CELTICS GREEN BLOG by and for boston celtics fans: Fiddlin and Diddlin on 6/12

Noah and Wright came to town for their workouts yesterday and there are reports from those workouts in the Herald, Globe, MetroWest Daily, and on Celtics.com. All of these reports contrast the fact that Noah worked out against Courtney Sims and Wright had a solo workout just running drills. Noah did well in the sprint test while Wright struggled with it. I liked this from Doc:

“I really enjoyed how he could communicate,” the Celtics coach said. “It was probably the loudest workout we’ve had in some time. He naturally talks and points things out defensively, and those are good traits.”

I still like Noah as a pick for the Celtics. He has skills and traits that would make this team better and he would come in and contribute right away. Danny hasn't said much about Noah and Bulpett said he didn't think that Noah was in the mix for the 5th pick, so either we aren't interested or they are putting up a good smokescreen.

In the Globe article, Shira also confirms the Rashard Lewis rumor with this little bit tucked away in the piece:

If Phoenix doesn't work out as a trading partner, there is speculation around the league about a possible deal with Seattle that would bring forward Rashard Lewis to Boston. Lewis reportedly is good friends with Gerald Green and would consent to the deal if Green is not a part of the package. Robert Swift also could be in the mix. Ainge has coveted Swift in the past . .

Now either Shira reads the message boards to get her news or there is a very good chance that this happens. The deal seems to be Ratliff, next year's first and a young player, possibly Gomes. The 5th pick is a sticking point for this right now, and possibly Danny is trying to get Swift included. A center rotation of Perk and Swift wouldn't be too shabby. Imagine Tommy's joy of adding another redhead to the team. Lewis and Green have been working out with John Lucas in Texas and reportedly, Pierce may join them at some time. More on this as it happens.

Chad Ford checks in from the Eurocamp and has this little tidbit.

A straw poll of NBA scouts and executives here had everyone -- that's right, everyone -- saying they'd take Greg Oden with the No. 1 pick over Kevin Durant.
The most interesting take I got on Oden and Durant was from Danny Ainge's "brain doctor" Jon Niednagel, who is in Treviso "brain-typing" the various prospects.
Niednagel observes the players and assigns each player to one of 16 different brain types. According to Niednagel, some brain types are more prone to success in the NBA than others. Ainge uses brain-typing as a tool to narrow down the pool of prospects.
Niednagel said both Oden and Durant are excellent and will have bright futures in the NBA, but that the players they are often compared to, Bill Russell and Michael Jordan, respectively, aren't good matches in terms of brain-typing. According to Niednagel, Oden does not have Russell's brain type, and Durant doesn't have Jordan's.
Niednagel refused to say what brain types he believes they have, but neither, he said, has Jordan's coveted ISTP type.

Durant doesn't have the same brain type as Jordan, but Scal does. Makes perfect sense. I can see the similarities in Scal and Jordan's games, can't you?

The Hartford Courant has a good article that tells us that whether we keep the pick or trade it, we will get help. I have to agree that we are in good shape to get better this off season. I like the scenario of trading for Rashard Lewis and then taking Noah, Brewer, Horford, or Green in the draft.

Sports in Boston has a fun look at the State of the Boston Celtics. JB on CelticsStuff Live has his own version of Dumb and Dumber in an article on Doc and Danny. Red's Army debates whether to pick or trade the pick. The Review Journal says that teams, including the Celtics, very obviously tanked last season. I think this drum has been banged enough.

Shamrock Headband has an article that discusses Doc's misuse of Ryan Gomes. I feel, and have voiced it often, that Doc misuses most of his players. Look at all the games that Rondo and Powe sat on the bench before being given a chance to play. Look at his system that forces bigs to stand outside the 3 point line waiting for the pass. Look at how the point guards are not the primary ball handlers. Doc doesn't use players to their strengths. Instead he tries to fit them into square holes in his "system."

[Discuss this topic on the Celtics Green Forums!]