioned previously). No wonder that our players have trouble getting his system down. With a player like Rajon Rondo who has such great instincts, we need to have a coach who will let him play and create on the floor. I just worry that we will never improve until we get a good coach. I also worry that Danny is going to trade a young player away before we get a coach who will play to each players strong points instead of trying to fit them into square holes. The article also delves into some trade talk.

At least one NBA executive figures the Celtics will trade the No. 5 pick before the draft rolls around June 28, and he sees Phoenix as a prospective partner. The Suns are looking to dump salary and picks. New Phoenix president of basketball operations and general manager Steve Kerr has the No. 24, No. 29, and No. 59 picks. One of the scenarios raised by the executive had Shawn Marion and the $33.6 million and two years remaining on his contract headed to Boston for the No. 5 pick and Theo Ratliff, who has one year remaining worth $11.7 million. The Celtics would throw in another player or two with one year left to make the money work -- say, Delonte West ($1.9 million), Tony Allen ($1.9 million), or even Sebastian Telfair ($2.6 million). One way or the other, Celtics assistant executive director of basketball operations Leo Papile predicts a lot of deal-making in the days and hours preceding the draft, because there are teams with too many picks and teams with no picks. Look for an organization like Indiana, without any picks, to try to deal its way into the mix.

The Herald article also discusses several topics including Al's thoughts on Yi, the prospects of Donovan testing the NBA waters again, the fact that Oden really loved college, and the Grizzlies' situation.

USA Today mentions Noah's workout for the Bobcats. He comes to the Celtics next. I am still puzzled by the fact that none of the Boston papers mention Noah as one of the 6 prospects being considered at 5. I think he would fill a need on the Celtics. He plays well around the basket, is a defensive force and even though his shot is unorthodox, he hits them with regularity. I just love his intensity and fire and work ethic as well. He knows how to win and would bring that attitude to the Celtics, another thing we need.

Noah said there wasn't a lot you can take from a short workout, but he wanted the team to know that if they draft him they'll be taking a player with a great work ethic.

"I just want to show them that I am somebody who takes basketball very seriously and not somebody who is just all about going out and partying and doing all kinds of things like that — that's not me," Noah said. "I'm somebody who takes basketball very seriously."

Hoopsworld has a piece on Stern and the Lottery. He says he is delighted with the top 2 picks going to Portland and Seattle. This just fuels the speculation that he may have fixed the lottery. I still say it would be so easy to do. Just a tiny bit of extra paint or plastic in the 1,2, and 3 balls and no way the Celtics or Grizzlies or Bucks get the top pick. Much easier than picking a bent envelope from a hopper. Having worked with numbers most of my life, it just doesn't sit right with me that the 3 teams with the best chance of landing the top 2 picks got shut out.

FanHouse has an interview with Nick Young. The guys at The Shamrock Headband have visions of Sean Marion dancing in their heads. Oregon Live discusses Golden State's trade possibilities and say that if they trade it will likely be just before the draft.

Only 18 days until the draft and trade rumors are likely to be coming a lot more often the closer we get. I am looking forward to hearing about Noah's workout for Boston. I am so nervous that Danny is going to make another trade that will: (A)bring in a used up veteran and, (B)trade away a young talent who will break out for another team and come back to haunt us.
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