Celtics Draft Workout Thread

[bobheckler]

Over the upcoming month prior to the 6/26 draft the Celtics will be bringing in an assortment of players to work out for them.  It could be "for real" or they could be working them out for a team that is further down the lottery but is interested in trading up but that player won't work out for a team that is that far down.

For example it was reported today, by ESPN's Jeff Goodman, that the Celtics have scheduled a workout with Marcus Smart.  That's a legitimate prospect to work out for a #6 pick, but if Denver at #11 wants Smart, Smart's agent might not let him workout for a team that low.  That will become even more true for a team that is even further down the draft.  So Tim Connelly, the Nuggets' GM, calls Danny and negotiates the framework of a deal in which Denver trades up to #6 (hypothetically maybe the deal is for their #13 pick, which could net us Nurkic, and Mozgov).  Or maybe it's the Bulls offering their #16 and/or #19 picks plus whomever (and we use those picks to take Nurkic if he's still available, or Porzingis (using our #17 on Zach Lavine) or Hood if he's still available).  My point is that bringing a player in for a workout has multiple possibilities and opportunities written into it.

The Celtics will begin workouts in early June.  Danny has said he'd like to bring in his top 40 prospects.  Oh yeah, he's planning on playing the cards dealt him.  Sure, sure he is.  Man, if nothing else tells you something's percolating, that should.  You don't work out 40 players when you only have 2 picks.


Anyway, here's the spot to come for updates and thoughts on workouts and what they might mean, starting with Marcus Smart.






bob


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[worcester]

Marcus Not So Smart...sure hope we don't waste a pick on him...

[Sam]

Worcester, where do you want to fight NYCelt about Smart? Half-way? A neutral site? How about Mount Airy, N.C., aka Mayberry? The crowd from Floyd's Barber Shop loves good boxing match.

Sam

[worcester]

I'll be at my Amherst College reunion this weekend. He can meet me in the wrestling room.

[KyleCleric]

Not a fan of Smart either.

[bobheckler]

I copied excerpts from draftexpress' write up on them.  They are in italics.



Jeff Goodman        ✔ @GoodmanESPN
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Boston Celtics June 3 workout: T.J. Warren, Cleanthony Early, KJ McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, DeAndre Daniels, PJ Hairston, per sources.
9:57 AM - 27 May 2014


TJ Warren - 6'7" w/o shoes, 6'8 1/4" w/shoes, 220#, 6'10 1/4" wingspan, 27" no step vertical, max vertical 35.5".  Going on 21 years old.


"Warren put a lot of work into transforming his body this past summer, reportedly cutting his weight from 235-240 pounds to a slender 218, which has made him downright impossible to defend at the college level.

A highly unconventional player, Warren is as gifted a scorer as you'll find. He moves off the ball exceptionally well, finding gaps instinctually in opposing defenses. He is difficult to slow down because of the versatility he displays, being extremely effective at putting the ball in the basket in a multitude of ways inside the arc.

Warren has taken the 3rd highest amount of runners and floaters in all of college basketball this season according to Synergy Sports Technology, hitting over 50% of these attempts, which is tops among DX Top-100 prospects.





Cleanthony Early - 6'6" w/o shoes, 6'7 1/4" w/shoes, 209#, 6'10 3/4" wingspan, 34" no step vertical, 40" max vertical.  23 years old.


Early was one of the best scorers in college basketball, averaging 24.5 points per-40 minutes pace adjusted, the fifth best rate among prospects in our Top-100 Prospects rankings. He's a fairly versatile scorer who Wichita State utilized in many different ways this season, be it in transition, posting up, shooting from the perimeter, as a cutter, and attacking the basket in a straight line. Not only did he score prolifically, he was also extremely efficient (58% 2P%, 38% 3P%, 84% FT%). His 64% True Shooting percentage ranks seventh among Top-100 Prospects.

On the downside, Early's skill-level is still very much a work in progress, which is a little disconcerting considering he's one of the older players projected to be drafted. Under 8% of his offense came in one on one situations, as his ball-handling skills are rudimentary at best, particularly with his left hand, and he's an extremely poor passer with a questionable feel for the game.







K.J. McDaniels - 6'4 1/2" w/o shoes, 6'6" w/shoes, 196#, 6'11 1/4" wingspan, 33" no step vertical, 37" max vertical.  21 years old.  4.5% body fat.


