There are so many rumors floating around about the draft and possible trades that I thought that I would sort through a few of them and report on them here. One of the most interesting comes from Celtic Thug on Real GM. This is a poster that has posted some good information in the past and the mods have checked him out and he does have legit team ties. Here is what he had to say:
For Celtic fans the most important thing from that piece is that Atlanta wants Brandon Wright which is 100% true. I told you that yesterday. Why is that important to us? Well Atlanta still feels Conley Jr. is the best PG in the draft and still would like to have him as there PG of the future.
They have a tentative agreement with Boston, that if Conley Jr. falls to Boston at 5. Boston will draft Conley Jr. who will then ship Conley Jr to Atlanta along with Theo and maybe another player for Joe Johnson and the #11 pick.
So Celtics fans should actually be looking at pick #11 to see who will be there for the Cs at #11. The player Danny Ainge really like is in draft is Florida State’s PF Al Thornton. If Danny Ainge can pull off a trade that would land him Joe Johnson from Atlanta and Al Thornton it would be a successful draft.
Another potential target is Al Thornton, a 6-8 Florida State forward who averaged 19.7 points. When asked if he could play power forward, Thornton actually laughed. "A four [power forward] on the next level, I don't think I can," he said. "My true position on the next level will be a three [small forward]."
We don't need another 3. I would rather target Hawes than Thornton. An article in the Journal Times seems to back up the Atlanta trade rumor.
There are some NBA observers who believe the Hawks, with the No. 3 pick, could trade down to the No. 5 spot, which is currently held by Boston. The Hawks would then draft Ohio State point guard Mike Conley Jr.
And Speaking of Hawes, Andy Katz reports on ESPN Insider that Hawes is looking for a guarantee from a team before he decides to stay in the draft. I haven't seen where he has scheduled a workout in Boston but we should look at him.
Washington freshman center Spencer Hawes continues to say he hasn't made up his mind about whether he's staying in the draft. He said he's going to work out for Minnesota (No. 7) and Chicago (No. 9) after the physicals here at the pre-draft camp on June 6 and 8, respectively. He said he continues to field calls from agents but isn't getting pressured. "The ultimate thing I'm looking for is a guarantee," Hawes said. "I'm trying to get feedback of who [would take him in the lottery]." Hawes said he understands that no one in the NBA believes he is returning to school. He has until June 18 to withdraw from the draft. He said he is ready to contribute to an NBA team too. "I want to see how the workouts go," Hawes said. "I don't want to rush the decision. "My skill set is unique since there are so few back-to-the basket scorers. Just look at the teams in the playoffs with Tim Duncan [Spurs] and Rasheed Wallace and Chris Webber [Pistons]. You can see that those teams are successful." North Carolina freshman forward Brandan Wright said he is only going to take two or three workouts, isolating Atlanta (No. 3) and Memphis (No. 4) as the definite stops. He said he thought he was maybe going to Boston, which picks No. 5. But Wright said he was not going to Milwaukee (No. 6), which could be a mistake since Wright could fall and the Bucks are interested in him.
Rumors out of Seattle about a 5th pick deal for Rashard Lewis- I'd imagine this is more likely a rumor where the 5th pick moves to Atlanta for JJ and then Rashard is brought in on a sign-and-trade for Paul Pierce. Pierce is more comprable in age to Ray Allen and Seattle has stated that they'd spend the money to retain Lewis. Lewis has clearly requested to leave however. Putting Pierce and Allen together at the Wings and allowing Durant to play the PF position from jump street as the third option is very intriguing in a Western Conference that has seen the Suns and Warriors succeed with small-ball..Durant will be a PF in full with time, so its really not too much of a stretch.. The Celtics could in one foul swoop re-constitute their core while IMPROVING their short-term clout via the acquisition of two All Star caliber wings in exchange for one... This doesn't give the team another big man, but it does give them 3 All Star players to build around with a very solid cast of role players to complement them.
Rashard Lewis is a popular topic around the net. The Herald also reports that there may be a Seattle/Boston trade in the works. They mention one of the Sonics bigs. I wonder if Danny is still pursuing Robert Swift? Here are a few more Rashard Lewis tidbits. The Orlando Sentinel reports that the Magic will make an offer to Rashard Lewis and/or Vince Carter as soon as free agency starts on July 1. Billy Donovan is known as a star recruiter and may be a factor here. SeattlePI reports that the Knicks have made Lewis their #1 priority this offseason. The News Tribune reports that the Rockets are also in the Lewis sweepstakes.
The Houston Rockets intend to contact the Seattle SuperSonics to discuss a potential sign-and-trade deal for free-agent forward Rashard Lewis. The Rockets will offer forward Shane Battier and their No. 1 draft pick, 26th overall, in an attempt to lure Lewis home to Houston. The Sonics say they want to re-sign Lewis, a one-time All-Star who has opted out of his contract, and they have the negotiating leverage to convince him to stay because they can offer a longer-term contract than any other suitor. But the Rockets are hoping that they can cajole Lewis to leave the only NBA team he has played for with the enticement of being close to family and friends. If the Rockets cannot land Lewis, they will consider offering Battier for Chris Wilcox, who thrives in up-tempo systems because of his ability to run the court. Wilcox could lose his starting power forward position in Seattle if Lewis and Kevin Durant, the team’s expected No. 2 overall draft pick, play together.
Hoopsworld discusses the fact that the Sonics are open to trade offers for the #2 pick.
So what would it take to tear the #2 out of Seattle’s hands? Nothing short of an All-Star will keep the Sonics on the phone, especially with Rashard Lewis announcing he will be a free agent (not a surprise, but roughly zero percent chance he re-signs with Seattle). Not just any All-Star either – it has to be a young All-Star. The Sonics know their other All-Star, Ray Allen, doesn’t have a ton of years left on his odometer and they need some kind of assurance anything they get will still be around when Allen can’t be the man anymore.
Maybe Danny can convince them to take Pierce as their all star and go for the championship now. I know it is a long shot, but I can dream, can't I?
Speaking of dreaming, I have been dreaming of David Blatt coming to the Celtics ever since that report on an Italian website last week that Blatt was considering a move to the Celtics. There are several Israeli reports including the Maccabit website, Haaretz, and One that indicate that he is in line for the Maccabi head coaching job. He indicates that he will make a decision sometime next week, but no mention is made of the Celtics in these articles. They also indicate that he is asking for 1 million dollars which seems a bit steep for the Celtics. Maybe the prestige of coaching in the NBA would win out over money. The Celtics would be the best place to start out for him if he wants to get into the NBA. (Hat tip to Celtics Blog poster gileyal for the info.) However, there is a ray of hope as Peter May finally makes a reference to Blatt as a possible replacement for Brown in today's Globe. But then, May hasn't been known for his accuracy in reporting and he may just be getting his info off of the blogs on the internet.
Hoopsworld elaborates on 2 rumors that were touched on in the Herald yesterday. The Knicks have been at Boston to trade the #5 pick, Gerald Green and Sebastian Telfair.
The Knicks are said to be offering up their pick at #23 and a player, or a couple of players without the pick. The players mentioned were Nate Robinson, who has fallen out of favor with Isiah Thomas, and David Lee who Thomas loves but knows will return a quality piece.
It is commonly believed the Blazers will deal Zach, and the team Portland would like to make a deal with is Boston. The Celtics hold the #5 pick, something Portland would love to obtain, and they have a few complimentary players that Portland wouldn’t mind cashing Zach in for.
For the record, I don't like either of those trade scenarios. I don't want Randolph here because he has been nothing but trouble off the court and he is too much like Al who is a much better citizen. And I like David Lee a lot but I don't like Nate Robinson, who acts like a punk much of the time. I have seen much better trade scenarios elsewhere.
There were really only two significant exceptions. Mike Conley really struggled shooting the ball in drills. Brandan Wright struggled a little bit with the more complicated drills -- he looked a little lost at times.
