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The NBA will hold it’s annual combine in Chicago this week, but it will not give teams as good as look at young studs as they’d like. Players and their agents can refuse to workout for teams not drafting in the top three starts, and can also refuse to workout against guys who could expose potential weaknesses. (if that’s even possible in a short scrimmage) Unlike other combines, such as the NFL’s, these guys will not be “under the microscope.” And some guys will most likely not even attend period. As Murphy writes, there are no more 5 on 5 scrimmages and teams only get 30 minutes to actually sit down and talk with prospective picks. Danny says that he really doesn’t even remember doing so with recent draftees Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t remember all that much from our interviews with Jared (Sullinger) and Kelly(Olynyk),” Ainge said of his most significant rookies from the past two years. “The thing to remember is that all players are getting advice from their agents. A big thing this week will be us trying to schedule workouts.”
Honestly, with all of the information available about this year’s draft class on the internet, there’s probably not a whole lot to be gained from this combine. Ainge and his scouting crew most likely already have some players on their radar that they may try and sit down with for a few minutes. And like most everything else going on with the Celtics this summer, so much hinges on just where those ping-pong balls wind up on May 20th. Boston has the fifth best odds at getting the top pick in this year’s draft, and their worst case scenario would be picking at number eight. The one tangible thing scouts will learn from this combine however, is just what kind of shape players are in. You simply cannot hide a gut or getting winded after a few light drills. Ainge is still optimistic.
“We’re dealing with a lot of young kids here, so there’s the potential to learn something new every time. In Chicago you don’t learn all that much, other than what they’ve been doing in their conditioning programs since the season ended.”
Related links: NBA.com: Players Get Ready To Show Stuff At Combine
Page 2: KG gives Ray a little shove during scuffle
During Brooklyn’s 104-90 win over Miami last night, Alan Anderson and Ray Allen got tangled up, and a fracas ensued. KG came over to drag Anderson out from the middle of the scrum, and gave Ray a little shove in the process. Nothing major, but definitely the most significant interaction between the two since Ray bolted from Beantown. Brooklyn is now down 2-1 in the best-of-seven series with the Miami Creeps.
And finally…
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there from all of us here at Red’s. Have a wonderful day!
The rest of the links:
ESPN Boston: Stevens Back At Butler | CSNNE: Stevens Gets Honorary Degree At Butler | Hoops Habit: Sullinger Set For Switch To PF |]]>
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