This is why the people who run basketball teams are infinitely smarter than idiot bloggers like me. Because I would be going to to things like the NBA draft combine and focusing primarily on figuring out who the Celtics could draft at picks 21 and 22.
But the Celtics and the Spurs, two of the most well-run organizations in the sport, also see the long-term opportunities to plant some seeds.
In yet another sign that the teams at the top never stop working, San Antonio (no first-round picks) and Boston (Nos. 21 and 22) requested combine interviews with numerous high-profile prospects whom they have no chance of drafting. Silly though it may seem, the teams see it as their only chance to connect with a promising player who will be a free agent someday
Pretty slick. Hell, I’d call this a legal pre-tampering sort of thing. And there’s really nothing anyone can do about it. You can’t make a rule that says “you can’t talk to someone you’re not likely to draft” because you don’t know what kind of trades these guys might be cooking up, nor can you predict how low a guy would drop.
It’s just another example of how these teams take advantage of everything they can to get an edge, and how far ahead they plan. While you and I are so intensely focused on what’s going to happen in a couple of days, these guys are looking three years down the road.
One other note from that piece:
Washington’s Terrence Ross has serious sleeper potential, and all of it — the range, quickness and athleticism — is there for teams to see in this process. The 6-7, 197-pound guard is taking the nothing-to-hide approach to promoting himself. He said he has already worked out with the Timberwolves, Celtics, Nuggets and Hornets, and has sessions scheduled with the Raptors, 76ers, Suns and Trail Blazers. He averaged 16.4 points and 6.4 rebounds for the Huskies last season while playing alongside a point guard in fellow draft prospect Tony Wroten who had more turnovers (132) than assists (130).
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