Random Thoughts on KO, All Stars, Trivia and more

 It's the slow days of the off season but it won't be long until training camp starts.  There is some good news from Kelly Olynyk on his recovery from shoulder surgery.  He expects to be ready to go for training camp.  There's still about a month and he expects to do some strengthening and be ready to go.   According to ESPN Insider, Kelly will be the 21st best free agent next summer.  Here is what they had to say about him:

 The second-most accurate 3-point shooting 7-footer (minimum 400 attempts) in NBA history behind a certain German who plays for the Dallas Mavericks, per Basketball-Reference.com, Olynyk shot 40.5 percent from beyond the arc last year. He has a chance to emerge as a starter next to Al Horford this season before hitting restricted free agency.

He should be healthy coming into the season and hopefully will stay that way.  If he could only be a bit more aggressive in taking his shot and not hesitate so much and go harder after rebounds, he may be able to make a leap this season.  He has all the tools and just needs to be a bit more aggressive in using them.  With his passing ability, he may be the ideal player to start the break with his outlet passes as was discussed in Lee's articles on passing.  But, as I said, he needs to be more aggressive on both ends of the court to make a difference.

ESPN also picked the most likely players to become first time All Stars this season.  Isaiah Thomas became an All Star for the first time last season.  ESPN is predicting that another Celtic may become a first time All Star this season.

Crowder had a fairly compelling case as the Celtics' best All-Star candidate a year ago, but scoring tends to go further in All-Star discussions than Crowder's defensive value and now newcomer Al Horford will also be in the mix for All-Star spots.

If Crowder just improves his shot a little, which he has vowed to do this summer, he has a real chance of being picked to be an All Star.  But then again,  his best attribute is to play in your face defense and the All Star game has very little use for defense.  At least it hasn't in the past.  And, the Celtics will have Horford this season, who should have a good chance of once again being an All Star. 

I know many Celtics fans were disappointed that Kevin Durant chose to go to the Warriors rather than go to the Celtics.   It was disappointing that he took the easy way out going to the Warriors but imagine how the Thunder fans felt.  He not only left them but left them for one of their biggest rivals, one who just beat them in the playoffs.  I was glad to see Russell Westbrook stick with the Thunder.  Fans are now circulating a petition to change the name of Durant, OK to Westbrook, OK and I think it is great!

 Apparently with his hair twin Sully gone, Marcus Smart decided to make a clean break with the two tone mohawk and get a brand new hairstyle.  Here is a photo of his new doo,  judge for yourself.  Yea or nay? 

  

  Jaylen Brown posted a snap story about hanging out with Jimmy Butler and working out with him.  I wonder if Jaylen is planting a seed about how great it is to be a Celtic.   Bill Simmons asked Jimmy Butler about what he thinks about Jaylen Brown after playing him 1 on 1.   Butler said that  the NBA player Brown  reminds him most of is himself.   That would bode well, I would say. 

Just a little trivia tidbit to close these thoughts.  The Celtics won Banner 16 in 1986 and that same year,  Len Bias died 48 hours after he was picked 2nd in the draft by the Celtics.  7 years later,  the Celtics' captain, Reggie Lewis collapsed on the court and died of a heart problem.  Then yet another 7 years later Paul Pierce was stabbed 11 times outside of a nightclub.  But this time, the result was different and Pierce recovered to play another 7 years with the Celtics when they brought in KG and Ray Allen to for the new Big 3 and win banner 17.

It's been 8 years since that championship. and the Celtics are hoping that they are getting close to another championship run.    Jaylen Brown, the Celtics top draft pic,  changed his number to #7 after Summer League, saying:  “No. 7 has always been my favorite number. It’s a spiritual number. It’s a divine number I’ve always liked."  It was also the number of another Brown who won the Slam Dunk contest back in 1991.  And now, the only other Celtic to win the Slam Dunk contest, Gerald Green, is back on the Celtics teaming up with Jaylen Brown. Just a few bits of trivia that I find interesting. One day closer to training camp!  

[Discuss on CG Forums!]