Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
“(Celtics president of basketball operations) Danny (Ainge has) given me a list of seven or eight guys to really look at. And then obviously we have so many other guys coming in at other pick opportunities, and we’ll see everybody come through. It’ll be probably hard for a true sleeper to get by us. So it’s really a great opportunity with the number of picks we have, where we are with that (No. 3) pick in the draft. And there’s so much yet to be determined.”
The list of seven or eight potential No. 3 picks could include: Dragan Bender, Kris Dunn, Jamal Murray, Jaylen Brown, Buddy Hield, Skal Labissiere, Deyonta Davis and/or Marquese Chriss. Ainge also likely wants Stevens to take a look at Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram just in case either of those players fall (or the Celtics somehow trade up, which seems improbable).
After studying all the prospects, Stevens will provide his input to Ainge — who will consider the analysis, but make the final decision himself.
Stevens, like a dozen other coaches in the Eastern Conference, is done coaching professional players for the year (and, really, what is going on, Dwane Casey? You going to at least make the Cavs break a sweat at some point before June?)
The look’s toward the future now, and Stevens has definite input in who the Celtics will choose, should they keep the #3 pick (a decision which will undoubtedly cause a flareup of angry commenters frothing at the keyboard.)
Page 2: Where for a spare $1.3 million, you, too, can buy out Dragan Bender.
The buyout clause in Dragan Bender’s contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv is small enough it should not pose any significant issues after he is drafted, according to The Vertical’s Jonathan Givony.
Givony reported Friday that Bender has a “relatively small” $1.3 million buyout, which “should pose no obstacles to him joining the NBA team that drafts him June 23.”
Back in the 60s, if you wanted to be different, but not too different from your friends, you liked the Dave Clark Five (ask Mike Dynon–he was there, and he’s nodding in agreement right now as he’s reading this). They sounded kind of like the Beatles, but they weren’t exactly the Beatles. They had a guy who played saxophone.
Dragan Bender might end up being the Dave Clark Five to Kristaps Porzingis’ Beatles. A me-too selection wherein a team attempts to get something that is ‘the next’ Porzingis, without realizing there’s never a ‘next’ anyone in anything.
Of course, it’s tough to state the long-term outcome for certain, but Bender is definitely not as pro-ready as Porzingis was last season. At any rate, he’s no Dario Saric, so you’re not wasting a pick Philly-style if you pick him.
Page 2A: But apparently the Celtics love him!
If Boston decides to pick a big man, Bender might be its best option, although he’s only 18 and has limited experience. He only averaged 13.7 points in in 26 games for Maccabi Tel Aviv during the 2015-16 Israel Super Basketball League, and his playing time decreased even more for the Euroleague and Eurocup, according to Basketball.RealGM.com. But it’s hard to argue with his potential at 7-foot-1, 225 pounds.
Ah yes. Potential.
Page 3: Where the Celtics roster is a big messy story problem
The qualifying offer for Zeller is $3,695,169. Even though Sullinger (21st) was drafted four places behind Zeller (17th) in 2012 and therefore was working under a smaller base salary starting point, his qualifying offer is higher. That’s because Sullinger set off the so-called “starter criteria” by starting in at least 41 games this past season (he started 73). That brought his qualifying offer from $3,270,004 to $4,433,683.
If given the offers, players have the ability to accept them, play out the season and become unrestricted free agents, though few go this route.
If the Celtics make deals around the draft that clear the roster logjam, they might be very interested in bringing back Zeller, who averaged 10.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in 2014-15 when given reasonable playing time (21.1 minutes per game, as opposed to the 11.8 minutes and several DNPs this season).
He also was effective in the three games he played against Atlanta in the playoffs. But it’s likely the 7-footer will be looking for a landing spot with more security and assurances of a chance to be a more solid part of a rotation.
The Celtics are reaching a point with their roster/pick/cap space situation where Ainge may need to swap out one of his statisticians for a quantum physicist. Steve Bulpett does his best to give an overview in the article linked above, but last I checked, the best survey of Boston’s options was a doctoral dissertation being prepared at MIT by an individual who, unfortunately, went insane while trying to account for potential second round salary cap holds.
The rest of the links:
Boston.com: Celtics Report Card: Grading the guards
Boston Herald: Zhou Qi’s potential could lead to much NBA draft intrigue
CSNNE: Blakely: Celtics have their man in Brad Stevens
ESPN (Paywall!): NBA draft gym report: Ingram, Murray, Maker
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