Boston Celtics

Tyronn Lue is being groomed by the Celtics.  The 36 year-old former point guard has been tapped to coach their summer league team (pictured, above), and you can hardly cut to a shot of the bench without seeing Doc leaning back to talk to him about something. But it’s not just the Celtics who like what he’s got to offer. Boston assistant Ty Lue and Rio Grande head coach Nick Nurse are candidates for assistant coaching job in Toronto, league sources tell Y! — Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) May 22, 2013 Woj goes on to say the Celtics may offer Lue a promotion to move him to a bench assistant role in an effort to keep him. So it’s not just the team that’s in possible upheaval, the C’s coaching staff is too.  Could be some big changes this summer.

Kevin O'Connor and others (including myself) would be happy with this pick. 2013 NBA Mock Draft: Cleveland Cavaliers select Nerlens Noel - NBA - Chris Mannix - SI.com With or without the core of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce -- two players who may not be in Boston when training camp opens -- the Celtics need size. Dieng, 23, has a defensive reputation (he was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year last season after swatting 2.5 shots and pulling down 9.4 rebounds per game) but his offensive game is better than most think: Dieng is a strong passer with a decent mid-range jump shot who scouts say is one of the best screen men in the draft.

This is a new name on me and perhaps a bit of a reach, but (in their mock) with Dieng and others off the board, I guess you never know. 2013 NBA Mock Draft: In top 10, beauty is in the eye of the beholder - SBNation.com Boston Celtics -- Tony Mitchell, North Texas Danny Ainge has never been afraid to take risks and someone needs to go full YOLO and take Mitchell. He is a 6'8, 235-pound forward with a 38' vertical who averaged 3 blocks a game and shot 34 percent from three. Just from alley-oops alone, Rajon Rondo would make him a useful player.

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump. Nick Gilbert and the Cleveland Cavaliers have beaten the NBA lottery odds again. The Cavaliers won the lottery for the second time in three years Tuesday, giving them the No. 1 pick for the June 27 draft. Gilbert, owner Dan Gilbert’s bowtie-wearing 16-year-old son, was on stage for another victory. After he won it in 2011, the Cavs used the pick to take eventual Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving. ESPN: Cleveland Cavaliers win the NBA Lottery, Magic get 2nd pick Let me start by saying, I am not one of those crazy moonbats that think the NBA is all pre-scripted and David Stern is out to get the Boston Celtics like some fans (and scary enough, some writers on Celtics blogs). The idea of fixing games all for the purpose of generating more income is just a foolish concept and probably illegal on so many levels. On that note however, I have ALWAYS been very suspicious of the NBA Lottery process. The lottery just never seems to be legitimate and always seems to have some story behind the team getting the top prizes of the draft, whether it was Seattle/OKC getting a franchise player for their new city to come in a year, the Bulls landing hometown hero Derrick Rose with a 1.8% chance of landing that pick, or last night when the Cavs won the lottery for the second time in three years after Lebron made a mockery of them. People cried fowl after the Cavs won the lottery the first time, thinking it was all just too perfect of a story that the Cavs would win the lottery the year after Lebron bent them over, but now a second time in three years? All presumed on the “luck” of some goofy looking but extremely arrogant kid? (Who else wanted to smack the entire Gilbert family last night with the way they acted?) Sounds real hairy to me especially given the teams that really needed the franchise player (Orlando, Charlotte, Phoenix) lost out while the team that has two in Irving and Waiters will now land a third and will match up really well with Miami….oh wait another conspiracy? The NBA lottery reeks of conspiracy based on one major premise to me…the fact that the lottery itself is conducted in a locked, sealed room off limits to everyone . Nobody knows what goes on in there, and the NBA has known this for years now and have chosen to do nothing about it to eliminate fans suspicions. What is the big secret that we have to hide it? Would it not be better for ratings to have the ping pong balls pop up on live television, and when those first few teams come in, everyone is on the edge of their seat? If the NBA was truly out to make as much money as possible, this would be a ratings dream but considering they still refuse to do it, one has to wonder what the secret is. Is the lottery really just a chance for David Stern to pick and choose who gets the best players that will make for the best storylines or is this just another blowhard article? The Links: ESPN Boston: Someone to lean on? | ESPN Boston: Summer romance: A Gordan swap? | CSNNE: Blakely: Rivers returning brings stability to Celtics | CSNNE: The night the Celtics landed fifth pick in the draft lottery | Boston Herald: Danny Ainge evaluates all options