His ball-handling skills are just average, as he struggles to change speeds or directions with the ball, and doesn't he create much offense for teammates either, as his court vision and feel for the game are not off the charts.

McDaniels isn't the most consistent shooter you'll find either. His release is fairly slow and he struggles when rushed or contested, making just 31% of his 3-point attempts on the season, down from 33% last year.

Despite the considerable improvement he's shown offensively this season, where McDaniels really shines as a NBA prospect is on the other end of the floor. His size, length, and tremendous athleticism allows him to guard up to four positions at the college level, and give him the potential to emerge as a lockdown defender in the NBA. He's a huge playmaker already, putting up gaudy numbers as a rebounder, shot-blocker and ball-thief, even if he still has room to improve here, particularly with his ability to defend off the ball and stay consistent with his effort.







Kyle Anderson - 6'7 1/2" w/o shoes, 6'8 1/2" w/shoes, 230#, 7'2 3/4" wingspan, verticals not available.  13.4% body fat.  7'2 3/4" wingspan?  Wow.


Kyle Anderson is arguably the most unique prospect in this draft class, with an unprecedented combination of passing, rebounding, 3-point shooting percentage and basketball IQ in a 6-9 frame.

What makes Anderson truly special is his prodigious passing ability, which made him one of the most entertaining players to watch in all of college basketball. He led all prospects in our Top-100 rankings in assists at 7.4 per-40 minutes pace adjusted, the highest rate of any player that size in our database since Evan Turner, Luke Walton, and John Salmons. Anderson is a terrific ball-handler who can pass with either hand and shows amazing creativity with the ball in his hands. He is extremely unselfish, making pinpoint passes right into his teammates' shooting pocket, spotting up on the wing or running ahead in transition (see video below). Anderson had the fourth highest Pure Point Rating and fifth highest assist to turnover of any player in our Top-100 prospect rankings, and was a major reason why UCLA had the 13th most efficient offense in all of college basketball this season with him running the show.






DeAndre Daniels - 6'7 1/4" w/o shoes, 6'8 1/2" w/shoes, 196#, 7'2" wingspan, 26.5" no step vertical, 32" max vertical, 22 years old.  3.9% body fat.


Daniels' biggest strength as a NBA prospect, besides his excellent size and length, likely revolves around his perimeter shooting ability. He improved greatly in this area from his first two years in college, where he made just 33 of 128 attempts (28%) from beyond the arc to start off his career, knocking down an outstanding 42% of his 3-pointers (50/120) as a junior.

Adding strength will be a major priority for Daniels, as he doesn't deal very well with contact on either end of the floor. He didn't put on much weight in his three years of college seemingly, being listed at 195 pounds by UConn this year after weighing 193 pounds four years ago at the NBPA Top-100 Camp.

Daniels is not a great ball-handler, showing a very high, loose dribble that mostly relegates him to being a straight-line driver, something he was able to do semi-effectively at the college level by being used as a mismatch threat from the elbows with his very long strides. When asked to create from further away, Daniels struggles, rarely getting all the way to the rim due to his average first step, lack of strength and tendency to shy away from contact. He converted just 49% of his half-court attempts inside the paint this season, a fairly poor rate, and got to the free throw line just 3.3 times per-40 minutes, the fifth worst rate of all college prospects in our Top-100 rankings.

Only generating 17 assists in 1100 minutes (one ever 65 minutes) this season, Daniels also ranks not only as one of the worst passers in this draft (dead last in our Top-100), but also historically as well. Daniels simply doesn't see the court at all once he puts the ball on the floor, as he regularly dribbles into double teams and struggles to make even basic passes to teammates. With his 3.6% assist percentage and .6 assists averaged per-40 minutes, he will be the worst passing small forward to get drafted since Al Thornton in 2007.








P.J. Hairston - 6'4 1/4" w/o shoes, 6'5 1/4" w/shoes, 229#, 32" no step vertical, 37" max vertical, 8.2% body fat.  21 years old.

Played in the D-league last year.

Hairston is one of the few prospects in this draft who looks ready to come in and play a role in the NBA right away. His thick, strong build (230 pounds) is a major reason why he was able to adjust to the D-League so quickly, averaging 27 points per-40 minutes, as his shooting ability and aggressive style of play are tailor made for the NBA.

