2012 NBA Draft, 2012 NBA Celtics Draft's Potential - CELTICS SALARY CAP AND FREE AGENCY FAQ

NBA DRAFT’S POTENTIAL CELTICS: CINCINNATI F YANCY GATES

As part of WEEI.com’s coverage of the 2012 NBA draft, we are profiling all players considered likely candidates to be drafted June 28. The Celtics own three picks: 21, 22 (from the Thunder in the Kendrick Perkins trade) and 51.



NBA DRAFT’S POTENTIAL CELTICS: SYRACUSE C FAB MELO


FAB MELO

Position: Center

School: Syracuse

Age: 21

Height: 7 feet

Weight: 255 pounds

Achievements: Big East Defensive Player of the Year (2012), Preseason Big East Rookie of the Year (2010-11), McDonald’s High School All-American (2010)

Key 2011-12 stats: 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.9 blocks


What he brings: Melo’s most impressive traits are his size, rebounding and shot-blocking ability. He displays decent mobility and jumping ability but lacks the elite athleticism of fellow center prospects Meyers Leonard and Andre Drummond.

Offensively, Melo is extremely raw and is still learning the game. He does not project to be a superstar at the next level, but given the dearth of big men who can run the floor, he is an intriguing option.

Where the Celtics could get him: Projections have Melo going somewhere in the 15-25 range, which is right where the Celtics reside with two picks.

Notes: Melo made enormous strides in his second season at Syracuse before being held out of three games in January due to an unspecified academic issue and then being ruled ineligible for the NCAA tournament. He also had a domestic violence issue in 2011. After breaking the turn signal on his girlfriend’s car, he was charged with criminal mischief. If he remains out of trouble through November, he’ll have a clean record. Melo, who grew up in Brazil, did not start playing competitive basketball until the ninth grade. He attended high school in Florida (near Miami) his junior and senior years.



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YANCY GATES

Position: Power forward/center

School: Cincinnati

Age: 22

Height: 6-foot-9

Weight: 287 pounds

Achievements: Only player in school history to lead team in rebounding for four consecutive seasons, Big East All-Tournament team (2012), Big East All-Rookie team (2009)

Key 2011-12 stats: 12.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 32.0 minutes

What he brings: Gates is a bruiser down low, and he proved to be one of the better rebounders in the Big East and the country. He noticeably improved his offensive rebounding ability, as he grabbed 3.2 per game last season. His combination of strength, size and good hands make him a valuable asset underneath the basket.

Gates possesses a solid post presence and has good footwork and an array of moves for a big man, but he’ll need to improve his shooting percentage at the next level. Offensively, Gates is a one-dimensional player who plays mostly under the basket. He only made 31 percent of his jump shots this season, according to Synergy, and he’ll have to work on jump shooting mechanics if he wants to develop into a capable shooter in the NBA.

Defensively, Gates is mobile and is able to deny his man and force him into difficult shots. For his size, he does a good job of fronting and contesting shots, which is clear from the fact that his foul rate improved each season at Cincinnati.

Gates’ rebounding ability would be a welcome sight for a Celtics team that ranked last in the NBA in that category in 2011-12. The C’s frontcourt was thin all season long, and with Kevin Garnett approaching the end of his career, a rebounding big man of Gates’ caliber will be sorely needed in the years to come.

Where the Celtics could get him: Gates is considered a second-round possibility who might not get drafted at all.

Notes: The character of Gates will be an area that will be heavily criticized leading up to the draft. In December, he was suspended six games for throwing punches in a bench-clearing brawl against rival Xavier, and he also was suspended in 2011 for mouthing off to an assistant during practice. In both instances, Gates returned and delivered strong late-season performances for the Bearcats, but his character undoubtedly will be monitored at the next level.

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CELTICS SALARY CAP AND FREE AGENCY FAQ

Kevin Garnett holds the key to the Celtics' offseason. (AP)

The Celtics enter the offseason with four players under contract for next season, and what looks like a pile of cap space. Looks can be deceiving, however. That theoretical space doesn’t account for contract options, qualifying offers, two first-round draft picks and the biggest charge of them all, cap holds.

With so much uncertainty surrounding them this summer, consider this a primer on what to expect when the league re-opens for business on July 11. Most of the answers rely on the great Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ, a must-read document for understanding the cap. Player salaries come via our own reporting, and Sham Sports contract page.

What is the salary cap for next season?

It will be determined by the league’s audit that will take place from July 1-10. Last year’s cap was $58 million, and it is expected to be in that range for the upcoming season.

When can free agents sign?

July 11 after the audit is completed. Players with expiring contracts become free agents on July 1. Teams can begin negotiating with them on July 1, but they can’t sign until after the audit is completed on July 10 and the cap is set for the season.

What are the rules on restricted free agents?

Teams must make a qualifying offer by June 30 to keep a free agent restricted. This typically affects players coming off the fourth year of a rookie contract and the amount of the qualifying offer varies depending on where there were drafted. As a free agent with less than three years experience, Greg Stiemsma is also a restricted free agent.

