Mickey continues to stretch his game

http://m.providencejournal.com/sports/20160702/celtics-mickey-continues-to-stretch-his-game


Celtics' Mickey continues to stretch his game





Jordan Mickey, dunking in a summer league game last year, said he wants to develop into more than just a shot-blocking specialist.


By Scott Souza
@Scott_Souza


Posted Jul 2, 2016 at 5:42 PM



WALTHAM, Mass. — All Celtics second-year forward Jordan Mickey has to do to see the future of his position in the NBA is to look around at what his team has been up to the last two days.

On Friday night, the Celtics met with free agent Al Horford — an athletic, 6-foot-10 player who rebounds, blocks shots, can guard multiple positions defensively and has developed a 3-point shot. On Saturday afternoon, the Celtics met with free agent Kevin Durant — an athletic, 6-9 player who rebounds, blocks shots, can guard multiple positions and can score prolifically from anywhere on the floor.

While the 6-8 Mickey certainly would not attempt to mention himself in the same class as a pair of perennial NBA All-Stars while he’s heading into his second summer league beginning Monday night, he said the ability to round out his game beyond being a shot-blocking specialist was a focus all last season as he bounced between Boston and the Maine Red Claws. He has continued to focus on that in the two months since the season ended.

“It’s just the way the game is going now,” he said following the team’s third summer league practice on Saturday ahead of its trip to Salt Lake City on Sunday. “It’s something that I expected and something I knew I would have to work on coming in when I started my draft process.

“As you watch the game, it’s going that way. (Power forwards) are now stretching the floor, shooting the 3, putting the ball on the floor and making decisions like they are a point guard. It’s something I will have to improve upon. It shows that Coach has some confidence in me where he believes I can do those things.”

Mickey said Celtics coach Brad Stevens specifically told him at his exit interview that he wanted him to further develop his shooting range, be able to better switch onto smaller players and stay with them defensively, and start the fastbreak off a rebound.


bob


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If Mickey developed ann outside shot he'd be a great PF with Al H

The Cs are going to need good players who are going to play very cheaply if they are able to sign Durant after signing Horford. So, let's hope that a bunch of really young guys can make big time contributions this season. If Durant signs they are going to have well over 50% of this year's cap being spent on only two players.

Next year they are going to have to have some money to renegotiate with Thomas and Bradley to keep those two guys in their core moving forward. Even as good as Horford and Durant may be, they cannot win playoff games by themselves

The PF spot is wide open, we know Mickey can block shots, besides his shooting the skill he needs to work on is ballhandling, show us you can really work....don't be Sully