Hairston's jump-shot is clearly his most translatable NBA skill. He made 73 3-pointers in 26 D-League games, not needing any time to adjust to the much further distance of the NBA 3-point line thanks to his terrific shooting mechanics and range. Hairston has a pure and beautiful stroke, with great balance and follow through, and consistent elevation which he uses effectively to create separation and get his shot off quickly in a multitude of ways. While he was a little bit streaky with his feet set this season (made 34% of his attempts), his ability to come off screens, shoot off dribble hand-offs, and hit pull-ups from all over the floor. He's terrific in quick actions, being especially effective in transition and early-offense situations, which makes him a very valuable weapon in the increasingly up-tempo nature of the NBA. Just to complete the picture about the type of shooter he is, he made 87% of his free throw attempts this season, fourth best among all players in our Top-100 prospect rankings.

He's best playing OFF the ball.





Whole lotta wingmen.  With the possible exceptions of Warren (assuming Stauskas and Hood are gone) and Anderson (point forward), I don't understand these workouts.  

No Dario Saric?  No Nurkic?  No Gordon?  No Randle?  No McDermott?  Huh?  They must still be in the process of being scheduled.  Vonleh is expected to work out for the Celtics and Marcus Smart is already scheduled.  Still 30 days from today until draft day, plenty of time to get them in and absorb what you saw.  I'm just antsy waiting for the next shoe to drop.



bob


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[Sam]

The plethora of promising wing men is the main reason why I believe, in this day and age, the draft is most ideally used to acquire quality wings. For the most part, believe in trading for centers and point guards, partly because I like them to do their maturing on some other team's eime. Power forwards could go either way depending on the quality of the draft.

Sam

[bobheckler]

Baxter Holmes        ✔ @BaxterHolmes
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Lottery-caliber players that the Celtics plan to work out: Randle, Vonleh, Smart, Gordon, Harris, McDermott, Stauskas.
11:44 AM - 28 May 2014


Baxter Holmes        ✔ @BaxterHolmes
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Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Joel Embiid & Dante Exum all won't work out for Celtics. They all expect to be gone by the 6th overall pick.
11:47 AM - 28 May 2014



Julius Randle - 6'7 3/4" w/o shoes, 6'9" w/shoes, 250#, 7'0" wingspan, 29" no step vertical, 35.5" max vertical, 9.4% body fat.

Can't cut-and-paste the scouting video and can't find it on youtube.  Go out to link to see the report.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Julius-Randle-6294/



Noah Vonleh - 6'8" w/o shoes, 6'9 1/2" w/shoes, 7'4 1/4" wingspan, 247#, 31" no step vertical, 37" max vertical, 7.3% body fat.  HUGE hands at 9 3/4" in length and 11 3/4" in width.  His measurements are very similar to what Derrick Favors' were at the combine.

He had the 2nd longest wingspan at the Combine (Isiah Austin was 7'4 1/2") but had the biggest height-to-wingspan differential (8 1/4").  

Vonleh has made over half of his 3-pointers on the season, but takes less than one attempt per game, which indicates he still has plenty of work to do in this area. Additionally, he lacks elite explosiveness as a shot-blocker and finisher around the basket, and ranks as one of the poorest passers in this draft class, posting the worst assist to turnover ratio and assist per possession rate, to go along with the third worst PPR, which could be an issue as he transitions from the center spot collegiately to the power forward position in the NBA.







Aaron Gordon - 6'7 1/2" w/o shoes, 6'8 3/4" w/shoes, 220#, 6'11 3/4" wingspan, 32.5" no step vertical, 39" max vertical, 5.1% body fat.  18 years old.

42% ft%.  NOT a typo.







Gary Harris - 6'2 1/2" w/o shoes, 6'4 1/2" w/shoes, 205#, 6'6 3/4" wingspan, jumps n/a, 4.6% body fat.






Doug McDermott - 6'6 1/4" w/o shoes, 6'7 3/4" w/shoes, 218#, 6'9 1/4" wingspan, 28.5" no step vertical, 36.5" max vertical, 7.1% body fat.

Shot 56.7% from 2 and 44.9% from 3.  86% ft%




MY NOTE:  Could be another Luke Harangody?  A great, great player in college that can't translate to the pros?  God, I hate tweeners, I can never guess them right.