Brandan Wright proved what one GM had told me during the camp, "show me a tape where Brandon Wright hits 15 foot jumpshots". Wright struggled on shots outside of 8 feet during the drills. You have to like his touch within 5-8 feet from the basket, but as the GM pointed out, "Its very difficult to score with in 8 feet in the NBA, especially for a thin player such as Wright". The team that takes Wright will be betting on the come as he needs to improve both his body and his shooting range. Both elements seem correctable, but you are dealing with unknowns. Teams drafting in the top 5, such as Atlanta and Boston have GMs who may not have the time to wait for a player such as Wright. Wright's 57% free throw shooting is cause for concern as is his mechanics from outside 8 feet. However, the touch he shows close to the basket gives hope that he will be able to extend his range over time and improve upon his free throw percentage.
The Yi Jianlian games have begun. Yi is foregoing the physical-only portion of the camp -- the first time I remember seeing that move by a player. Yi is not injured and he's not in China. He's pulling out to maintain control of the process. Both his agent, Dan Fegan, and the Chinese government want to make sure Yi lands on the "right" team. So Yi will work out for only a few select teams. Yi's Orlando maneuver means that the other teams in the league won't even have the results of a physical to look at, which might further discourage them from draft Yi. Don't be shocked if Golden State or Chicago finds a way to move up and grab Yi. They seem to be the two "approved" teams most interested
So check this out. Last night I am at a restaurant in Westwood (near UCLA's campus), and guess who walks in with his posse?
Yup, you guessed it Yi.
So after downing a few shots of liquid courage, I approach him to say hello. Turns out that he's quite a nice guy who has almost an 80% command of English. I didn't even have to speak Chinese to him (I speak a good amount of Chinese). He told me that he's only been living in the US for about one month.
After chatting with him for about ten minutes, I got the distinct impression that he will not be drafted by Atlanta or Memphis. He mentioned to me that he is interested in playing for a big market team (I.e., Boston).
I asked him if he wouldn't mind being drafted by Boston and he just gave me a little smirk and said "I would enjoy playing with Jefferson and Pierce."
Take it for what it's worth, but it would not surprise me the least if Ainge has already promised to draft him at #5.
And since we are talking Yi, here is a new video of his steals, fast breaks and dunks. I still am not sold on him because of his lack of defense. We need more defense.
There are suspicions among some league executives and coaches that Stern rigs the results of the lottery -- in this case to punish the three worst teams (Memphis, Boston and Milwaukee, who came out of the lottery Nos. 4, 5 and 6 in the draft) for contributing to the perception of late-season tanking. To deal with the conspiracy theories, the league spelled out during the committee meeting how the lottery machine works and how it would be practically impossible to fix the outcome. (I've been in the closed room during the lottery, and the NBA mechanism is a lot like the Powerball or other lottery machines that you see on television.)
So, it isn't just the fans who smelled a conspiracy here. League executives also feel that way. I still say it would be easy to fix it just by weighting the 1,2 and 3 balls slightly and since no one sees the balls until they go into the hopper, there is no way of knowing unless one of the executives at the time challenged it and weighed them.
The Herald discusses trade proposals for the 5th pick. One that was mentioned is Zach Randolph to the Celts for #5 and a contract. Sure, they fleece us once and think they can do it every year. Don't do it Danny! Randolph has been nothing but trouble off the court and Al does what he does anyway. The other rumor floated is a trade with Seattle.
There is a stronger possibility the C’s will talk to Seattle about one of its big men in exchange for No. 5, a contract and a younger player, but the SuperSonics are said to be sitting tight until they hire a new general manager. The Sonics’ Rashard Lewis would make the most sense for the Celtics, but he opted out of his contract and would have to be obtained in a sign-and-trade deal.
All I say is if we give up the pick, we better get something better than Robert Swift back. Other tidbits in this article include the fact that Chris Wallace is the front runner for the Grizzlies GM position. Tony Brown may end up with the Bucks. Doc is interviewing replacements for Tony Brown and Dwayne Casey is mentioned. We want Blatt! Get it done Danny!
Also in the Herald is an article that discusses an honor for Cedric Maxwell. Max was at the heart of the Celtics glory days. The opening sentence is an interesting comment on the state of the NBA today:
Young NBA fans may find it hard to believe, but pro basketball was once a team game - not the showcase for flashy individual talent it has become.
NBADraft.net has a report from day 4 of the predraft camp and some quotes from media day. My favorite quote of the day comes from Corey Brewer:
"I'd rather play defense than offense to be honest."
He just became my favorite for the Celtics. They had an interesting note on Brandon Wright also:
Brandan Wright proved what one GM had told me during the camp, "show me a tape where Brandon Wright hits 15 foot jumpshots". Wright struggled on shots outside of 8 feet during the drills. You have to like his touch within 5-8 feet from the basket, but as the GM pointed out, "Its very difficult to score with in 8 feet in the NBA, especially for a thin player such as Wright". The team that takes Wright will be betting on the come as he needs to improve both his body and his shooting range. Both elements seem correctable, but you are dealing with unknowns. Teams drafting in the top 5, such as Atlanta and Boston have GMs who may not have the time to wait for a player such as Wright. Wright's 57% free throw shooting is cause for concern as is his mechanics from outside 8 feet. However, the touch he shows close to the basket gives hope that he will be able to extend his range over time and improve upon his free throw percentage.
The Berkshire Eagle reminds us that the Celtics have never landed the number one pick and has done well over the years. Of course, things were different in the past and we had Red running the show. But I believe that things are on the verge of turning around for this franchise if Danny makes the right decisions in this off season. That includes keeping players who are about to break out and who are going to be all stars, making the right decision on the pick, and being very careful in who he trades for.
Speaking of trades, CelticsStuff Live now has its own niche over on CelticsBlog and today JB has a piece on the merits of trading the pick or keeping it. CelticsStuff Live has been a pioneer with their live call in show and provide us Celtics fan-atics with some great info and excellent guests each week. With the move to Celtics Blog, we can expect even better stuff from them. Be sure to check out their new digs.
I have been reading several books that cover the Celtics' championship teams of the 80's. In every one of them, the players mention how important Greg Kite was to their team. Greg Kite was never a starter, he never made an all star team, and he averaged 2.5 ppg and 3.8 rpg over his career. But yet, Larry Bird credits Kite with helping to make them a championship caliber team.
The value of Greg Kite wasn't in the games, it was in practice. Greg came to practice every day. His games were on the practice floor since he rarely got much playing time in the official games. He played very hard in practice and gave everything he had there on the practice floor and in doing so, pushed Robert Parish and Kevin McHale to have to play hard against him and thus lift their own games to a higher level.
That's not to say that Kite never contributed in a game. When he was called on to fill in due to an injury or foul trouble, he played his hardest and did the best job he could and had a few very good games.
Danny played on those teams in the 80's and knows first hand the value of having players who can push each other in practice. We have players that we hope will develop into dominant players, but we also have players that I have seen mentioned as never being more than good role players. Both are needed to make a championship team.
Brian Scalabrine fits into this category. Although Doc has tended to play him too much, his value should be in the way he plays hard in practice and helps to push his teammates to be better. Another player who works very hard in practice is Leon Powe. A Hoopsworld article today mentioned the fact that Al, Perk, Powe, West, Rondo, and Ray are all in Orlando working out together and Doc mentioned that they are working very hard. These players are pushing each other to get better. Leon Powe is a player who didn't get a lot of playing time last season but he certainly pushed Al and Perk in practice to become the best they could be. This kid has a work ethic second to none. I would love to see Powe's option picked up for this season because I think he can be a valuable member of this team.
Every off season Danny signs players like Pittsnogle, Allan Ray, Alan Akingbala, Will Bynum, etc to partially guaranteed contracts. I believe that many of these are meant to push the players currently under contract to play harder to win their spots. We may have a Greg Kite among the players that are on the fringe that Danny sees as being the one who can push the other players in practice to become a much better player. If so, that player will stick with the team even though they don't see much playing time in the present.
