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.
Aaron Gordon
Boston Celtics (25 – 57)Odds of winning lottery: 10.3 percent
Analysis: The Celtics could go a lot of different ways here, but most of those ways duplicate something they already have. The team would love to get their hands on Embiid, as he would help them with one of their biggest needs. But Gordon is intriguing here. He’s a hybrid forward, but his athleticism and motor allow him to thrive at both the three and the four defensively. He adds toughness and does all the little things coaches love. I think he’d be a great fit on this Celtics squad.
ESPN’s Chad Ford has the Celtics selecting Arizona’s Aaron Gordon with the 5th pick in the NBA draft.
According to his scouting report, Gordon is a freakish athlete, explosive leaper, and excellent defender. The only flaw in his game is he can’t shoot. He can’t shoot from 3 or from mid-range or from the free-throw line. He cannot create his own shot.
Yikes.
Do we really want Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Part II?
Yes, there’s value in having a guy like Gordon. You need a player who can defend explosive wings.
But Gordon doesn’t fit on this Celtics squad. You can’t pair him with Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley. The Celtics would never score.
Maybe I’m too focused on the Celtics keeping the Rondo-Bradley backcourt and finding an offensive minded wing player to complement them. Maybe I haven’t accepted the fact that the Celtics might have to draft a rotation role player with their top draft pick. Damn those who overhyped this draft class.
My draft motto remains, “If the pick isn’t top 3, set it free.”
On Page 2, Jared Sullinger’s summer focus will be conditioning.
As Sullinger readily admits, Stevens went at him hard in the meeting, mapping out a work schedule for the summer designed to improve the forward’s conditioning.
At this time last summer, Sullinger was recovering from back surgery, and hadn’t regained his fitness by the start of training camp. Sullinger’s conditioning then became a season-long issue.
So Sullinger has a grueling summer with team fitness and strength coach Bryan Doo to contemplate.
“It went well,” Sullinger said of his exit meeting. “Coach told me what he saw. Coach told me what I could do better, and coach was really honest. Now I know what he’s looking for. Sometimes you can’t say stuff during the season. You don’t want to change what’s going on during the season. But once the season was over he came at me and told me what he wants, what he needs from me. Now is the time to change.
“He just said what he wants at the offensive and defensive end. He showed flashes of telling me that during the season, but not like he did during the exit interviews. Once my conditioning comes into (form), everything else will follow suit.”
This is a big summer for Jared Sullinger. I’m not expecting him to come into camp looking like Karl Malone, but he needs to replace the baby fat with muscle.
Remember when Kendrick Perkins had a doughy physique?
And finally… A Rajon Rondo sighting in Kentucky.
You never know who you’ll run into at the courthouse. Today: Rajon Rondo. pic.twitter.com/Vndgu1hrTK
— Alex Davis (@KYPREPSAlex) April 22, 2014
The rest of the links:
CFJC TV – Olynyk on his 1st season in Boston |
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