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Post by hedleylamarr on Jul 28, 2016 8:49:03 GMT -5
Former second round pick Colton Iverson has agreed to a vet camp deal with the Celtics - per hoopshype, This should be a fun pre-season!!
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Post by hedleylamarr on Jul 28, 2016 10:15:36 GMT -5
Update - this may have been premature, as Jay King reports - "there is no agreement...."
Very strange!
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Post by Admin on Jul 28, 2016 20:26:33 GMT -5
www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2016/07/source_no_agreement_between_co.html"They're putting together a really good team and they're establishing themselves, and they've got a good foundation right now. So I understand their roster situation," Iverson said in June. "They have a ton of draft picks. I'm hoping I get my shot or my opportunity, but if not I'll just keep working hard to get to where I need to be. And hopefully another team or Boston will finally make a move." As long as the Celtics hold his rights, Iverson is not free to sign with another NBA team. A trade would be needed to send him elsewhere. To keep his rights, the Celtics are required to offer a nonguaranteed contract tender. He could theoretically accept it and, if waived, become a free agent. That would be a risk though since he could be passed over for higher-paying contracts elsewhere while in training camp with Boston.
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Post by Admin on Aug 24, 2016 15:24:06 GMT -5
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY SportsBoston Celtics Need to be Stronger in the Paintby Joshua Bateman The Boston Celtics need to prove that they can be a stronger finishing team in the paint this season The Boston Celtics showed a willingness to be aggressive in the paint, but the results simply were not good enough. The Celtics need to attack the paint to have a successful offense but they will struggle until they do a better job of executing and finishing. The fact that the Celtics were one of the smallest teams in the league that continually went to a three guard lineup is not a good reason as to why they struggled so much on the inside. Collectively, the Celtics were able to do very little to help what they could do on the inside and that often lead to far too many forced plays on both ends of the court. Al Horford puts the Celtics in a significantly better position to be stronger in the paint, but most of the responsibility will fall on the guards. Over the past two seasons the Celtics have had their offense lead by incredibly aggressive guards who need to be able to attack the paint. Unfortunately, a lot of opportunities were wasted by ineffective play in the paint. It comes as no surprise to know the Celtics were blocked the seventh most times in the league last year, while not generating nearly enough free throws in order to make up for that. The Celtics were able to attack the paint, but that is exactly what defenses wanted them to do. Isaiah Thomas is an outlier on the Celtics. He lead the league in drives to the rim and did a phenomenal job of generating contact. Unfortunately, no one else on the Celtics posses that same kind of unique skill set that allows Thomas to be so effective in the paint. Boston Celtics The Celtics play in an offensive system where they need to be able to be effective in the paint, and they can approach their potential if they are able to get an advantage in that area. The Celtics need to find ways to make up for their poor shooting, and continually getting stuffed in the paint compounds their biggest problem. The Celtics need to be stronger in the paint because that is where they can do a huge bulk of their damage. They also need to be stronger in the paint in order to make life easier on their perimeter shooters.The Celtics were number two in the league in total drives to the rim as a team, and that will inevitably make them one of the most blocked teams in the league. Unfortunately, they still have not found the balance they need in those areas. Even with their high volume of drives, the Celtics have not been able to finish the way they need to be in order to be an elite offense.
The Celtics will continue to depend heavily on finishing at the rim and that can hurt their offensive potential if they are being abused by shot blockers. In addition to the high volume of blocks by opponents on the Celtics, their overall field goal percentage while driving is no where near where it should be.The Celtics lack elite shooting and the addition of Horford will not be enough to elevate their shooting to where it needs to be. The Celtics should be an improved shooting team, but they are far off from being a good shooting team. When it comes to driving to the rim, the Celtics were not good last season but that is where they can become elite in the league and that is where their offense needs to be strongest this season. The Celtics shot just 45.4% on drives to the rim, and that is going to be unacceptable next season. The Celtics need to be aggressive but they also need to be intelligent. Thomas was so effective last year because of his keen ability to know when he needed to attack and when he needed to distribute. The rest of the team, however, needs to become smarter with their drives to the rim, but they need to do that without losing their aggressiveness. Horford will make the decision making easier. He will do a better job than anyone else on the team at opening up lanes to the rim and providing floor spacing. Stevens will certainly look to use Horford in ways that will open things up on the inside, if nothing else because of how little trust there is in their outside shooting. If the Celtics cannot be a top shooting team, they need to be a top team driving to the rim. Thomas will hold his own but their offense cannot succeed if they are not functioning as a unit. The Celtics had a high scoring offense last year but it was far too inefficient. They used great ball movement to create open looks, unfortunately they were not effective in finishing those looks. The easiest way for the Celtics to become a more efficient team is at the rim. They need to cut out driving into a far too cluttered paint area and they need to avoid forcing things on the inside because that is where they need to be their most effective.