Last season Danny was quoted as saying that there will be worthy players who won't get playing time. But those players can still be a valuable part of the team by working their hardest in practice and being ready if they do get the call to do whatever is asked of them. We shouldn't underestimate the value of a Greg Kite type player in building a championship team. Danny needs to keep guys like Powe who will give all he has whether in practice or games. Every player isn't going to be a star, but they can all contribute in a big way even if they don't play big minutes. Don't underestimate the value of a Greg Kite.
Rumors are coming out of Orlando as to trades and draft goings on. Chad Ford has a couple of items in his blog that are of interest to Celtics fans.
Lots of teams are targeting the Celtics' No. 5 pick. GMs believe that Celts chief Danny Ainge will want a quicker fix to his team than the No. 5 pick can provide.
So far it seems as though the Celtics haven't heard a serious offer. The one that was floating around the gym -- the Knicks' David Lee and Nate Robinson for Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair and the No. 5 pick -- has no chance of happening.
If the Celtics do hold onto the pick, I think they're leaning toward Corey Brewer.
I don't like the NY trade so I am glad he gives it no chance of happening. I know it is just Chad's speculation, but I like Brewer. I like Noah, too. Either one would be fine with me.
Chad also reports that Yi has pulled out of the physicals in Orlando to try to maintain control. His agent wants him to land with the right team so he will only work out for a few select teams. Rumors have Chicago and Golden State as the "approved" teams most interested. Maybe all these games will disuade Danny from taking him.
Atlanta is rumored to be interested in Brandon Wright with the third pick, not Mike Conley as many mocks predict. The Grizzlies have their eye on Brewer, Horford and Conley. They are also still floating Gasol for a possible trade. I love this from Chad:
It looks like Chris Wallace, who serves as the Celtics GM though he actually works for Danny Ainge, might be the favorite for the job. You've gotta love it: Only in the NBA would the the GM of the second-worst team in the league be brought in to rescue the worst team in the league.
You know, he has a point. The Celtics will join with the Rockets, Timberwolves, Kings, Mavs and Pacers to run workouts in Orlando on Monday and Tuesday to look at 9 players who weren't at the predraft camp including Jason Smith, Sean Williams, Ante Tomic, DeVon Hardin, Morris Almond, Wilson Chandler, Arron Afflalo, Kyrylo Fesenko and Marcus Williams.
This year in Orlando, the Celtics are looking for a guard who can both shoot and defend the ball. Ohio State’s Ron Lewis and DePaul’s Sammy Mejia confirmed that they will be working out with the Celtics. Both guards proved themselves to be solid shooters could give the Celtics an offensive boost in the backcourt.
“We’re always looking for a point,” said Rivers. “I always leave out bigs because we’re all looking for bigs. What we’re looking for is the intangible player, and that can be a three (small forward), which I call a guard for us. But we’re looking for intangibles.”
This is surprising to me since when Danny was interviewed he said he wasn't looking for a point guard because Rondo was better than any PG's who would be available in the draft.
Aside from the draft, several Celtics have been preparing for next season at workout facilities in Orlando. Al Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins, Rajon Rondo, Delonte West, and Leon Powe have all traveled south to step up their game. These guys are such hard workers. I can see everyone of them coming back better and making an impact on the team. I especially see Perk having a break out season and Rondo taking that next step toward being the dominant PG that we need.
Celtics.com has announced the schedule for the Celtics Summer League games.
Celtics NBA Summer League Schedule - Las Vegas, NV Date Opponent Time Friday, July 6 Portland Trailblazers 7 p.m. Monday, July 9 San Antonio Spurs 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 11 Chinese National Team 7 p.m. Friday, July 13 Milwaukee Bucks 5 p.m. Saturday, July 14 New York Knicks 1 p.m.
The first game will be against Portland and the #1 pick in the draft. We will play one game against the Chinese National game on Wednesday. It is believed that Yi will be playing for the Chinese National team regardless of the team that picks him in the draft. Portland and Seattle, owners of the first two picks in the NBA Draft, will face off on the last night of competition which will set up a potential Greg Oden vs. Kevin Durant matchup if all the mock drafts hold true. The Celtics expect Rajon Rondo, Gerald Green, Leon Powe, Allan Ray and, of course, our draft picks to play in the summer league for the Celtics. [Discuss this topic on the Celtics Green Forums!]
The big news today concerns Indiana hiring Jim O'Brien and Orlando hiring Billy Donovan. I am very jealous and the only thing that could help would be if the Celtics announced the hiring of David Blatt as their lead assistant. JB on CelticsStuff Live is bleating for Blatt as well. The Herald reports that the Celtics are in no hurry to replace Brown and may not even hire another coach. No mention is made of Blatt. The Bennington Banner bemoans the fact that Indiana has hired Jim O'Brien and by extension, the Celtics are stuck with Doc.
For all the complaining that Boston Celtics fans do about how unlucky their team is, moves like the one made by Indianapolis this week just prove that logic and reason will take you farther in the NBA than four-leaf clovers and ping pong balls.
Basketball is a simple game, and Jim O'Brien has made a career out of keeping it simple. So while today's Celtics wallow in a quagmire of skewed visions, poor decisions and flat-out misfortune, one of their former greats made the easiest choice in the world for his new team on Thursday. I guess an O'Brien-for-Doc Rivers trade is probably out of the question, right Larry?
Red Auerbach's philosophy was always to keep it simple as well. One of my biggest complaints about Doc's system is that he makes it too complicated. He has multiple offensive schemes and during last training camp, with 8 defensive schemes already in place, Doc was set to add another 5. No wonder rookies have trouble keeping up.
There are more reports out of Orlando on the Pre-Draft camp. The Globe has an article discussing the coaching changes, Doc's comments on Pierce, and Kobe talking to Buss. But at the top there is a video interview with Noah. The more I see and hear of this kid, the more I like him. The Herald discusses the player interviews from the predraft camp along with reports on scheduled workouts in Waltham June 6 and 7. Hoopsworld questions which prospects in Orlando are NBA worthy. As always, Draft Express has the best and most comprehensive reports out of camp.
The Philly Inquirer and ESPN both report that Jeff Green is undecided whether to stay in the draft or return to Georgetown at this point. As the one player Danny has singled out for praise, I wonder if it will change Danny's draft board. Celtics 24/7 makes a case against taking Yi. I have to agree with them. We need defense and Yi just doesn't bring it.
It seems as though some avenues of trades are drying up for the Celtics. Reports are that Jermaine O'Neal is headed for LA. In that case, Kobe will be staying put. Gasol is happy with his new coach in Memphis and that being the case, Gasol may be off the market as well. There are still other players out there, though with the Suns, Sonics, and Blazers among others looking to make trades. But Danny's options are slowly narrowing.
Today is the first day of Hurricane Season. I know it isn't a red letter day for most of you, but living on the Gulf Coast, it is a day we take note of. A few draft thoughts: 27 days until the draft and Danny has a lot of work to work out players and make decisions as to whether to keep the pick or trade it. I am leaning more and more toward Noah. He brings defense, intensity and an incredible work ethic. He knows how to win and is a team player. I am not sold on Yi because of his lack of defense. I wouldn't mind Brewer or B Wright. I am wondering if Danny can resist taking another point guard in the draft if Conley is available.
While watching the playoffs, one thing stood out to me. To be a champion, a team must have a solid point guard. A good center is important as is the play from the other positions, but a dominant point guard on a team makes the players at every other position better. And on the other hand, good players can be hampered by the lack of a good point guard to run the offense on the court.
Teams spend a lot of time and money scouring the league and the globe for the next great big man. Fans gush about the exciting shooting guards and small forwards who slash to the basket and play above the rim with unbelievable athleticism. But it is the point guard who really makes all the other parts of the team better. It takes a great point guard to deliver the ball inside to the big men and to the slashing guards and forwards.
I believe that Danny knows the value of having a great point guard. He has taken a point guard in every draft of his tenure as GM. In 2003, he traded to get Marcus Banks who was picked 13th. In 2004, it was Delonte West with the 24th pick. In 2005, he drafted Orien Green with the 53th pick. And in 2006 Danny pulled off a trade to draft Rajon Rondo and in effect, used the 7th pick to get Sebastian Telfair.
