How the Celtics can get Austin Rivers

[Evantime34]

From what Doc said last night, it didn't seem like he'd be opposed to it. I think we will end up with a starter from the draft next year at either the 5 or the 2. Austin Rivers could be that two. I don't think Ray will stay next year.

Austin  is a natural scorer. Doc will help him improve his defense passing and shot selection. This team needs to improve their scoring and rebounding next year. Austin cooked help fill the scoring void.

[JSD]

Is response to the title:

Draft him, we'll likley have the positioning.

[Smokeeye123]

I don't see how Austin is a lottery pick. Definitely see him falling.

Good offensively 1on1 but needs to improve basically everything else.

[thestackshow]

I don't see how Austin is a lottery pick. Definitely see him falling.

Good offensively 1on1 but needs to improve basically everything else.

Sounds like a perfect Danny Ainge pick.

Almost all of Dannys picks are works in progress, have talent, but arent NBA ready for at least 1-2 seasons.

[lightspeed5]

From what Doc said last night, it didn't seem like he'd be opposed to it. I think we will end up with a starter from the draft next year at either the 5 or the 2. Austin Rivers could be that two. I don't think Ray will stay next year.

Austin  is a natural scorer. Doc will help him improve his defense passing and shot selection. This team needs to improve their scoring and rebounding next year. Austin cooked help fill the scoring void.

Exactly. doc seemed like he even looked forward to it, and he seemed excited about the possibility. Austin can create his own shot, and that is quality that is impossible to teach. It'd be a great player to add in the void of ray allen, or to play behind ray allen.

[lightspeed5]

I don't see how Austin is a lottery pick. Definitely see him falling.

Good offensively 1on1 but needs to improve basically everything else.

Sounds like a perfect Danny Ainge pick.

Almost all of Dannys picks are works in progress, have talent, but arent NBA ready for at least 1-2 seasons.

it almost makes too much sense

[MBz]

Guys, it makes zero sense to draft this kid.  Him and Rondo do not fit together at all.  He has not shown the ability to be successful off the ball.  He needs the ball in his hands all the time.  I really think Will Barton looks like a better NBA prospect.

[Kane3387]

Via Chad ford insider

Rivers has clearly modeled his game, demeanor, everything after Kobe Bryant. He has a ton of NBA moves in his arsenal and has the attitude. The problem is that Rivers is no Kobe.

Kobe was an all-world explosive athlete, which allows him to do things that Rivers tries to do but isn't nearly as successful at. Scouts expect Rivers' lack of explosive athletic ability will become even more apparent at the next level.

For Rivers to have a really successful NBA career, he's going to have to drop the Kobe act and become a better shooter and really work on that floater. If he does that, he'll be really effective. But I'm not sure he knows what he is, and that has been, time and time again, a problem for players as they make the leap to the next level.

On the celtics possibly getting him.

We have him as the 15th-rated prospect on our Big Board and going No. 21 in our latest mock. However, as I reported Wednesday, a number of NBA GMs think we have him too low.

You can expect he'll go somewhere between 10 and 20 on draft night. Expect teams like the Cavs, Jazz, Blazers, Nets and Rockets to give him a long look.

The most interesting scenario might be in Boston if Rivers is still on the board. The Celtics are slated to pick 17th. The team will be in rebuilding mode this summer and will want to build around someone with star potential. Would Austin's dad want to coach him? Would Celtics' GM Danny Ainge allow it? Such a move would put a lot of pressure on both Doc and Austin. One source close to the process said they're hoping Austin's off the board before Doc and Ainge have to make that call.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Wh do we need this kid..? Is he 7 feet yet..?

[SHAQATTACK]

Wh do we need this kid..? Is he 7 feet yet..?

Exactly,  what are we supposed to do , join a midget league.

[lightspeed5]

avery bradley isnt 7feet tall when we got him....

austin rivers is the type of guy that danny ainge likes. A high school stud who didnt meet all expectactions in college, and had his draft stock reduced. high ceiling, low-med risk, guard with all-star potential.


check this out:

http://espn.go.com/college-sports//basketball/recruiting/playerrankings/_/view/espnu100/sort/rank/class/2009

Avery bradley was ranked #1 in high school. draft stock tumbled making him attainable by us.


http://espn.go.com/college-sports//basketball/recruiting/playerrankings/_/view/espnu100/sort/rank/class/2011

Austin rivers is ranked #3 in his high school class, and  his draft stock has fallen making him attainable by us.


makes too much sense.

[lightspeed5]

also anyone remember when Danny Ainge invited Jeremiah Rivers to the Celtics training camp?

[RajonRondOWNED]

I'm going to assume a lot of you who say you watched him play college ball and that's why you don't want to draft him, don't watch a lot of college ball.

This is how it works with power teams in the NCAA. North Carolina/Duke/Kentucky/Kansas/Syracuse etc. They always get these star high schoolers who come to the NCAA and play so-so for a year and then end up doing fine in the NBA. John Wall was the same way. It's because bigs dominate college basketball on a much more consistent basis.

Keep in mind the kid was still the leading scorer on a top 10 ranked team.

[LeoMoreno]

Well the kid's flaws are defensive skills and passing the ball, 2 things we're the best at in the league. He's a shooting guard, which we don't have, though.

If the team thinks they can help him become a good player, if the big three want to help him become NBA ready in the matter of a few months, if the whole organization tries a little extra hard to make him an immediate NBA player, then we should draft him. Danny will never be forced to trade him (as we all know he'd do if he weren't much happy) and there would never be unnecessary unpleasant situations on the team.

Now, rational thinking (Danny's number one option since.. ever): Avoid any potential problems.

[the_Bird]

Wh do we need this kid..? Is he 7 feet yet..?

Exactly,  what are we supposed to do , join a midget league.

Who do we have for scorers once Ray Allen leaves?  Paul Pierce and...  uh...  Paul Pierce.  We need bigs, yes, absolutely - but we also are going to have a pretty big need for the team's next leading scorer.  It's not going to be Pierce forever.  Bradley looks good, but as a Tony Allen-like weapon off the bench.  Rondo's not consistent enough a scorer, and likely never will be.  We need bigs, but we also need someone who can create their own shot and put some points on the board. 

If Rivers is available when we select, I think you have to take him; he's flawed, but he still absolutely has the potential to be special.  At this point, I'd rather roll the dice on getting someone who could be special, versus taking a lower-risk player who's ceiling is "sold role player."  Besides, we'll have two picks to work with.