This is just throwing darts at a board at this point, but hey, it is fun to discuss. We've got more than a month to go before the NBA Draft but now that the Lottery has established who will pick where, the NBA "experts" are rolling out their updated mock drafts. Here's a few picks from some of the better mock drafts out there. Ford's Mock 3.0: Schroeder the pick - Boston Celtics Blog - ESPN Boston With the draft lottery completed, Chad Ford's Mock 3.0 was unveiled on Tuesday evening. His latest pick for the Boston Celtics at No. 16 is Germany's Dennis Schroeder: The Celtics missed Rajon Rondo so much during the 2012-13 season, why not get a clone? (In his prior 2 mocks Ford had the Celtics picking Michael Carter-Williams and Kelly Olynyk. Interestingly Ford has Carter Williams jumping up to the 7 spot in his latest mock and Olynk falling right out of the first round.) 2013 NBA Draft - CBSSports.com Basketball (Jeff Goodman) Rudy Gobert, C, France: Danny Ainge loves length and needs a rim-protector. Gobert is extremely raw on the offensive end, but he's ultra-long and can be a factor on the defensive end in time. (Previous: 11) Draft Express has the Celtics picking Steven Adams DraftExpress NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Steven Adams, Stats, Comparisons, and Outlook All in all, Adams is clearly a long-term project who a team will need to invest a few years of solid coaching in order to be able to expect to reap benefits from down the road. He may never develop into anything more than an average player offensively, but has excellent potential defensively thanks to his terrific physical tools, which could convince a NBA team to invest a pick on him somewhere late in the first round. NBADraft.net interestingly has Shabazz Muhammad falling all the way to the Celtics at 16 despite having this note in his profile. Shabazz Muhammad | NBADraft.net Despite a decline in his draft stock from his early season standing as a top 3 pick, Shabazz is still a desirable prospect and should be taken in the top 10 in a weak draft class. If he falls much further than 10, teams could ultimately regret it . Let me know which ones I've missed and I'll add the best ones to this list over time. Also, I may have to put the top 25 names on an actual dart board and start throwing actual darts at it to see if I can come up with a better mock draft. Of course I don't own a dart board, so... problem there. Also note: Ainge does not have a 2nd round pick, but he's still keeping a close eye on all the prospects - even in the lower end of the talent pool. Danny Ainge evaluates all options | Boston Herald Though the Celtics don’t have a second-round pick, Ainge still wants to see those players. “Things change day-to-day, because guys are trying to manage things,” said Ainge, who will soon start working out prospects in Waltham as well. “We’ll have workouts for second-round players, too, even though we don’t have a pick,” he said. “We’re evaluating the whole draft.”

Jay King contacted a Washington state lawyer to discuss the Terrence Williams case. See the whole interview at the link below. Washington lawyer clarifies details of Boston Celtics guard Terrence Williams being investigated for assault | masslive.com If ultimately charged and convicted of second-degree domestic assault with a firearm, Lustick said, Williams could face close to four years in jail. A second-degree domestic assault charge, which is a Class B felony, normally carries a sentence of 6-9 months, but the same charge with a firearm can add up to an additional three years. It’s also possible for Williams to face lesser charges, or none at all.

We've got more than a month to go before the NBA Draft but now that the Lottery has established who will pick where, the NBA "experts" are rolling out their updated mock drafts. Here's a few picks from some of the better mock drafts out there. Ford's Mock 3.0: Schroeder the pick - Boston Celtics Blog - ESPN Boston With the draft lottery completed, Chad Ford's Mock 3.0 was unveiled on Tuesday evening. His latest pick for the Boston Celtics at No. 16 is Germany's Dennis Schroeder: The Celtics missed Rajon Rondo so much during the 2012-13 season, why not get a clone? (In his prior 2 mocks Ford had the Celtics picking Michael Carter-Williams and Kelly Olynyk. Interestingly Ford has Carter Williams jumping up to the 7 spot in his latest mock and Olynk falling right out of the first round.) 2013 NBA Draft - CBSSports.com Basketball (Jeff Goodman) Rudy Gobert, C, France: Danny Ainge loves length and needs a rim-protector. Gobert is extremely raw on the offensive end, but he's ultra-long and can be a factor on the defensive end in time. (Previous: 11) Draft Express has the Celtics picking Steven Adams DraftExpress NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Steven Adams, Stats, Comparisons, and Outlook All in all, Adams is clearly a long-term project who a team will need to invest a few years of solid coaching in order to be able to expect to reap benefits from down the road. He may never develop into anything more than an average player offensively, but has excellent potential defensively thanks to his terrific physical tools, which could convince a NBA team to invest a pick on him somewhere late in the first round. NBADraft.net interestingly has Shabazz Muhammad falling all the way to the Celtics at 16 despite having this note in his profile. Shabazz Muhammad | NBADraft.net Despite a decline in his draft stock from his early season standing as a top 3 pick, Shabazz is still a desirable prospect and should be taken in the top 10 in a weak draft class. If he falls much further than 10, teams could ultimately regret it . Let me know which ones I've missed and I'll add the best ones to this list over time. Also, I may have to put the top 25 names on an actual dart board and start throwing actual darts at it to see if I can come up with a better mock draft. Of course I don't own a dart board, so... problem there.