Banks, Greene and Telfair have been disappointments. West held his own as a point guard but had to learn the position since his natural position is shooting guard. Rondo shows promise of becoming a dominant PG who is capable of leading the team to a championship. The point guard runs the offense and watches the backcourt. His role is so important to the team that he is really an extension of the coach on the floor. And in the case of the Celtics he is even more important since Doc is our coach. The Guide for Coaching Basketball tells us that a good PG must have these qualities: 1. He must have an instinctive knowledge of the game. 2. He must be a good ball handler. 3. He must be a good passer. 4. He must possess speed and quickness of foot. 5. He must be a good dribbler with either hand. 6. He must be able to play good hard-nosed defense. 7. He must be able to hit the outside shot when left open. 8. He must be able to penetrate and dish off. 9. He must be able to read defenses. 10. Above all, his ego must not be so inflated that it interferes with his basketball judgment.
If we look at these qualities, Rondo scores high on every one except hitting the outside shot. However, last season he showed a great deal of improvement from the beginning of the year to the end. He has an incredible work ethic and I believe that he will come back next season with the ability to hit the outside shot with regularity.
He has proved that he has great basketball instincts and makes very good decisions on the court. He is a good ball handler and a good passer. He is one of the quickest players in the league. He plays tough defense and is able to read the defenses to make the right decision with the ball. He has great hands and has an uncanny knack for stealing the ball. He is a master of penetrating because of his speed and does a great job of dishing off and finding the open man. Rondo seems to be the definition of the classic point guard. He showed a lot of promise last season and gives Celtics' fans reason to be very hopeful. I believe that Rondo will be the floor general that Danny has been searching for and who will lead this team to their 17th championship.
Within the last week, the Pacers and Lakers have laid the groundwork for a trade that would certainly placate both sorrowful All-Stars. L.A. inquired about O'Neal - another fake franchise player pocketing maximum money on the prowl for someone to save him from losing. And was told he was available. Indiana let it be known the Lakers have ample assets (players and/or picks) to make a fair deal.
No specifics were delivered. No negotiating has been done. Still, Lamar Odom would have to be the principal of the package in order to adhere to NBA trade specifications. He's currently on the Laker salary cap for $12,348,596 and has two seasons remaining at 900G per raises.
What does this mean for the Celtics? Right now, it is hard to tell. There have been a lot of wishful posts with trade scenarios where O'Neal would come to Boston. I haven't been all that sold on O'Neal because he has been injury prone over the past few years. It would mean that the Western Conference continues to get stronger with Oden and Durant headed there and one of the top centers in the Eastern Conference heading there as well. We will keep you up to date on what is going on in this very interesting off season.
Indiana just announced that former Celtics coach Jim O'Brien will be their new coach. In the press conference on NBA TV, O'Brien said he hopes to bring Harter in as an assistant. Pacers' GM Larry Bird said that he hope to be able to trade for a pick in this year's draft. O'Brien expects the Pacers to be in the playoffs this season and he cited getting the Celtics into the playoffs his first season in Boston. O'Brien cited Rick Pitino as his mentor and a major force in getting him the job in Boston. He further mentioned that the Celtics organization is like a family. He had only good things to say about his time in Boston. One thing is for sure, with Obie and Harter in Indiana, the will emphasize defense.
Reports are coming out of Orlando that Billy Donovan will accept a $6 million a year position with the Magic as head coach. It is still in the speculation stage, but I would be surprised if he turns it down. Yesterday, it was announced that Mark Iavaroni has been hired as the Grizzlies' head coach. I am jealous seeing all the teams getting new head coaches and we are still stuck with Doc. No matter what players we bring in, we start with a handicap. I have a ray of hope, though, now that Tony Brown is out as the head assistant. Maybe those reports about Blatt coming to Boston will be true and we will finally have a defensive minded coach in Boston.
Update: It is official that Donovan will leave the University of Florida and take the Orlando coaching job.
A few very interesting tidbits in today's news. First, in the Herald, we learn that Chris Wallace is up for the Grizzlies' GM job. I have never cared for Wallace since the Vin Baker debacle. This could have some good and bad consequences if he is hired before the draft. For one, he knows Danny's draft board and this could affect drafting since the Grizzlies pick before us. On the other hand, he may have a soft spot for Boston and the young players we have when it comes to a trade for Gasol.
Also in the Herald, we learn that Tony Brown is on his way out as a coach. It seems that he couldn't agree on contract length in the negotiations. Now, if we go back a few days to this report, could there be some truth to the fact that David Blatt may be coming to Boston as top assistant? Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that we can sign this guy. He would be the perfect defensive minded coach to set up some real defensive sets for this team and would be a good replacement for Doc when he is finally fired.
The Globe picks up the thread on Tony Brown saying that he is emerging as a top candidate for the Pacers' job. At the end of this article, there is a tidbit about Doc's contract:
A league source confirmed that coach Doc Rivers will receive between $1 million to $2 million guaranteed with benchmarks for the 2008-09 season when his extension goes into effect. Rivers can potentially earn $5 million, the amount he will receive for next season if he finishes his extension year.
Good to know that they didn't extend Doc at the $5 million base rate but came in with a low guaranteed amount and will make him earn anything additional. It will also be easier to dump him if his coaching doesn't improve. Also included is a report from Orlando. Danny doesn't put much stock in the Orlando camp and will be staying until Wednesday to conduct some workouts for the second round pick. The workouts for the 5th pick will be held in Waltham.
There are a couple of reports from the Predraft camp. Draft Express has the most comprehensive with a report on the games played as well as individual performances. Hoopsworld has a notebook recapping the top performers. Taureen Green is blogging on his experiences from the camp.
SeattlePI reports that the Sonics are willing to listen to trades for the 2nd pick. Would a combination of Pierce and the 5th pick do it? It is still possible to get Oden with the 2nd pick. But I would rather rebuild with Durant at the center than Pierce, anyway.
Their drafting is suspect. For the most part they’ve found good talent in the draft, but the players have either been dealt or become injury-prone. The fifth pick in the Draft may not get them a Greg Oden or Kevin Durant, but it should allow them to take someone worth getting excited about in Beantown.
They suggest that we target Yi, Noah, or Horford. I have been leaning toward Noah, myself. The kid has a winning mentality and is going to have the work ethic and drive to be the best he can be in the NBA. I don't like Yi because of his lack of defense. I also like Hawes and Brewer.
Southcoast Today reminds us that the Celtics lost the lottery, not their future. We have a core of good young players. We have assets for a trade. We have the 5th and 32nd picks in a deep draft. We have a team that, if healthy, is much better than their record. No, we didn't get Oden or Durant, but all is not lost. This is going to be a very interesting and important off season. Let's hope Danny makes the right decisions about who to trade or keep and who to bring in.
In the on again, off again, on again saga in LA, Kobe is back to saying that he wants out. Yesterday morning Kobe told Steven A Smith that he wanted to be traded. Then in the afternoon, he told Dan Patrick that he wanted to remain a Laker. Now, the LA Times reports this:
"Nothing's changed," Bryant said. "It's just a matter of I don't want to go no place else. I don't have much of a choice. When things like this go down, you just sit back. What can I do? It's like a broken record."
When asked if he still wanted to be traded, Bryant reportedly expressed no hesitation or doubt in quickly answering "Yes."
I am sure that Danny is trying to put together a package to get him but short of Pierce and Jefferson, I don't see anything catching their attention. And with our two best players in LA, I don't see Kobe even remotely wanting to come to Boston. Last night on NBA TV Peter Vescey said that Jermaine O'Neal will soon be a Laker. If that is true, I don't see Kobe wanting to go anywhere. All these rumors circling but none on a Celtics deal in the makings. [Discuss this topic on the Celtics Green Forums!]
In this offseason, with 28 days left until the draft, there is plenty of time do do some reading. I have been reading books on the Celtics history and have found some very interesting reads. Here are a few of the ones I have read recently.
