SHOULD THE CELTICS DRAFT AUSTIN RIVERS?

WEEI 850
By Paul Flannery

Should the Celtics draft Austin Rivers to play for his father? (AP)

Austin Rivers, the talented son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers, will reportedly declare for the draft after just one season at Duke, per Jeff Goodman of CBSSports. Austin Rivers began the year as the one of the nation’s top recruits but concerns over his lack of ideal scoring guard size — he’s 6-foot-4 — and playing style — high usage rate, undersized shooting guard — sent him from the preseason lottery to the middle of the first round in most draft projections.

Rivers averaged 15.5 points, and shot 43 percent from the floor and 36 percent from 3-point range with 3.4 rebound and 2.1 assists. He also had more turnovers than assists, which indicates that he’s probably more of a scoring guard than a point guard, but he’s still just 19 years old and has the time to develop and figure it out.

Rivers is also undeniably talented. Even if you barely watched him play, you no doubt saw his fluid game-winner that beat North Carolina. Here’s part of the scouting report from Draft Express, who has him ranked 18th at the moment:

“It was Rivers’ athleticism and scoring instincts that made him the catalyst for the Blue Devils offense and defined his role as freshman. According to Synergy Sports Technology, Rivers’s total number of pick and rolls and isolations used this season (356 over 34 games) ranks in the top-5 in the NCAA. Perhaps the only player on Duke’s roster dynamic enough to consistently distort defenses with his dribble penetration and generate his own shot in a pinch, Rivers may not have been his team’s primary ball-handler, but he was the creative force behind his team’s offense all year long, for better or worse.”

It’s worth reading the whole report because he improved steadily in the second half of Duke’s season and again, he’s just 19 years old. (Prediction: Rivers will rise back to the late-lottery).

The Celtics have two first round draft picks in 2012: Their own, plus the one from the Clippers that was acquired from Oklahoma City in the Kendrick Perkins trade. The pick is top-10 protected, but the Clippers seems well on their way to the playoffs, even if they implode along the way.

Those picks are in the 17-18 range for the Celtics and 20-21 for the Clippers, which is exactly where Rivers is slotted to fall at the moment. Even if he was available, it would be surprising if Danny Ainge selected the coach’s son.

First, there’s the simple matter of a coach who is demanding on rookies — a notion the coach says is overplayed — who would also happen to be the rookie’s father. Second, they already have a guard who needs the ball in his hands in Rajon Rondo, a legitimate All-Star point guard, who also happens to have a complicated relationship with the coach.

Coach Rivers has been cagey with his answers about the question. This is what he told Dennis & Callahan in January:

“I would love the opportunity, I guess. It would be uncomfortable. I just think that would be a strange thing to do. Having that said that, I wouldn’t mind. He can score, and I think that would be great for us.”

Doc Rivers has clearly enjoyed watching his son play, often rushing to ACC games during off-days in the Celtics’ schedule. It would be a fascinating story, no doubt, and as coach Rivers said, an argument could be made either way. Still, the educated guess here is that the Celtics will avoid what could be a potentially awkward arrangement.

112288

Doc said tonight that Austin has NOT made up his mind whether or not to declare.

Sam

Given the Celts current rash of injuries, young Austin Rivers could start for the Celtics right now - certainly at shooting guard - hopefully not at center!

Austin Rivers is a raw talent that needs 2-3 years of grooming before he takes his skills to the NBA. He is no where close to playing in the NBA. He is just feeling himself around the college level and getting use to higher talent at that level. He is also 19 years of age. Go look at all the scouting reports on him.

It would be the biggest mistake for Doc to allow his son to go into the NBA now. He nor the family need money as most kids who jump early to the NBA do. He needs maturity to allow him to excel at one level before he goes to another talent level(NBA). To me this is all about a media hype with a well known player/coach's son which sells papers.

Another problem for him is he is really not a point guard and if you move him to shooting guard he becomes undersized at that position.

Last, it would create problems and the perceived notion of nepotism if he played under Doc. NO GOOD! Cardinal rule, never bring your kids into the family business unless they have been accomplished business persons while working for someone else.

112288

112288 wrote:Austin Rivers is a raw talent that needs 2-3 years of grooming before he takes his skills to the NBA. He is no where close to playing in the NBA. He is just feeling himself around the college level and getting use to higher talent at that level. He is also 19 years of age. Go look at all the scouting reports on him.

It would be the biggest mistake for Doc to allow his son to go into the NBA now. He nor the family need money as most kids who jump early to the NBA do. He needs maturity to allow him to excel at one level before he goes to another talent level(NBA). To me this is all about a media hype with a well known player/coach's son which sells papers.

Another problem for him is he is really not a point guard and if you move him to shooting guard he becomes undersized at that position.

Last, it would create problems and the perceived notion of nepotism if he played under Doc. NO GOOD! Cardinal rule, never bring your kids into the family business unless they have been accomplished business persons while working for someone else.

112288

I would have to agree 100%.

(And I'll try to remember that last line for later on down the road.)

NY,


Beleive me...I know!

112288

I have watched Austin Rivers several times this season. I really feel the kid needs at least one more year of college to grow and mature. He is just not
ready for the pro game. All I see is Gerald Green, bouncing around the league for the last few years (he just signed with the Nets). How much would he have benefited from a year or two in school to grow up. I know the Rivers kid is smarter than Green was at that age, but he still will find himself in over his head.. I can't believe that Doc would be encouraging him to leave school, but......money is the name of the game I suppose.

As far as the Celtics drafting him, that would be a big mistake. I really don't feel that Doc would do this.

Rosalie,

I notice Gerald is doing okay as a Net. He's averaging 22 MPG and 10.6 PPG, while shooting 49%. Still turnover-prone (1.5 per game), and the stats don't include possibly boneheaded stunts. But I'm glad to see the kid getting a chance and hopefully taking advantage of it. Of course, to your point, this is his seventh year in the league, so even his current performance took a long while to develop.

Sam