The Celtics will always look to take advantage of opportunities all over the court, but the bottom line is that the paint is where they can get the most immediate improvement. They need to make sure they properly use Horford’s presence in order to make life easier on the guards who will be living in the paint. The Celtics know what Thomas can do driving to the rim, and with the way Terry Rozier struggled to shoot last year, he could be driving at an even higher rate than Thomas, but that is the last area the Celtics can afford to be throwing opportunities away.
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Post by Admin on Aug 24, 2016 15:44:11 GMT -5
Boston Celtics: Free Jordan Mickey Part Two?by Jeremy Karll Jordan Mickey may be stuck in the D-League for a second straight season ...
(Admin Comment: So much for him as a "stronger center" ... Zeller gets a 2nd chance)After being drafted with the 33rd pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Jordan Mickey failed to crack the Boston Celtics‘ rotation as a rookie. He appeared in just 16 games for a total of 57 minutes. While second round picks aren’t even guaranteed a roster spot, let alone playing time, the lack of minutes Mickey saw was surprising, nonetheless. He was seen as a possible first round pick in 2015, and was coming off a solid sophomore season at LSU. Simply put, if he was drafted by the right team he had a chance to become an instant contributor and help a team as a rookie. The Boston Celtics was not the right team for the scenario, though. On a team that owned a mediocre front court, at best, with no true star in it, there was still no room for Mickey. Jared Sullinger and Amir Johnson locked down the starting roles, while Kelly Olynyk and Jonas Jerebko were the main backups. Veteran David Lee saw action early in the season prior to being waived, while Tyler Zeller played sparingly throughout the entire season. Even though the Celtics averaged a mere 4.2 blocks per game (tied for eighth-worst in NBA), Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens stuck with their veterans the whole season. They did so knowing Jordan Mickey was averaging a D-League high 4.4 blocks per contest over 23 games for the Maine Red Claws. The unexpected winning that occurred shifted Ainge’s and Stevens’ thinking from development of younger players to getting closer to a championship quickly.Even without the unexpected season the Celtics had, you could understand the reasoning behind Jordan Mickey needing to earn his minutes early on. Minutes are earned under Brad Stevens, not given. First round picks Terry Rozier and R.J. Hunter had to do the same thing, making it only right that Boston turn to their veterans rather than a second round pick with no NBA experience early in the year. Then the injury bug hit Boston. Kelly Olynyk was hurt right before the All-Star break and Jae Crowder went down with a high ankle sprain. It seemed like a blessing in disguise for the Celtics. While they lost two key components to their success, it did leave a door open for Jordan Mickey. He could slide in perfectly as a power forward or a center in a small ball lineup as his athleticism would allow him to keep up with the fast pace.Instead Boston played their starters and Jonas Jerebko more, with Tyler Zeller starting to play every game. Mickey would come in during the end of blowouts, one time blocking three shots in just five seconds against the Memphis Grizzlies. That alone shouldn’t put him in the rotation but paired with his dominating performances in Maine, it becomes mind-boggling that he didn’t even reach 100 minutes played as a rookie. This offseason was hyped up to be a big one for the Boston Celtics, especially in terms of their front court. Despite winning 48 games and taking two from the Atlanta Hawks in the postseason, the Celtics lack of a true front court threat was concerning. Jared Sullinger was inconsistent during his time in Boston and Kelly Olynyk is a catch-and-shoot target rather than someone you can run a pick-and-pop with. All eyes were set on Al Horford. The Celtics were able to end their long history of failing to attract a star in free agency as they inked Horford to a four-year max deal. Adding top-end talent to the front court was expected, but there was still expected to be room for Jordan Mickey in 2016-17. In fact, this was branded as his breakout year to many.While keeping Amir Johnson for $12 million and Jonas Jerebko for $5 million were no-brainers, it did make Mickey’s role on the team even more foggy. Horford did average an impressive 1.5 blocks per game last season, but he’s far from an All-Star caliber rim protector.