LET ME TELL YOU A STORY by Red Auerbach and John Feinstein, Little, Brown and Company; 2004. In more than 50 years with the green and gold, Auerbach collected countless friends, admirers and stories. Even at 86, he didn't forget anything and had an opinion on everything. These great storytellers make this book so effortless to read that you can almost hear Red reciting each line and smell him lighting up that famous cigar. This book was even more special to read after Red's passing this past season.
DYNASTY’S END – Bill Russell and the 1968-69 World Champion Boston Celtics by Thomas J. Whelan, Northeastern University Press; 2004. Thomas J. Whalen chronicles Russell's memorable last season and the Celtics' dazzling triumph. Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous 1960s and Boston's own turbulent and bitter struggles with race, he tells the fascinating story of how an improbable championship team overcame poor health, indifferent fans, disruptive personnel changes, and internal morale problems. Whalen recounts how Russell transformed the game of basketball during his remarkable career and revisits the outspoken superstar's conflicted relationship with Boston. He also tells why the Celtics, the first team to break several NBA color lines, failed to attract a loyal following among the city's largely white sports fanatics and press corps.
BIRD WATCHING, On Playing and Coaching The Game I Love by Larry Bird with Jackie MacMullan, Warner Books; 1999. Just as he stunned opponents with over-the-shoulder passes, killer steals, and jaw-dropping long-range jumpers on the court, Larry Bird now offers one startling revelation after another as he candidly recounts his rise to become one of the most respected NBA coaches in the game today. He tells us for the first time what really happened in "Celtics Land" after he retired and why he chose Indiana for his first coaching job. He shares a last look back at the Celtics dynasty, at Robert Parish and Bill Walton, at Kevin McHale and Dennis Johnson. He describes his last duels with Magic Johnson and with Michael Jordan, as well as his experience playing on the great 1992 Olympic team ... knowing that it was the last time he would be sharing a court with them. But Bird Watching is more than a book about basketball. Recalling his own painful shyness, battles with the press, and the demands of stardom, Bird also talks about the world he never left behind: drinking a beer at Jubil's bar in French Lick, doing his own yard work, and remembering the lessons he learned from his hardworking mother. I think my favorite story in this book is from the Olympics. He was telling how they could never get out of the hotel without being mobbed and so he rarely ventured out. Then one day he was shown a back door and he would sneak out to watch the USA baseball team play and he was just one of the crowd there.
THE LAST BANNER - The Story of the 1985-86 Celtics, The NBA’s Greatest Team of All Time by Peter May, Simon & Schuster; 1996. Whether the 1985-86 Boston Celtics were the greatest NBA team of all time is certainly debatable, but there is little doubt they were the best of a long line of outstanding Celtic squads. May (The Big Three, S. & S., 1994) argues here that although Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Dennis Johnson, and Danny Ainge formed a potent starting five, it was the bench, led by Bill Walton, that lifted the team to championship status. As for the team's place in history, he contends "they played at a time when the competition was never better and the game was not yet contaminated by the ravages of expansion." How such a surfeit of talent came to be assembled and blended in a cohesive unit makes for an interesting study. Excellent book.
THE BIG THREE by Peter May, Simon & Schuster, New York; 1994. The Boston Celtic front line of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish dominated the National Basketball Association with three championships in five years in the early 1980s. May, a veteran Celtic beat reporter, examines each player's career from youth through college and into their NBA years. Though he relies to a great extent on game accounts and basketball anecdotes, May tries to probe beneath the surface. Not only does he reveal the private side of each player's personality, he also examines why they were able to work so well as a unit.
DRIVE - THE STORY OF MY LIFE by Larry Bird with Bob Ryan; Doubleday, New York; 1989. The Boston Celtic forward addresses his troubled past, discussing his teammates and telling basketball anecdotes in the process. This book gives you a look into the private Larry Bird that you rarely see in the media or in the spotlight.
THE BIRD ERA - A HISTORY OF THE BOSTON CELTICS 1978-1988 by Bob Schron and Kevin Stevens; Quinlan Press, Boston, MA; 1988. This is a great book that gives a behind the scenes look at the Celtics during the Bird Years, including the three championships won during that time. Great insights into the building of the 3 championship teams of that era as well as the interactions between the players and coaches on those teams.
REGGIE LEWIS - QUIET GRACE by Craig Windham; ACTEX Publications, Winsted, CT; 1995. It has a positive,inspiring message, especially for young people (and not just basketball fans). Reggie was not overly-talented,but he made the most of the gifts he had."Quiet Grace" is a wonderful account of his life, from his boyhood in Baltimore to his stardom with the Boston Celtics (It also includes an interesting photo album section.)And "Quiet Grace" lays to rest the rumors surrounding Reggie's tragic death. This is an excellent, fascinating biography.
HIGH ABOVE COURTSIDE – The lost Memoirs of Johnny Most by Mike Carey with Jamie Most, Sports Publishing LLC; 2003. If you think Tommy Heinsohn is the biggest Celtics homer, you never listened to Johnny Most. Every opposing player was the enemy and every Celtic was a saint. This book is a tribute and a memoir of one of the great figures in Celtics History. Who can ever forget the call... "Havlichek stole the ball! Havlichek stole the ball! It's all over!!" Or my favorite: "There's a steal by Bird.... "
UNFINISHED BUSINESS - On and Off the Court with the 1990-91 Boston Celtics by Jack McCallum; Summit Books, New York; 1992. For any Celtics fan of the Bird Era, this book opens doors that would have otherwise have stayed closed: we get to see the biting yet inclusive humor of the aging C's, especially McHale, as well as the overall intelligence of the team that produced a slew of future NBA coaches and GM's. This was a team to be admired and maybe even loved, despite their lack of a championship. Instead of having veterans against kids or green/white teams in practice, they used to play blacks against whites. A very interesting read. This is the year I got to see the Celtics in person and so this season is special to me, in spite of not winning a championship.
THE SHORT SEASON: A BOSTON CELTICS DIARY, 1977-78 by John Powers, Harper & Row Publisher; 1979. This is the book I am currently reading. It is in diary form by one of the writers covering the Celtics that season. This was Tommy's last season as a coach as he was replaced mid year by Satch Sanders. It gives some great insights in to the feelings and personalities of the players. It is very interesting in that in spite of having a veteran team including Cowens, Havlicek, and White, the team was plagued by injuries and often played with the league minimum of 8 players. Their inability to win meant the end of Tommy's coaching career. Very good book.
There are plenty of good books out there on the Celtics. Reading about the glory days of the Celtics, or as in The Short Season, the not so glory days helps to understand the organization and to appreciate and understand Celtics Pride. So pull up a chair and grab a good book. There is plenty of time to read before the next season begins.
First, Bryant said on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York: "I would like to be traded, yeah. Tough as it is to come to that conclusion there's no other alternative, you know?" Bryant, interviewed by Stephen A. Smith, was asked if there was anything the Lakers could do to change his mind. "No," Bryant said. "I just want them to do the right thing." "[The Lakers] obviously want to move in a different direction in terms of rebuilding," Bryant said, adding he could have opted to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers or Chicago Bulls instead. "Three years ago when I was re-signing they should have told me they wanted to rebuild." Asked if he had any preference for a trade destination, he said "At this point I'll go play on Pluto."
Just as these words were sinking in and Kobe trade scenarios were popping up on every NBA message board on the web, we get this report also on ESPN from an interview with Dan Patrick.
Bryant talked to Dan Patrick on ESPN Radio and seemed to reconsider slightly. "I'm so tired of talking," Bryant said. "It's tough. I always dreamed about retiring as a Laker. I just hope and hope that something can be resolved. Something can be figured out. Just something so I can stay here and be in this city and be with the team I love." Bryant told Patrick he talked to Jackson after talking to Smith and felt resassured. "When Phil and I spoke, he was optimistic and determined that we'll both be back," Bryant told Patrick. "Phil is somebody I listen to. I lean on him a lot. He assured me things are going to be OK. Things are going to be all right. Don't go full bore just yet. Take a deep breath and let us work these things out and everything will be all right. Which was very encouraging. "I don't want to go anywhere else. I want to be here for the rest of my career. It was encouraging to hear that."