Ask one person about Mason Plumlee and they'll tell you he has All Star potential in the NBA. Ask another and they will say he still isn't ready to be a professional despite playing four years at Duke. Plumlee has been an interesting topic discussion due to the disparity of reports on him. Despite the contrary reports, Mason Plumlee is expected to be selected anywhere from the middle of the lottery to around the 18th pick. Mason Plumlee Position: Power Forward Height: 6'11" Weight: 238 Age: 23 Mason Plumlee played significant minutes in all four of his seasons with the Duke Blue Devils, but it wasn't until his senior season that he cracked 30 minutes per game, with 34.7. He averaged 17.1 points on 59.9 percent shooting, 10 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game before Duke's season ended in the Elite 8 against the eventual champion Louisville Cardinals. Be sure to give me a follow on Twitter @Kevin__OConnor and let me know what players you'd like to see profiled next! Follow @Kevin__OConnor Offense Overview Mason Plumlee is an exciting player in transition, often finishing fast breaks with huge alley-oop dunks. He's efficient in catch and finish situations, which is the main reason he shot 59.9 percent as a senior. However, Plumlee is not a shooter due to a noticeable hitch in his shot release. Plumlee's a terrific screener, which makes him a threat in the pick and roll. Plumlee has the tools to get better on the offensive end and has improved on the post, but still needs to take his game to another level to proven he can play in the half court. Defense Overview Plumlee is an extremely athletic player but it doesn't exactly translate to the floor. He's not a shot blocker and is a very bad pick and roll defender. Mason often gets beat by ball handlers even when he has good positioning on them. Despite the concerns on the perimeter, he is a solid defender on the post. On the boards, Plumlee does a great job of boxing out and establishing positioning for rebounds. Keep an eye on the hyperlinks throughout this article, click on them to see videos of Mason Plumlee! Full Analysis Athleticism/Intangibles At the NBA Draft Combine, Mason Plumlee proved that he is an impressive athlete. Plumlee is a good leaper, recording an impressive 36-inch vertical. This makes him useful on the offensive end but his lackluster 30.5-inch standing vertical and short wingspan could hinder his ability elsewhere on the court. Running the floor, Plumlee shows great speed, frequently getting in front of the defense on the offensive break. However, when it comes to lateral speed, Plumlee is quite slow. This gets him into trouble on the defensive end since he can easily get beat by quicker players. Jump Shot Plumlee's most significant weakness on the offensive end is his jump shot. Mason looks like he "pushes" the ball towards the basket instead of actually shooting the ball. NBA teams would have liked him to make strides in his senior season but it didn't happen. Plumlee still shoots with no confidence around the perimeter and hasn't improved technically. Click here to watch DraftExpress' perfect breakdown of the problems Plumlee has when shooting the basketball. The hitch in his delivery forces him to shoot the ball flat towards the hoop. Considering his height, it almost appears that his shot is a line drive. If Plumlee simply removes this hitch from his delivery, he will create more arc with his shot, and a higher success rate. However, considering the lack of improvement since his freshman year, it's a wonder if that adjustment will ever be made. His lack of shooting ability is especially concerning because it doesn't make him a threat in the pick and pop. Plumlee arguably sets the best screens out of any of the bigs in the draft, so it's a shame that he doesn't have a jumper to compliment that. As a result, defenders will always play him to roll to the basket since he isn't a risk to hit the outside shot. H