Nic Stauskas - 6'5 1/4" w/o shoes, 6'6 3/4" w/shoes, 207#, 6'7 3/4" wingspan, 29" no step vertical, 35.5" max vertical, 12.1% body fat.

50% from 2, 44% from 3.






bob



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[Sam]

I hope Vonlet will be taken with the 6th pick.......by the Houston Rockets after they trade Asik to the Celtics.

Sam

[worcester]

Bob, I didn't realize Vonleh was only 6'8". Now I have to reassess my preference for #6. Aaron shoots 43% from the charity stripe? Scratch him too. Sure glad I don't have Danny's job.

[KyleCleric]

Doug McDermott did fine in the combine in terms of athleticism and of course his college tape is terrific. He should be able to play the SF position in the NBA. Harangody isn't close to a fair comparison.

[bobheckler]

Doug McDermott did fine in the combine in terms of athleticism and of course his college tape is terrific. He should be able to play the SF position in the NBA. Harangody isn't close to a fair comparison.

kyle,

Harangody is the ONLY 20/10 player in the history of the Big East. That makes for a pretty good college tape too.


bob


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[Outside]

Harangody was a relatively short banger who found his ceiling for success in college. A few of those guys find success in the NBA, but most don't.

McDermott is a different type of player and is effective away from the basket rather than under it, like Harangody. McDermott's not a shoe-in for NBA success, but I give him a better shot than Harangody.

[bobheckler]

http://bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2014/05/danny_ainge_celtics_woo_prospects_for_workouts






The big, second-tier names who will be considered by the Celtics for the sixth pick in the June 26 draft may still need some wooing before they arrive in Waltham for workouts.

As of today, players like Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart and power forwards Julius Randle (Kentucky) and Noah Vonleh (Indiana) were said to still be a week or two away from visits to the team’s practice facility.

Though forwards Aaron Gordon (Arizona) and Doug McDermott (Creighton), and guards Gary Harris (Michigan State), Nik Stauskas (Michigan) and Zach LaVine (UCLA) are all expected to eventually make appearances, Danny Ainge’s basketball operations staff was still in the process of getting commitments from the players they will consider with the sixth pick.

Agents naturally play a large role at this time of year, with all kinds of stipulations attached to individual workouts. Everything from head-to-head workouts to media access are open to negotiation.

Consider, for example, the power forward trio of Randle, Vonleh and Gordon. In an ideal world, the Celtics would love to bring all three in as a group for some head-to-head competition. But Randle and Vonleh, in particular, could be drafted in direct succession. The last scenario any agent wants is a head-to-head workout that results in the other guy being drafted first.

The Celtics, as a result, are still in a holding pattern with the players who most interest them.

Though they are also interested in Croatian power forward Dario Saric as a candidate for the 17th pick, his team (KK Cibona Zagreb) is still playing. As such, Saric probably won’t work out for any NBA team this spring, though he also intrigues the Celtics for another reason: He has reportedly said he will definitely come to the NBA next season if he is drafted by either the Celtics or Lakers.

But at least the Celtics have made some progress in lining up workouts for players they will consider at No. 17 or lower, should they choose to trade down.

Ainge and his staff will look at small forwards and off guards next Tuesday. The group will include North Carolina State forward T.J. Warren, North Carolina/Texas Legends forward P.J. Hairston, UCLA swing guard Kyle Anderson and UConn small forward DeAndre Daniels.

The Celtics also appear to have the beginnings of a workout scheduled for Monday, with UMass guard Chaz Williams on their list, though it’s unclear whether he will work out against other point guards, or as a facilitator for bigger players.

Perhaps the best defined group is the one the Celtics won’t see. The draft’s top four group of Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Dante Exum have made it known they won’t be working out for any team lower than the fourth pick.



bob
MY NOTE:  If Saric is available at #17 then every single draft board is wrong.  Not one of them have him falling out of the lottery.  Danny might trade down a few spots to take him at 9, 10 or 11 (and gain a 2nd or something on the trade) but I say forget about Saric at 17.  Besides, if we're going to draft for need then I'd take Nurkic

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jusuf-Nurkic-7118/

who is 6'11", 280#.  He seems to be the most highly regarded center in this draft after Embiid (is he the ONLY other center in this draft besides Embiid?).  With Kelly, how many more "point forwards" do we need?




.

[Sam]

Nurkic is an interesting possibility, possibly even at #17. Concerned about his jumping ability and general lack of athleticism, but I guess he's pretty quick for someone who weighs 280. Also he apparently is a contact magnet, which—along with his height and decent blocking ability could deter cutters.