It’s not to say that Mickey would be top-10 in blocks per game right away and solidify himself as one of the best defensive bigs in the game, but he does own the potential to get to that point one day. Seeing how he’d be able to play in the NBA over a stretch of time with consistent minutes was expected during his second NBA season, especially if he put together a solid summer league. Mickey missed the Utah Summer League due to a shoulder injury, but he did return for the Celtics five games in Las Vegas. Mickey averaged a solid 9.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and one block per game over five games. He shot 56.3 percent from the field, as well. The injury did hold him to just 25 minutes per night, therefore his per 36 minutes averages were 14.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.4 blocks. When it comes down to it, Mickey didn’t solidify himself as the team’s best big man. In fact, Guerschon Yabusele arguably had a more impressive summer league than Mickey. The Celtics don’t need a ton of offense from Mickey, however he wasn’t the rim protector that many envisioned him being in summer league after dominating the D-League the whole year. Mickey had just one multi-block game and his final game against the Portland Trail Blazers was his lone double-double – 12 points and 13 rebounds. Sure, the injury could have hampered him somewhat, but he wasn’t the same dominating force that averaged a double-double in the D-League last season. His numbers were solid but it wasn’t good enough for a player trying to prove he deserves minutes in the NBA. The Celtics felt the same way as they later inked Tyler Zeller to a two-year, $16 million deal. It was a puzzling move at the time, and almost ensures that Jordan Mickey will once again miss being one of the 12 players to suit up every night. His 15-man roster spot is seemingly safe at the time, although with second round pick Ben Bentil earning a partially guaranteed deal, Mickey’s time with Boston could be over before it started. At the time of the Zeller signing, a possible trade scenario could have made Zeller a sign-and-trade candidate. Or that Boston was going to move Amir Johnson or Jonas Jerebko and wanted more experience than just Mickey to replace them in the rotation. As the time has passed, though, it’s evident that Brad Stevens and the Celtics just like what Tyler Zeller brings to the table, and aren’t likely to strike up a trade right now.Boston isn’t going to put one of their veteran big men down to the D-League, meaning Mickey is likely going to be the 13th man on the roster and start his second season in Maine. An injury could eventually give him his chance, although the #FreeJordanMickey hashtag could once again be in use. When it comes down to it, next season could be Mickey’s year. Al Horford and Jordan Mickey are the only two front court players guaranteed to be on the roster next season. But Boston will still try to bring back Olynyk, and will want to add a mixture of Ben Bentil, Guerschon Yabusele and Ante Zizic to the rotation.While none project to be the rim protector Mickey is, and will need time to develop, the Celtics didn’t seem too concerned about rim protection last season and won’t be in the future if Horford adds even a little stability in that area. Not to mention their desire to also add another top-end talent to their front court alongside Horford. It’s tough to watch a guy budding with potential being stashed in the D-League as a rookie, and possibly as a second-year player, but it’s likely going to happen to Jordan Mickey. Bringing back Tyler Zeller signified the Celtics thinking towards his development, but with the picks and stashed prospects coming to Boston over the next couple of seasons, Mickey’s window of making an impact on Boston is closing quickly.
hardwoodhoudini.com/2016/08/24/boston-celtics-freejordanmickey-part-2/
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Post by hedleylamarr on Aug 25, 2016 12:04:01 GMT -5
It's on him to crack the rotation. This is his second year. Johnson is done after this year, as is Jerebko. Sully is gone and Oly is hurt. Mickey can make it or break it this pre-sesason.