With the draft lottery in the books and we now know the order of the top 14 picks, the mocks can start getting serious. We now know that Cleveland gets the top pick (AGAIN!) with Orlando #2 and Washington #3. An interesting note from the lottery is that the Raptors didn't move up and had the #12 pick. If their pick had been in the top 11, they would have kept the pick. But, since they have the 12th pick, the Thunder will now get that pick. This is a case of the rich getting richer. The Celtics will have the 16th pick, just 2 outside the lottery picks. I thought it would be fun to take a look at the history of the 16th pick to see what illustrious players were chosen in that spot through the years. Here it is from 1982 through 2012. 1982 Terry Teagle (HOU) 1983 John Sunvold (SEA) 1984 John Stockton (UTA) 1985 Bill Wennington (DAL) 1986 Mo Martin (DEN) 1987 Christian Welp (PHI) 1988 Derrick Chievous (HOU) 1989 Dana Barros (SEA) 1990 Terry Mills (MIL) Lots more after the Jump! 1991 Chris Gatling (GSW) 1992 Randy Woods (LAC) 1993 Rex Walters (NJN) 1994 Clifford Rozier (GSW) 1995 Alan Henderson (ATL) 1996 Tony Delk (CHH) 1997 Brevin Knight (CLE) 1998 Bryce Drew (HOU) 1999 Ron Artest (CHI) 2000 Hedo Turkoglu (SAC) 2001 Kirk Haston (CHH) 2002 Jiri Welsh (PHI) 2003 Troy Bell (BOS) (traded for Marcus Banks taken #13) 2004 Kirk Snyder (UTA) 2005 Joey Graham (TOR) 2006 Rodney Carney (CHI) 2007 Nick Young (WAS) 2008 Marreese Speights (PHI) 2009 James Johnson (CHI) 2010 Luke Babbitt (MIN) 2011 Nikola Vucevic (PHI) 2012 Royce White (HOU) I'm sure your first thought in looking over this list is to wonder who in the world many of these guys are. There certainly seem to be quite a few who never made a mark in the league. Other than John Stockton, I wouldn't consider most of these guys stars. There are a few who have had nice careers as role players. The Celtics have had the 16th pick one other time since 1982 and that was in 2003 when they picked Troy Bell and then traded him to Memphis for Marcus Banks, who was taken 13th. Three players who had been the #16 pick ended up with the Celtics later in their careers: Dana Barros, Tony Delk and Jiri Welsch. Now, let's take a look at just a few players taken after the 16th pick that you might recognize . Doc Rivers (31) Mark Price (25) Reggie Lewis (22) Mark Jackson (18) Brian Shaw (24) Rick Barry (18) Dino Raja (40) Joe Dumars (18) AC Green (23) Stephen Jackson (42) Ricky Davis (21) Al Harrington (25) Tyronn Lue (23) Manu Ginobili (57) Eddie House (37) James Posey (18) Andrei Kirilenko (24) Manu Ginobili (57) Zach Randolph (18) Tony Parker (28) Gilbert Arenas (30) Tayshaun Prince (23) Carlos Boozer (34) David West (18) Kendrick Perkins (27) Anderson Varejao (30) Tony Allen (25) Delonte West (24) Kevin Martin (26) JR Smith (18) Josh Smith (17) Danny Granger (17) David Lee (30) Marcin Gortat (57) Tiago Splitter (28) Big Baby Davis (35) Roy Hibbert (17) Serge Ibaka (24) Jrue Holliday (17) Eric Bledsoe (18) Avery Bradley (19) Iman Shumpert (17) Kenneth Faried (22) Norris Cole (28) Jimmy Butler (30) Drafting is such an inexact science. Even some of the #1 picks have not been stars and many players that were passed over by every team in the first round like Manu Ginobili, Anderson Varejao, David Lee, and Doc Rivers ended up being very solid players. We can only hope that Danny does his due diligence and finds a gem at #16. Of course there is always the possibility of a trade - up, down, or out of the first round. Expect a lot of rumors and mock drafts between now and the draft. [Discuss on CG Forums!]

Dan Gilbert's kid was lucky once again. For the second time since LeBron left, the Cleveland Cavs have the top pick. Most believe that they'll pick Nerlens Noel. Cleveland Cavaliers win 2013 NBA Draft lottery - SBNation.com Considering Varejao's fragility, Cleveland might turn to Nerlens Noel with their top pick. Noel is coming off of an injury as well and is expected to make a full recovery. Noel would make opposing teams consider before driving the lane on the Cavs. Cleveland averaged four blocks a game last season, good for second-to-last in the league. Noel averaged 4.4 blocks a game by himself for the Kentucky Wildcats last season. The other big winner was the Wizards who were slotted for the 8th spot but moved all the way up to number 3. On weird years like this one, I feel like for some reason the Wizards might walk away with the best pick in the draft when all is said and done. We'll see though. Oh yeah, and the Magic got the 2 pick. So what does all this have to do with the Celtics? Not likely anything, but at least we know the draft order now.