Besides I liked Nurkic's work on Hogan's Heroes.

Sam

[bobheckler]

David Pick @IAmDPick  ·  May 29
Providence grad Kadeem Batts (@KBatts10) has workout lined up in Boston June 2 & Chicago June 18.

6'9", 255#, 7'2", 22 years old.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kadeem-Batts-17835/stats/


David Pick @IAmDPick  ·  May 27
Youngstown State alumnus Kendrick Perry (@kendrick3perry) auditioning next week for the Celtics and Jazz.


6'0", 170#, 6'6" wingspan, 21 years old.


http://search.draftexpress.com/profile/Kendrick-Perry-16222/


bob


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[Sam]

Good. Another power forward. We need power forwards. If the Celtics sew up all the good power forwards in the league, does that mean we win the championship by default because no opponent can field a representative team?

Sam

[bobheckler]

Former UMass PG Chaz Williams will work out for the Timberwolves (Thursday) and the Celtics on Monday, sources tell @SNYtv Twitter @Joshua_Newman


5'9", 175#


Is Wyc planning an "6'0" and under" league with him and Pressey and Kendrick Perry?

This kid must be coming in to run point for the "wings workout" on 6/2.

bob



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[Sam]

The plan is to sneak both Pressey and Williams into games on one another's shoulders.

I'd like to nickname this "Silly Season."

Sam

[KyleCleric]

If the Celts draft Nurkic, we won't see much of him on the court next year. He struggles to stay out of foul trouble in the leagues he has played in and the NBA will be a very difficult adjustment. The player, though, he is in a few years could be well worth it.

[bobheckler]

http://nesn.com/2014/05/nba-draft-prospect-aaron-gordon-caught-napping-on-red-line-in-boston-photo/



NBA Draft Prospect Aaron Gordon Caught Napping On Boston’s Red Line (Photo) by Zack Cox on Fri, May 30, 2014 at 1:47PM

It looks like Boston life is wearing out Aaron Gordon. The 6-foot-9 NBA draft prospect visited the city this week to attend his sister’s Harvard graduation – a trip that might or might not have also included a workout with the Boston Celtics. Either way, Gordon clearly had basketball on his mind, as one observer snapped — and uploaded to Reddit — a photo of the Arizona product passed out while riding the Red Line.






AG @IamAaronGordon
Follow
Haha aye what can I say it was a long day, someone caught me sleepin on the Boston train
8:30 PM - 29 May 2014




bob
MY NOTE:  You have to love a basketball player who goes to his sister's graduation and brings his ball.  Getting used to Boston life?  Don't count on it, Trader Danny is in full-blown cruise mode with #6.


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[bobheckler]

AG @IamAaronGordon
Follow
I was in Boston to watch my sister graduate.... Ill be back out there for a Celtics workout in a couple weeks
12:57 PM - 30 May 2014



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[Sam]

If he winds up in Boston, he'll soon learn (1) not to take the MBTA and (2) not to sleep in any public place.

Sam

[bobheckler]

Jeff Goodman: Adreian Payne will work out for Boston on June 4, Phoenix on June 6 and Utah on June 7, source told ESPN. Twitter @GoodmanESPN

6'9" w/o shoes, 6'10 3/4" w/shoes, 239#, 7'4" wingspan (whoa!), 7.6% body fat.  23 years old.

54% from 2, 43% from 3, 79% ft,





Noah Vonleh will work out for Sacramento on Monday, Lakers on Wednesday, Orlando on June 9 and Boston on June 12, source told ESPN. Twitter @GoodmanESPN


6'8" w/o shoes, 6'9 1/2" w/shoes, 247#, 7'4 1/2" wingspan. Almost 19 years old.

53% from 2, 48.5% from 3 (Yow!), 72% ft.  9.0rebs/26mpg (NOT 36).







Nik Stauskas will work out for the Lakers on June 4 and will also work out for the Celtics the following week, source told ESPN. Twitter @GoodmanESPN


Doug McDermott will work out for the Lakers on June 4 and will also work out for the Celtics the following week. Twitter @GoodmanESPN



bob



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[KyleCleric]

You'd think that with Payne's size that he'd have been a better college shot blocker. He'll be fine as a complementary power forward.

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