So, in one day we went from Kobe wanting a trade and nothing changing his mind to Kobe wanting to stay a Laker for life and being optimistic that they can work it out. I would hold off on all those Kobe trade threads for now.
The most interesting news this morning comes from a piece on Hoopsworld. This is sure to get the blogs buzzing. A source close to the organization who is a well respected judge of international talent says that Danny is infatuated with Yi and will take him if available when we pick. That is an interesting tidbit, but the most interesting part of the article is this:
One source said, "Paul is not a big fan of a youth movement at all. He wants to win right now." The source also questioned Pierce's ability to lead the Celtics coming down the stretch of games. "You know, he is to blame for some of Boston's problems. He turns the ball over a lot and hasn't proved he can deliver at the end of games. He is just as much to blame for their problems as anyone else." Both sources indicated the Celtics will almost certainly explore the possibility of moving Pierce this summer, especially since he has no intention of being part of a youth movement in Boston. If the Celtics had been able to land the #1 pick and the right to draft Greg Oden, chances are Pierce would have seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Whether or not he ends up feeling the same way about a 22-year-old kid from China remains to be seen.
Let the Paul Pierce trade scenarios begin. I have to say that I agree in part that some of this team's problems have to fall at Pierce's feet. I have had this feeling that although the team started off running last season with 2 very quick PG's, the reason they slowed it down to a mostly half court game is that Pierce doesn't want to run. On the one hand, he says he likes his teammtes and praises them and on the other hand he demands that Danny trade them for a veteran. I wonder how that makes them feel? And as the article says, Pierce is one of the worst offenders when it comes to turnovers. I really am tired of seeing him drive into a triple team and lose the ball instead of passing to an open teammate. I like Pierce. It would be great for him to finish his career in Boston, but if he isn't happy with Boston's direction, he should take his max contract elsewhere because one thing we don't need is another malcontent in the locker room.
The Herald reports that the Celtics are open to trade offers for the 5th pick (and from what we read on Hoopsworld, possibly Pierce as well). The top players won't be participating but the Celtics still need to evaluate everyone because they may trade down and still have the 32nd pick to plan for.
Can Danny ranks the GM's for this past season. Danny is in the Bottom of the Barrel, one step above his former teammates Bird and McHale who are in the To Be Fired category.
I have been reading all the trade proposals on the Celtics and I have come to one conclusion. Some call for Pierce to be traded. He will be 30 years old this off season and has had injury problems the past 2 seasons. His elbow is a concern since even after surgery on it, he had problems with it for the second straight season. Will this be a recurring injury? Will his trade value and his value to the team just go downhill from here?
Some of the trades call for us to add a veteran such as KG, Marion, Gasol or Jermaine O'Neal to the team. In order to bring one of these players in, it seems that most trade scenarios give up too much. When do you give up on a young player and trade them for a veteran? Portland traded Jermaine O'Neal after his 4th season and he broke out in his fifth season after the trade to Indiana. Dale Davis, the player he was traded for is out of the league while O'Neal continues to be an all star. We traded Chauncey Billups only to see him blossom for someone else while Kenny Anderson, the player we got back, is out of the league. We traded Joe Johnson to Phoenix only to see him blossom there while Tony Delk and Rodney Rodgers, the players we got back in the trade, are no longer in the league. We have seen this play out over and over. Teams give up on young players too quickly and then see them blossom into All Stars for other teams.
Danny has been hesitant to trade our young players for just those reasons. We don't want to over pay for a veteran. We don't want to give up a young player who will be an all star for years after the veteran we get is out of the league. There have been rumors about trading Pierce, but unless we can get equal value, we don't want to just give him away.
So, what do we do? My gut feeling is that we should just stick with what we have. We have a good core of talented young players. We have the 5th pick in the draft. We have some expiring contracts that will allow us to sign our young players as they develop and as their contracts come up. These young players have been maturing and developing before our eyes. We don't need to trade for a veteran, we have been growing our own over the past couple of years. Perk will be in his 5th season. Al, Tony and Delonte will be in their 4th seasons. Green and Gomes will be in their 3rd seasons. Rondo, Ray and Powe will be in their second seasons.
Al Jefferson is well on his way to being a star in this league and will only get better this season. Rondo proved at the end of the season last year that he has what it takes to run the team and he will be even better this season. Perk has been hampered by injuries but I fully expect him to break out this season just as Al did last season. Tony Allen is ahead of schedule with his rehab and I expect him to pick up where he left off last season. Green has all the potential in the world and in year 3 for him I expect that we will see that potential start to pan out. Gomes, Powe, and West will be another year wiser and another year better.
We have the 5th and 32nd picks in a deep draft. Danny has proved that he is good at finding gems in the draft. He had done a great job drafting in the middle to lower first round and even found a couple of steals in the second round. We have the highest pick in 10 years and there should be several players who can impact the team available when we pick in both positions.
Wally is due for a healthy year after two in a row that were plagued by injury. He is still a great shooter and should help to spread the floor and give the team veteran leadership. His contract will expire after next season and so he should be valuable for that if for nothing else. Ratliff may or may not play another game for us, but if not, his contract will be insured and will expire after this season.
We don't need to do anything. We don't need to rush into a trade. We can propose trades to try to get a veteran but we don't have to give up too much to get one. I like the idea of trading Ratliff's contract, the 5th pick, and Telfair for O'Neal or Marion. We don't give up too much to get a quality player back. Or, we can stick with what we have and wait to see what is available at the trade deadline. We might just decide that what we have is better than what is out there to trade for.
Jeff over at CelticsBlog has teamed up with a friend to give us a site for Rookie info called Rookiepedia. It's a Wiki for NBA Rookie Prospects along with previous draft histories and such. Each team has its own page for Team Needs, Draft History, and anything else we think might be useful. It's a convenient little one stop shop for all of us to edit and add to. Give it a peruse when you get a chance.
I can't believe it but there are still articles accusing the Celtics of tanking and saying that they got what they deserved for doing so. Jemele Hill has on on ESPN. Hoopsworld has one where they say that fans should expect teams to try. Every game I watched, I felt that the players were trying their best to win. They never gave up. I can only think of 2 games that could have been called tanking: the Bobcats and Milwaukee games, and that was the coach, not the players. And since Doc isn't the best coach, even that could be questions. He has done things like that even when we were playing for a playoff spot.
The NY Sun has an article that at a glance at the headline looks negative, but is actually a positive article. In the article they list the positives of the team and then lay the blame for failure directly at the feet of Doc and Danny.
The real virtue of a pick like Oden or Durant is that they would have made the team so good that not even Ainge or Rivers could mess it up with bad decision making. However, with good health, and improvement from their young players, the Celtics could easily improve by 20 wins or more. That's the good news. The bad news is that a 44-win-team in the Eastern Conference isn't a title threat, and there's little evidence to suggest that the present regime can take them the rest of the way.
I have said all along that the weakest link in this team is the coaching. This article picks up on this and voices the frustrations I have had with Doc's coaching all along.
The Celtics have had a nice collection of talent for several years now and have shown little savvy in utilizing it. Two seasons ago, they played rookie guard Orien Greene for more than 1,200 minutes before realizing that he was a turnover machine and released him. This past season they played former Nets power forward Brian Scalabrine more than 1,000 minutes while better rebounders such as Leon Powe stayed glued to the bench.
Jeff Clark over on Celtics Blog has another excellent reference for everything draft called the Rookiepedia. It is worth your time to go over there and root around a bit. Great resource. Jeff also has an article over on Celtics Blog that tells us the time to hesitate is through. He makes a case for Danny making a trade. I would like a trade only if we can get a player like Marion without giving up too much. I don't want to push for a championship now only to sacrifice our future. We have done that too many times and it always backfires.
6) Dominic James, 5-11, 175, Soph., Marquette — As quick and explosive as any point guard in the draft, the one drawback right now is his perimeter shot. Think Rajon Rondo from a year ago, but with far less character issues while in college.
Rondo had character issues? I think they have him mixed up with Marcus Williams. Rondo's character is now and always has been great.