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Post by Employee8 on Aug 25, 2016 12:22:50 GMT -5
It's on him to crack the rotation. This is his second year. Johnson is done after this year, as is Jerebko. Sully is gone and Oly is hurt. Mickey can make it or break it this pre-sesason. Lots of reports have spot #15 coming down to Mickey or Hunter vs Bentil. I can see Mickey getting this season to prove himself but if Bentil has a great camp could Hunter & Bentil both make the roster over Mickey? It would be far too easy to cut Bentil and assign him to the RedClaws but another NBA team with roster space could scoop him up. If the C's think he's got more offense than Hunter why not trade Hunter especially with Green here now? Personally, I'm not that intrigued with Hunter so far. Been a bit of a disappointment like Young though more aggressive. Mickey's offense may not be as good as Bentil's can be but Mickey brings the defense that Bentil lacks so it's a tough call between the two but assuming our D is better with Horford then Mickey isn't as vital as he once was and offense may be more important from a bench big. I still feel another "two or three for one" is coming and that could resolve all this but I hope we get one more C ... Sanders, Noel, etc.
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Post by hedleylamarr on Aug 25, 2016 12:27:58 GMT -5
Young needs to go, that would be 15 (?) guaranteed deals. IF Bentil does well, keep him and Mickey. Jackson and Hunter to D League.... Thomas/Rozier Bradley/Smart Crowder/Brown Johnson/Jerebko Horford/Zeller Green, Bentil and Mickey, with Oly hurt right now But, what do I know, or any of us know about the future, right??
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Post by Employee8 on Aug 25, 2016 12:45:07 GMT -5
Young needs to go, that would be 15 (?) guaranteed deals. IF Bentil does well, keep him and Mickey. Jackson and Hunter to D League.... Thomas/Rozier Bradley/Smart Crowder/Brown Johnson/Jerebko Horford/Zeller Green, Bentil and Mickey, with Oly hurt right now But, what do I know, or any of us know about the future, right?? So they can cut Hunter (regardless of guaranteed contract) and have him sign with ME. I guess the risk is that another NBA team picks him up ... but would they then be responsible for his "guarantee" or are the C's on the hook once they cut him? If that's the case, they'd be better off trading him for a late 1st or early 2nd round draft pick ....
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Post by puddin on Aug 25, 2016 12:45:45 GMT -5
Young needs to go, that would be 15 (?) guaranteed deals. IF Bentil does well, keep him and Mickey. Jackson and Hunter to D League.... Thomas/Rozier Bradley/Smart Crowder/Brown Johnson/Jerebko Horford/Zeller Green, Bentil and Mickey, with Oly hurt right now But, what do I know, or any of us know about the future, right?? Attachment DeletedAnyone want to invest a few bucks gazing into the future? $2 for a "wild guess" sounds like a bargain to me. Pud
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Post by hedleylamarr on Aug 25, 2016 13:10:08 GMT -5
We're talking about the last five roster spots here. I think the first 10 are pretty good, once KO comes back. Zeller would be 11, and Green would be 12. We can dress 13, so.........it's wide open, and I love that!!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2016 17:27:33 GMT -5
I think your both right Bentil and Mickey stay and Hunter and Jackson to the d league.
Hunter hasn't excited me much either. I don't think he'll get us a decent pick however. At this point he's worth very little in a trade.
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Post by hedleylamarr on Aug 25, 2016 20:26:16 GMT -5
Iverson just got released by the Celtics. They want him to have a shot to make a roster someplace else, so they have renounced his rights. Guess this thread is dead!!
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Post by Admin on Aug 25, 2016 20:42:24 GMT -5
Iverson just got released by the Celtics. They want him to have a shot to make a roster someplace else, so they have renounced his rights. Guess this thread is dead!!Not yet ... I'm holding out for Sanders or Noel.
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Post by hedleylamarr on Aug 25, 2016 21:43:58 GMT -5
Iverson just got released by the Celtics. They want him to have a shot to make a roster someplace else, so they have renounced his rights. Guess this thread is dead!!Not yet ... I'm holding out for Sanders or Noel. Yeah, I am too. But I started this thread with a rumor that Iverson was coming to training camp......so we need another thread for Sanders or Noel.
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