Restricted free agents can negotiate with other teams, but their former team has three days to match an offer sheet. The old rule under the CBA was seven days. In order to extend an offer sheet, a team must have the cap space — or an exception — to do so. Once they do, that space is effectively tied up for three days until a final decision is made.

How much cap space do the Celtics have?

As much as around $20 million and as little as none. On July 1, the Celtics will not technically have any cap space. Read the rest of this entry »

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WILLIAM BUFORD

Position: Shooting guard

School: Ohio State

Age: 22

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 215 pounds

Achievements: Wooden Award top 25 (2012), Big Ten All-Tournament team (2011), NABC second team District 7 (2011), Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2009), Big Ten All-Freshman team (2009), honorable mention All-Big Ten (2009)

Key 2011-12 stats: 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 33.8 minutes

What he brings: Buford, who averaged 13.7 points per game in his four seasons as a Buckeye, can shoot from multiple places on the court and finished his career hitting 44 percent of his shots. But he’s a shooter who doesn’t shine in any other categories.

Another issue is his consistency. His 3-point shooting percentage dropped from 44.2 his junior year to a career-low 35.8 his senior year. Other aspects of Buford’s game have fluctuated. He ran into a slump during the NCAA tournament and went 1-for-8 from the field in Ohio State’s Sweet 16 victory over Cincinnati.

The Toledo native hasn’t been spectacular at getting to the line, and that aspect of his game has been inconsistent. He took 118 free throw attempts a sophomore, dipped to 70 as a junior, then got the number to 113 as a senior.

Where the Celtics could get him: Buford should still be on the board when the Celtics pick in the second round, and he might even be available as an undrafted free agent.

Notes: Buford attended the NBA draft combine, and the shooting guard recorded the second-highest body fat percentage of all players there (11.3). He told the Akron Beacon Journal the increased body fat came from recent illnesses, but even Buford said the number was shocking.

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Thomas Robinson helped Kansas get to the national championship game in April. (AP)

THOMAS ROBINSON

Position: Power forward

School: Kansas

Age: 21

Height: 6-foot-9

Weight: 244 pounds

Achievements: 2012 All-America first team (AP, Sporting News, NABC, USBWA), 2012 Big 12 Player of the Year, All-Big 12 first team

Key 2011-21 stats: 17.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 50.5 FG%

What he brings: Robinson has the combination of power and athleticism to excel at the NBA level. He is a solid post presence, helped out by his strength and quick feet. He gets to the line a lot thanks to his high motor. His go-to post move is a solid right hook from the left block, and he has shown to be a solid jump shooter. Thanks to his relentless effort, leaping ability and strength, Robinson is a tremendous rebounder.

Robinson, who enters the draft a year early, isn’t that versatile in the post and while his jump shot is solid, he needs to work on making it more consistent. On the defensive end he isn’t a great shot-blocker despite the great effort he puts forth. The biggest knock on his game is that he turns the ball over a lot due to a lack of control on offense.

Where the Celtics could get him: Robinson is projected to be a top-five pick — perhaps as high as No. 2 — so the C’s would need to make a major trade to get in position to select him.

Notes: Robinson is a native of Washington, D.C., who prepped at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. During his sophomore season at Kansas, Robinson’s mother died of a heart attack less than a month after his maternal grandmother and grandfather died.

Robinson helped the Jayhawks reach the 2012 national championship game, a loss to Kentucky. He never averaged more than 15 minutes a game before his junior season, which he finished by averaging 17.7 points and 11.9 rebounds over 31.8 minutes per game.


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Tony Mitchell had some success at Alabama, but he was suspended for the final month of his junior season before declaring for the draft. (AP)

TONY MITCHELL

Position: Small forward

School: Alabama

Age: 22

Height: 6-foot-6

Weight: 213 pounds

Achievements: MVP of Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament (2011), second-team All-SEC (2011), SEC All-Freshman team (2010)

Key 2011-12 stats: 13.1 points, 7.0 rebounds in 22 games

What he brings: Mitchell has the physical gifts and athleticism that make him a prototypical wing player at the NBA level. His long wingspan makes him a strong asset on the defensive end of the floor. He averaged 7.2 defensive rebounds and 1.3 steals per game last season, and his defensive prowess can lead to forced turnovers that Mitchell converts into highlight dunks.

Mitchell’s offensive arsenal is very limited, and his versatility on that end of the floor will be questioned at the next level. He averaged only 50.5 percent on two-pointers in 2011-12, although he did improve his mid-range ability, but his mechanics are still in development. His 3-point and free throw shooting also need to improve for him to be a volatile long-term NBA player.

On offense, Mitchell struggles to create his own shot, and he relies on dunks and catch-and-shoot situations for his offensive production. His ball-handling is less than average and he’ll need to work on improving his left hand and creativity to create offense for himself, especially at the NBA level.

Where the Celtics could get him: If he is drafted, Mitchell is expected to go late in the second round.

Notes: In February, Mitchell was suspended for the remainder of the season by Crimson Tide coach Anthony Grant for conduct detrimental to the team. Mitchell decided to enter the NBA draft this year instead of returning to school and trying to finish his collegiate career on a positive note.

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