Green Bandwagon asks the question: Can you really hate Tommy Heinsohn? I go through the opposing teams' boards for quotes for a post game report and almost every one has something to say about how much they dislike Tommy and his homerism. But if you are a Celtics fan, Tommy is the greatest! He is one of the few people who is even a bigger homer than I am. [Discuss this topic on the Celtics Green Forums!]
Just to make you all feel better. Going back to 1994 (I figured that I started paying attention to the draft that year when Montross was drafted) the #5 pick has often been better than, or equally as good as, either the #1 or 2 pick and sometimes both. Some of these are stretches, or results of freak motorcycle incidents or rely on health or interpretation of players as "cancers" but you could make this argument for a lot of players.
Let us count the ways:
2005- R Felton over Marvin Williams
2003 D Wade over Darko and as good as LeBron (This is important to note because it was another hyped superstar draft)
2002 Tskitishvili and Jay Williams both turned out to be disasters. It's equal
2001 Jason Richardson over Kwame and Tyson Chandler. (This is notable as the only other year a #2 worst team fell to 5th)
2000 Mike Miller over Stromile Swift and sorta Kenyon Martin
1999 Jonathan Bender over Steve Francis if you think of the guy as a guy who actually makes you worse, which he is with the Knicks. At least Bender's contract ran out like a good little bust
1998 Vince Carter over Kandi and Bibby
1997 Battie over Keith Van Horn. Well who's still around as a role player and who was called soft on national TV?
1996 Ray Allen over Iverson and Camby. I will fight over this
1995 KG over Joe Smith and Antonio McDyess
1994 Juwan Howard equal to Glenn Robinson. It's close
So there you go. It actually happens almost every draft in one way or another.
Tonight at 6 pm the NBA Pre-Draft camp kicks off at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex outside of Orlando. The Pre Draft Camp will be held from May 29th until June 1st. Sixty four of the top draft prospects will participate in the camp. They will conduct drills and play 5 on 5 games in front of hundreds of NBA executives. There will be an additional 11 top prospects who will attend only for the physicals, strength testing, and to participate in the combine.
In previous years, players were free to conduct individual workouts before the camp but this year, players have been barred from conducting any agent or team-sponsored workouts until Tuesday, June 5th. Because the players can't work out individually until after the camp, they moved it from mid June where it was last season up to the end of May. Once the 75 players are finished with their NBA Pre-Draft Camp obligations, they will be free to work out for teams beginning on the 5th of June. Some teams have scheduled private workouts in Orlando on June 5th with other teams invited to watch. This allows more teams access to players they might not otherwise get to see and helps players to be seen by as many teams as possible.
The NBA combine that begins on June 1 will be different than in the past as well. . The league is adding in some light non-contact skills testing such as ball-handling and shooting drills that was not previously tested in the combine. They will open it up for all NBA teams to view and those participating will be not only those who played in the camp, but also the “physical-only” players who previously didn't participate in the combine. Agents of the top players may not like this new wrinkle but it will certainly make it more interesting.
After the camp there will be 23 days until the draft and since there are 30 teams looking to work out players, I expect to see some teams double up on workouts as the Celtics and Wolves did last season. The time constraints may also limit teams from doing a second workout with players that they particularly like as the Celtics have done for several years.
Mohamed Abukar Mario Boggan Craig Bradshaw Aaron Brooks Bobby Brown Russell Carter Coleman Collins Daequan Cook Ryvon Covile Jermareo Davidson Justin Doellman Zabian Dowdell Jared Dudley Rashaun Freeman Aaron Gray Caleb Green Taurean Green Brandon Heath Herbert Hill Quinton Hosley James Hughes Jeremy Hunt Ekene Ibekwe Dominic James Trey Johnson Joseph Jones Rashad Jones-Jennings Jared Jordan Coby Karl Antanas Kavaliauskas Marcelus Kemp Carl Landry Stephane Lasme Marko Lekic Ron Lewis Cartier Martin James Mays Dominic McGuire Sammy Mejia Brad Newley Demetris Nichols Ivan Radenovic J.R. Reynolds Chris Richard Dustin Salisbery Blake Schilb Renaldas Seibutis Ramon Sessions Mustafa Shakur Sean Singletary D.J. Strawberry Curtis Sumpter Sun Yue Jamaal Tatum Reyshawn Terry Anthony Tolliver Ali Traore Kyle Visser Darryl Watkins Major Wingate DaShaun Wood Avis Wyatt
Players who will be attending for physicals only:
Corey Brewer Mike Conley Jr. Javaris Crittenton Kevin Durant Jeff Green Spencer Hawes Al Horford Acie Law Josh McRoberts Joakim Noah Greg Oden Jason Smith Rodney Stuckey Al Thornton Brandan Wright Julian Wright Yi Jianlian Nick Young Thaddeus Young
I have updated the list with the new info from Draft Express (with a thank you to Jeff of Celtics Blog for pointing it out.) Hopefully there will be reports on the camp daily. As information becomes available, we will update you here.
As I figured, things are slowing down and links are getting fewer and fewer. I am looking forward to reports out of the Orlando camp starting tomorrow. Then, we will be getting reports of individual workouts. Here is what is going on today:
The Globe has a very interesting graphic that shows the difference getting a #1 pick can make for a team. Far and away, Duncan made the biggest difference among those reported, with David Robinson not far behind. A franchise player like Duncan only comes along once in a while and this year most feel that there are 2. In both cases, the Celtics got the short end of the stick in the lottery to get them. I had to chuckle over the fact that Olowokandi made the biggest negative difference with his team losing 8 more games after his arrival than they did the year before.
Celtics Blog has a piece that talks about the pressure that Oden and his agent are reportedly putting on Portland to get another top pick to bring in Conley as well. Atlanta is reported as a team who needs a PG and may take Conley with the 3rd pick and they would need to get some value to give up that pick.
ESPN is reporting that Kobe has made a demand that the Lakers bring West back with full authority or he wants to be traded. I am sorry, but I just don't like Kobe. Even if he demands to be traded, I don't want him in Boston. I really don't. He is a great talent but a pretty bad person in my book. I think it is a moot point though because the Lakers will give in to him before they will trade their franchise player away.
The Morning Sentinel and the Columbian are still talking about the lottery and the Celtics lack of luck therein. The Columbian continues the ridiculous theme that the Celtics lost out in the lottery because of tanking. I wish they would give it a rest. The only way that is true is if Stern rigged the lottery and was teaching the teams a lesson. With Stern's tyranical leanings, I can see where this may be true, but the Celtics tanked all of 2 games and beyond that, they played hard and tried to win. We can't help it if we had a lot of injuries and our coach is one of the worst in the league.
Fan Nation pulls a quote from the LA Times that questions whether Pierce will now demand a trade since we lost out on the top 2 prizes in the draft. He has made his feelings known that he wants more veterans and if Danny doesn't find a trade that won't take too much of our young talent, will Pierce want to leave? It is a good question. [Discuss this topic on the Celtics Green Forums!]
Until the Draft, I am going to try to weekly catch everyone up on who the various mocks have us picking. In looking at the mocks, it seems that after the first 2 picks no one has any idea who will take whom as they are all over the place. Maybe after the draft camp, when players start working out for individual teams, things will settle out a bit.
CollegeHoops.net has us taking Jeff Green with B Wright and Horford going 3 and 4. CollegeHoops.net also ranks prospects with 6 stars being Super Star and 5 stars being All Stars. We know that Oden and Durant are ranked as superstars but it is interesting to see the only 2 ranked as future all stars: Spencer Hawes and Joakim Noah.
NBADraft.net has us taking Al Horford with B Wright and Yi going 3 and 4. NBADraft.net has an interesting ranking system that ranks each prospect from 1 to 10 in 12 different categories.
Hoopsworld's mock draft version 5.0 has 5 different mocks from various writers. Out of the 5, they have us taking 3 different players. 2 say Noah, 2 say Yi, and 1 says Horford.
Draft Express who is viewed as one of the premier draft sites on the web has us taking Noah at 5 with Atlanta taking B Wright and Grizzlies taking Horford. I guess they are going by best available and not need because Atlanta really needs a PG and I can see them taking Conley over Wright.
HoopsHype puts Noah at #5 with B Wright and Horford going 3 and 4.
MSNBC puts Horford with the Celtics at #5 with B Wright and Yi going 3 and 4. Here is the blurb that accompanies the pick: "Did you see the nice runner down the lane in the title game? He can also hit a fadeaway jumper and he gives the effort on defense. Character counts for something, too. The Celtics have a lot of good young players, but none of this caliber."
NBA Wire still has us picking Durant at #2 and Memphis taking Oden at #1. A sad reminder of things gone wrong. They have Charlotte taking Yi with the 5th pick.
Scout.com has us taking Corey Brewer with the fifth pick and B Wright and Yi going 3rd and 4th.
Sports Illustrated also has us taking Corey Brewer with the fifth pick with B Wright and Al Horford going 3 and 4. Here is the blurb that accompanies the pick: "Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge understands offense, and he's unlikely to pass up a player with Brewer's expansive offensive repertoire and vast potential. Brewer is a quick, rangy player who should be able to contribute right away on both ends of the court. The potential is there for Brewer to become a major offensive force one day."
Fanball.com puts Al Horford at the #5 pick with Conley and B Wright going at 3 and 4. Here is their reasoning: "Although the Celtics front office staffers will likely still have tears in their eyes while making this pick, there is still talent to be had at No. 5. The Celtics are pretty much full to the brim from point guard to small forward, meaning help in the frontcourt must be on its way. Jianlian and Spencer Hawes are both 7-foot options the team could consider, and with Al Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins both undersized centers at 6-foot-10, neither Jianlian nor Hawes would be a surprise. But Horford's strength and athleticism would be the strongest complement to Al-Jeff and Perkins, so I expect the Celtcis to go that route."
Dime Mag is another mock that puts Brewer in Boston with Conley going to Atlanta and Horford to Memphis. Here is there reasoning: "Gerald Green can jump, but he’s not an NBA starting wing yet. Wally Szczerbiak makes starter money, but he’s probably better coming off the bench. Brewer is a do-it-all type who already might be better than any of the current C’s defensively, and doesn’t demand shots, so he won’t butt heads with Paul Pierce."
On ESPN, Chad Ford's mock has us taking Yi Jianlian at 5 with Conley and Horford going 3 and 4. Here is what Chad had to say "The skinny: This is the worst-case scenario for the Celtics. With no chance to get either Oden or Durant in the fold, the Celtics seem further away from a title than ever. Yi is a good fit in Boston, given his size and ability to score. But is he enough to save Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers?"
CBS Sportsline also has Yi going to Boston at 5 with Horford and B Wright going 3 and 4. Here is their reasoning: "Danny Ainge might not be as tight with Yi's folks as he is with Durant's mom, but he has been overseas to visit and came away impressed. Yi isn't the centerpiece Celtics fans were envisioning, but if he falls here, he'll have to do."
Inside Hoops has Boston taking Mike Conley, Jr with the 5th pick and Horford going to Atlanta and B Wright to Memphis. This is very surprising but maybe they are feeling that Danny just can't help himself when it comes to PGs. He has gotten one every draft so far.
Pro Basketball News puts Yi in Boston at 5, Conley in Atlanta, and B Wright in Memphis.
RealGM has us taking Yi with the 5th pick with Conley and B Wright going 3 and 4. Here is the blurb that accompanies the pick: "With Al Jefferson entrenched in the low block, the need for a big man with a more versatile offensive game is necessary for the Celtics."
Yahoo Sports has us taking B Wright with the 5th pick and Yi going to Atlanta while Brewer goes to Memphis. This one is certainly different. Here is what they had to say: "Doc Rivers will be gone by the All-Star break, but Wright, with those condor arms, is a long, fluid offensive talent who will block shots and score around the basket. He isn't Durant, but he'll be a major scorer in the pros."
From all this we can see that no one really knows who will go where. This is a very deep draft and even with the higher picks in the lottery, teams will get quality players. There are several players who could come in and help us right away. I like Noah, Brewer, and B Wright so far. I am a little leery of Yi because of his defensive weaknesses. We need a big who will be a banger and play defense, not a finesse player.
I, like most Celtics fans, was very disappointed that we didn't get a top two pick in the lottery. But, a case can be made that every draft is more than 2 players deep. I know that Oden and Durant are special players and will more than likely become stars. But, it isn't always the top picks that become the biggest stars. Who knows which player is going to take that step up to the next level.
A look at the players who have been taken in the draft with the 5th pick shows us that there have been both hits and misses at that spot. Last year, the Hawks took Sheldon Williams and the jury is still out on what kind of player he will become. Before that it was Raymond Felton in '05 and Devin Harris in '04.
In 2003, Dwayne Wade was the 5th pick and is evidence that players taken there can be even better than players taken before. Before that was Nikoloz Tskitishvili in '02, Jason Richardson in '01, Mike Miller in '00, and Jonathan Bender in '99.
In 1998, Vince Carter was chosen with the 5th pick. In 1997, Tony Battie was the 5th pick. In 1996, Ray Allen was taken 5th. In 1995, Kevin Garnett was taken with the 5th pick. Juwan Howard was chosen 5th in 1994 and before that it was Isaiah Rider in '93, LaPhonso Ellis in '92, Steve Smith in '91, and Kendall Gill in 1990. Charles Barkley was a 5th pick in the draft. Over all, there were a lot more good players chosen at 5 than bad and even a few stars.
Looking beyond the 5th pick, there have been several stars who were chosen out of the lottery and some even in the second round. While the jury is still out on how good the players from the past 2 drafts can be, we see some very good player chosen past the 5th pick: Charlie Villanueva (7), Channing Frye (8), Danny Granger (17), David Lee (30), Monta Ellis (40) and Ryan Gomes (50).
Andre Iguodala was picked 9th, Al Jefferson 15th, Anderson Varejao 31st in '04. In 2003, Kirk Hinrich lasted until the 7th pick, Boris Diaw was 21st, Leandrho Barbosa 28th, Jason Kapono 31st, and Kyle Korver 51st. All have become valuable members of their teams.
In previous years, we can point to Amare Stoudamire (9), Caron Butler (10), Tayshun Prince (23) Carlos Boozer (35), Matt Barnes (46), Shane Battier (6), Joe Johnson (10), Zach Randolph (19), Tony Parker (28), Gilbert Arenas (31), Morris Peterson (21), Michael Redd (43), Wally Szczerbiak (6), Richard Hamilton (7), Shawn Marion (9), Ron Artest (16), Andrei Kirilenko (24), Dirk Nowitski (9), Paul Pierce (10), Tracy McGrady (9), Kobe Bryant (13), Steve Nash (15), and Jermaine O'Neal (17) to show that impact players have been taken all over the draft from 5 and on down. Farther back in history we have Sam Cassell at 24, Robert Horry at 11, Rick Fox at 24, Horace Grant at 10, Reggie Miller at 11, Clyde Drexler at 14 and John Stockton at 16.
Looking at the Celtics history, Larry Bird was a 6th pick. Reggie Lewis was taken at 22. Cedric Maxwell was the 12th pick. Robert Parish was taken at 8. Quinn Buckner was a 7th pick. Dennis Johnson wasn't taken until 29. Tommy Heinsohn was the 6th pick. Antoine Walker was the 6th pick. And John Havlicek was the 9th pick.
Everyone is trying to figure out how to get Kevin Garnett in Boston. Garnett was a 5th pick in the draft. There are lots of trade scenarios being posted to get Jermaine O'Neal here. O'neal was a 17th pick. A lot of people would love to get Shawn Marion in Boston. Marion was a 9th pick. Will there be another Kevin Garnett at 5 in this draft? Is there another O'neal or Marion? Only time will tell. Danny has proved that he can draft well. Let's take a chance at finding the next big thing with the 5th pick or even with the 32nd pick. Let's not forget that Gilbert Arenas was picked 31st. Who knows what kind of a gem we can in this deep draft. [Discuss this topic on the Celtics Green Forums!]
